AirAsia X (D7, Kuala Lumpur International) has obtained six weekly slots at Dubai International airport for the Summer 2023 season and has indicated it is planning to use them to launch fifth-freedom flights from Kuala Lumpur International via Dubai to London Gatwick.
The Malaysian long-haul, low-cost specialist used to serve Gatwick and London Stansted directly but stopped the routes in 2012, and has not flown to Europe since then. It indicated plans to return to London and launch services to Istanbul Airport earlier this year, but did not specify any dates.
The airline already secured slots at Gatwick earlier, meaning that, at least officially, it can now relaunch the route as a fifth-freedom service.
AirAsia X is also reportedly looking at using Astana Nursultan Nazarbayev (again renamed Astana) as a hub for its services between Malaysia and Europe. The carrier's current long-haul network comprises services to Australia, New Zealand, Hawai'i, and Jeddah International in Saudi Arabia.
Besides AirAsia X, Canada's WestJet (WS, Calgary) also secured slots at Dubai Int'l for the Summer 2023 season for services from Calgary. The Canadian LCC revised its strategy to focus on short- and medium-haul flights. It reduced its order for B787-9s from ten to seven (of which it currently operates six) and does not plan to invest in growing its long-haul network, treating it opportunistically rather than strategically.
