AirAsia X (D7, Kuala Lumpur International) has deferred the launch of its Kuala Lumpur International-Bahrain International-London Gatwick fifth-freedom route from August 27, 2026, to March 2027 due to continued geopolitical instability in the Middle East.

The airline said in a statement on July 24 that the revised launch remained subject to operational and market conditions. This is the second delay to the service, which was originally due to begin on June 26, 2026.

"Following a thorough review of the operating environment, we have made the difficult decision to defer the commencement of our Kuala Lumpur-Bahrain-London Gatwick services due to the prolonged geopolitical instability in West Asia," general manager Benyamin Ismail said.

The decision follows a renewed escalation of the conflict between the United States and Iran in July, with airstrikes and drone attacks resuming also targeting other countries in the region.

The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) subsequently advised operators not to use the airspace of Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, or the United Arab Emirates at any altitude. It cited risks from missiles, drones, combat aircraft, and air defence systems and extended the warning until August 31, 2026.

AirAsia X said Bahrain remained part of its long-term network strategy but did not provide a more specific launch date in March 2027.

The route was scheduled to operate 4x weekly using A330-300 aircraft, increasing to daily from November 2, 2026. It was initially marketed as a daily service but was reduced to 4x weekly following the regional conflict.