AirAsia X is heading back to London and has announced new flights to Dubai and Istanbul among a raft of new and resuming routes for the low-cost long-haul carrier. The airline hasn't specified start dates for these three routes yet, only saying the flights would begin sometime later this year. AirAsia X was on slightly firmer ground regarding routes closer to home. Flights to Seoul, New Delhi, Sydney, Sapporo, Tokyo, Honolulu, and Osaka will start or resume as soon as July.

A return to form as AirAsia X flights resume

It is a solid return to form for an airline that dodged financial oblivion and spent two years grounded. The President of Capital A, the parent company of AirAsia X, Colin Currie, says Wednesday's routes announcement marks a new era for our AirAsia X. He says the airline is resuming operations after a two-year hiatus with refreshed branding and is keen to make a new start. AirAsia X CEO Benyamin Ismail is singing from the same songsheet, saying the low-cost carrier is back, better and stronger than ever.

"We have spent the downtime in flying reviewing every aspect of the operation to deliver even greater value and choice for medium and long-haul travel. Today's announcement of the resumption of four routes to Japan and Hawaii and to launch flights to London, Istanbul and Dubai is just the beginning," says the AirAsia X CEO.

"We have many more destinations in the pipeline, which we will announce soon, to meet strong pent-up demand. The return to London and first-time flights direct to Dubai and Istanbul will be a gamechanger for great value long-haul travel, and these will be on sale soon for travel later this year."

A330 -300 AIRASIA X TAKEs OFF
Photo: Airbus

Confirmed start dates for some AirAsia X medium-haul routes

More certainty surrounds flights between Kuala Lumpur (KUL) and Seoul (ICN), which will operate twice weekly from July 2. On July 3, AirAsia X will resume thrice-weekly flights between Kuala Lumpur and New Delhi (DEL). Eleven days later, on July 14, twice-weekly flights between Kuala Lumpur and Tokyo Haneda (HND) will start taking off.

On September 2, twice-weekly flights between Kuala Lumpur and Sydney (SYD) will resume. In October, AirAsia X will try something interesting - twice-weekly flights between Kuala Lumpur and Honolulu (HNL) via Osaka Kansai (KIX) from October 2. Last among the confirmed start dates is a four-times-a-week service between Kuala Lumpur and Sapporo (CTS) that will begin on December 1. AirAsia X will service all the routes with their fleet of long-haul Airbus A330-300 aircraft. It's a substantially downsized fleet compared to before the pandemic, but they've still got those value-for-money flatbeds and rather tasty Malay-style inflight hot meals.

AirAsia X Flatbed Cabin
AirAsia X's fleet has downsized but their A330 fleet still offers a value-for-money flatbed flight experience. Photo: AirAsia X

"As our services grow, we will continue to bring our fleet of aircraft out of hibernation, and we can look forward to gradually bringing our valued pilots and cabin crew who were on furlough back," says Benyamin Ismail. "I am confident all of our resumed or new services will prove to be very popular and that we will return to pre-COVID capacity on some of our core routes within the next 12 months.

"Our strategic new model, combining cargo and passengers, enables AirAsia X to fly profitably where other airlines may not be able to, which makes operations to longer-haul routes like Dubai, Istanbul and London, commercially viable and more affordable for our guests at the same time."

Tickets on routes with confirmed start dates for travel through to March 26, 2023, are now on sale.