Flights grounded, AirAsia aims for Grab, acquires Gojek Thailand

AirAsia Digital, the digital arm of airasia Group and Gojek, Grab's biggest competitors in Southeast Asia, today revealed a partnership whereby airasia Digital will acquire Gojek’s operations in Thailand. 

This deal is expected to rev up expansion of the AirAsia super app in Asean, while enabling Gojek to increase investments in its Vietnam and Singapore operations. In return, Gojek will receive shareholding in the AirAsia super app whose market value is around USD1 billion (RM 4.17 billion).

Also read: Now everyone can e-hail with AirAsia, with Toyota Vellfire and Alphard fleet

Operations wise, AirAsia Digital will continue to leverage the existing ecosystem services for riders, merchants and customers while adding new offerings, such as groceries and beauty items.

The Gojek app will continue to operate for existing users in Bangkok through to 31 July 2021 to ensure stability for Gojek drivers and merchants - who will be invited to onboard the airasia super app in coming weeks.

AirAsia will work with the existing Gojek team in Thailand, who will operate the Gojek business during the transition period before moving over to the AirAsia super app.

AirAsia Group CEO Tony Fernandes said, "By taking on Gojek’s well-established Thai business, we’ll be able to turbo charge our ambitions in this space to become a leading Asean challenger super app."

“We already have a complete digital economy ecosystem. We have successfully established over 15 different non airline products and lifestyle services on our digital e-commerce platform in Malaysia.

"In response to overwhelming regional demand, we are setting our sights on bringing our super app offerings to all of our key markets, following the successful roll out in Thailand."

With this acquisition, AirAsia really is foraging forward with its ambitions not just in e-hailing, but also mobile on-demand services and e-commerce too. Can AirAsia genuinely take the fight to Grab in the Asean region? Competition is never a bad thing, as consumers are the winners.