Malaysia-based budget carrier Air Asia X will commence daily flights between Kuala Lumpur and London Gatwick via Bahrain from 26 June.
Flights on the new route, operated by the carrier’s A330 aircraft, will depart Kuala Lumpur at 10pm with an approximate two-hour stopover in Bahrain before arriving at London Gatwick at 7:30am the following day. Flights departing on Friday, however, have a shorter transit time in Bahrain and will reach London by 7:05am.
Flights from Gatwick, meanwhile, will depart at 10:25am and arrive in the Malaysian capital at 9:55am the following day after a two-hour transit in Bahrain.
The new route will see Bahrain International Airport become the carrier’s first ‘global hub’ as it looks to expand its long-haul network. The low-cost airline relaunched flights to Europe last November with a four-times-weekly service from Kuala Lumpur to Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport.
Tony Fernandes, CEO of Air Asia parent company Capital A, said the new route marks “a defining step” in the carrier’s growth.
“Bahrain as our strategic aviation hub allows us to connect Asia with the Middle East and Europe more effectively while creating a scalable platform for future growth… Looking ahead, we will deepen partnerships with airports, tourism authorities and industry stakeholders to unlock new demand corridors.”