Long-haul, low-cost carrier AirAsia X has launched flights to London Gatwick, switching its existing Kuala Lumpur – London flight from Stansted Airport from today (October 24). The first flight is due to arrive at London Gatwick late this afternoon.
AirAsia X first launched flights to London in March 2009 and currently offers six flights per week. Its arrival in the UK market has seen passenger traffic to and from Malaysia increase by around a third with its low fares stimulating the market. In the past year the airline carried around 121,000 O&D passengers on the route giving it a 33.4 per cent share of the total Kuala Lumpur – London market.
But, its business model is more than just point-to-point traffic as the route has fast turned Kuala Lumpur into a regional hub connecting three continents, with Australians and New Zealanders regularly flying into the Malaysian capital and connecting on. On the other side British and European travellers are using AirAsia X’s service to Kuala Lumpur and in turn connecting onto AirAsia’s extensive route network to travel throughout South-East Asia, to such popular destinations as Vietnam, Indonesia and Thailand.
AirAsia X says the move to Gatwick will facilitate onward development of the route with additional connecting options thanks particularly to the strong network of easyJet from the airport.
“Gatwick Airport was chosen as it demonstrated the passion to work with us in realising our objectives to grow passenger traffic between our hubs in Asia Pacific and London. With our new home base in Gatwick, guests would be able to further benefit from the airport’s destination served, airline diversity, and beyond market connectivity potential with faster and cheaper rail connectivity to the city as compared to Stansted,” explained Azran Osman-Rani, Chief Executive Officer, AirAsia X, earlier this year when the move was announced.
AirAsia X will continue to use an Airbus A340-300, which has 327 seats including 18 Premium seats. It will initially reduce frequencies to just three times per week but will revert to five weekly flights in December and up to six rotations at a later date. The loss of the route is a major blow for London Stansted which has continually lost its long-haul services due to airline failures or operators suspending flights.
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