AirAsia X’s chief executive officer, Benyamin Ismail, announced that the company aims to carry 150,000 travelers annually on the Kuala Lumpur-Istanbul route.
AirAsia X has planned to return its operations in Europe this November after an absence of over 13 years, which is a significant move in the airline’s ambitious goal to establish itself as a global low-cost carrier (LCC).
The medium- and long-haul arm of AirAsia will launch a direct non-stop route between Kuala Lumpur and Istanbul’s Sabiha Gökçen Airport. Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen is a secondary international airport serving Istanbul, Turkey. Service will start on November 17 and operate every Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday using Airbus A330-300 aircraft. This information comes from OAG Schedules Analyser, a flight data analysis platform for the aviation industry. It helps companies analyze airline schedules and airport performance for commercial and operational decisions.
AirAsia X’s chief executive officer, Benyamin Ismail, announced that the company aims to carry 150,000 travelers annually on the Kuala Lumpur-Istanbul route.
Previously, the airline operated flights to London and Paris, but later stopped its European expansion in March 2012 due to increasing operating costs, including high government fees and reduced demand. At the same time, the airline pointed to the EU Emissions Trading System and rising Air Passenger Duty taxes in the United Kingdom (UK) as key factors for its exit from the European market.
However, AirAsia X’s return to Europe is just the beginning, and it fits seamlessly with the group’s larger strategy to expand its long-haul markets, such as North America. In July, the company announced its plan to buy an additional 50 A321XLR aircraft, with the option for 20 more.
He stated during the announcement of AirAsia X’s new destination that Istanbul has always been a dream destination for many of their travellers, and the introduction of this route marks a significant achievement in their efforts to rebuild their brand as a global low-cost carrier.
This strategic launch is its eagerly awaited debut in Europe, as it opens a vital gateway link between Southeast Asia and Europe through one of the world’s most historically rich and geographically unique destinations. It is positioned between two continents across the Bosphorus Strait, and Istanbul offers travellers a unique chance to enjoy the best of both worlds.
During that announcement, AirAsia co-founder and Capital A CEO Tony Fernandes stated that this move was part of the group’s transformational journey to become the world’s first low-cost network airline. He further emphasized that the aim was to achieve exponential growth, connecting regions beyond ASEAN, which stands for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, and making air travel more accessible.
AirAsia X will face competition from Turkish Airlines in the Kuala Lumpur-Istanbul market. Turkish Airlines currently operates 18 flights per week between Istanbul Airport and Kuala Lumpur International Airport, offering around 11,700 two-way seats per week. The Star Alliance member is currently the only airline to connect Turkey and Malaysia.
The launch of AirAsia X’s planned Istanbul route comes weeks after the LCC revealed its upcoming entry into serving Uzbekistan with a new route between Kuala Lumpur and Tashkent. It is set to start on October 15 with three flights per week. This new route is part of its plan to expand to Central Asia.
However, the airline’s service to Nairobi, its first destination in Africa, which launched in summer 2024, will be stopped in September due to low demand. AirAsia X currently operates an airline of 18 A330-300s, according to the CAPA Fleet Database, with an additional 14 A330-900s and 20 A321neos on order. It is a comprehensive global database that provides detailed information about commercial aircraft fleets.