AirAsia (AK, Kuala Lumpur International) will start flights to Australia on March 11, 2024, operating daily roundtrips between Kuala Lumpur and Perth International. The flights will complement AirAsia X (D7, Kuala Lumpur International) and Thai AirAsia X (XJ, Bangkok Suvarnabhumi) services to and from the country.
"Perth has consistently been one of AirAsia’s most popular destinations," said AirAsia CEO Riad Asmat. "From January 1 to October 30, 2023, approximately 30,000 guests flew from Malaysia to Perth [on AirAsia X]. Based on increasing demand, we believe now is the right time to expand our network into this new market in West Australia. We also anticipate introducing more routes in the region in the near future."
ch-aviation schedules data reveals AirAsia will operate the daily flights using A321-200NX aircraft. The 236-passenger single-class aircraft will take five hours and forty minutes to complete each sector and join Jetstar Airways (JQ, Melbourne Tullamarine) as the only operator of the A321N type into Perth.
Sibling carrier AirAsia X already operates a daily A330-300 roundtrip service into Perth from Kuala Lumpur and will continue to do so after AirAsia begins its services. AirAsia X also operates thrice-weekly roundtrips to Gold Coast Coolangatta, as well as daily roundtrips to Melbourne Tullamarine and Sydney Kingsford Smith. In addition, Thai AirAsia X operates four roundtrips a week between Bangkok Suvarnabhumi and Sydney.
Separately, AirAsia X will start flying to Almaty International from March 14, 2024, becoming the only passenger operator on the country pair. The four roundtrips per week will utilise A330-300 stock. AirAsia X CEO Benyamin Ismail said it was the airline's first route into Central Asia. "This is an entirely new market for AirAsia X and a strategic route to expand into," he said, adding that the flights are "expected to foster significant trade, commerce, and education interchange."
