SEPANG: AirAsia X Bhd will revisit its suspended Australian routes once new long-range aircraft are delivered, targeting a resumption by the end of this year or early next year.
“We are getting four long-range aircraft; when they come, we will go back to all these places towards the end of the year or early next year,“ CEO Bo Lingam told SunBiz on the sidelines of AirAsia’s partnership with HYROX event today.
Bo stressed that the long-haul low-cost carrier has not abandoned the Australian market, as it continues to operate services to major Australian cities, including Melbourne, Sydney and Perth.
“We have not exited Australia. The suspensions, like those to the Gold Coast, were due to aircraft constraints, not demand,“ he said.
Bo dismissed the suggestions that AirAsia X is shifting its focus away from Australia in favour of North Asia.
“That is not true at all. We are not shifting our focus away from Australia in favour of North Asia. We remain firmly committed to flying into Australia,” he said.
However, Bo said North Asia, especially South Korea and Japan, is among the stronger demand markets at present. “But there is demand almost everywhere. I think we have to stimulate demand. With our low fares, it should be okay.”
He reiterated that the airline’s expansion is currently constrained by limited aircraft availability across the market.
“We expect to expand into more routes progressively as new aircraft are delivered over the year.”
As of Sept 30, 2025, the group maintained a fleet of 19 aircraft, 18 of which are operational. The final grounded aircraft is expected to be reactivated by early this year.
It was previously reported that AirAsia X is slated to receive four long-range Airbus A321LR aircraft from the second half of 2026.
Currently, AirAsia X operates services to Melbourne, Sydney, Perth and Darwin, while routes to the Gold Coast, Cairns, Brisbane, Adelaide and Geelong (Avalon) are suspended.
AirAsia yesterday launched a partnership with HYROX APAC to support the region’s growing fitness movement.
The collaboration enables HYROX athletes, participants and fans to travel to key host cities.
AirAsia X chief commercial officer Amanda Woo said that since its inception, it has partnered with global sporting platforms, from Asean football to the Southeast Asian Games to the Ultimate Fighting Championship, as well as its AirAsia RedRun, introduced last year.
“Our partnership with HYROX comes at a time when fitness becomes a global lifestyle movement,“ she said.
Key focus markets include Osaka (Japan), Bangkok, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Incheon (South Korea), with additional destinations across the region to be supported under the partnership.
HYROX APAC managing director Gary Wan said partnering with AirAsia enables the company to better support its athletes and fans by making travel across the region more accessible, while strengthening HYROX’s presence in key markets.
As part of the collaboration, AirAsia will serve as the title partner for AirAsia HYROX Jakarta, scheduled for June 6 and 7 at the Nusantara International Convention Exhibition, and AirAsia HYROX Kuala Lumpur, scheduled for December.
