Thai AirAsia X (XJ, Bangkok Suvarnabhumi) has announced it will start flying between Bangkok Suvarnabhumi and Sydney Kingsford Smith and Melbourne Tullamarine in December 2022 using A330 aircraft. While other airlines in the wider AirAsia group fly to Australia, this is the first time Thai AirAsia X has flown to Australia's two busiest passenger airports. Before Covid-19, Thai AirAsia X briefly flew to Brisbane International.
“Thailand and Australia have maintained strong relations for over 70 years, and Australia is among the top three educational destinations for Thai students as well as a leading travel destination for Thai tourists,” said Tassapon Bijleveld, acting chief executive of Thai AirAsia X.
Three times a week flights between Bangkok and Melbourne will begin on December 1 while 4x weekly flights between Bangkok and Sydney will start on December 2. According to the ch-aviation fleets module, the carrier has eight A330s, including six A330-300s and two A330-900Ns. The airline hasn't specified what type of A330 they'll send to Australia and the carrier's booking engine only details the operating type as an A330. Presently, only two of the airline's eight planes are flying.
Both Sydney and Melbourne Airports have welcomed the new flights. Thai AirAsia X will join Jetstar Airways (JQ, Melbourne Tullamarine) and Thai Airways International (TG, Bangkok Suvarnabhumi) on the Bangkok - Melbourne route and Qantas (QF, Sydney Kingsford Smith) and Thai Airways International (TG, Bangkok Suvarnabhumi) on the Bangkok - Sydney route.
At present, Thai AirAsia X connects Bangkok with Osaka Kansai, Tokyo Narita and Sapporo Chitose in Japan, Seoul Incheon in Korea, with 2x weekly charters to Tbilisi in Georgia slated to run from October 8 to 28.
