AirAsia X set to start Istanbul flights in renewed Europe push

[KUALA LUMPUR] Malaysia’s AirAsia X is set to launch non-stop flights to Turkey from November, rebooting the South-east Asian budget carrier’s ambitions to fly to Europe and establish a global low-cost carrier network.

AirAsia X – the long-haul low-cost arm of AirAsia – will start flying to Istanbul’s Sabiha Gokcen airport from Kuala Lumpur four times a week, according to flight scheduling data tracked by AeroRoutes. A representative for the carrier did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The move comes just over a month after AirAsia tentatively agreed to purchase as many as 70 extended-range Airbus jets during Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s official visit to France. The new jets are part of a plan by Tony Fernandes, chief executive officer of AirAsia parent Capital A, to fly to Europe and then make a foray into North America.

The start of Kuala Lumpur-Istanbul flights is a significant milestone for AirAsia X, which previously flew to London and Paris between 2009 and 2012. The carrier dropped those routes more than a decade ago due to waning demand and a carbon emissions levy.

The carrier’s recent efforts to expand its network have generated mixed results. It started flying to Central Asia last year with a route to Almaty, Kazakhstan. But its service to Nairobi – its first African destination – will be suspended from Sep 1 due to low demand. BLOOMBERG