The AirAsia X Group is on a path to recovery with the Malaysian sector adding 44 weekly across 10 routes, and is expanding its Thai AirAsia X operations to fly 22 weekly services across five routes in the next two months.
Recently, AAX launched direct services from Kuala Lumpur to South Korea and India and announced the resumption of services to Australia and more routes as the recovery theme grows stronger in the region.
Adding to the robust flight schedule, the regional low-cost airline plans to recall all furlough pilots and cabin crew by December this year. The group has so far reactivated 175 pilots and 285 cabin crew including rehiring 131 cabin crew who were retrenched during the pandemic.
Commenting on the positive prospects, Tony Fernandes said “AAX is well and truly back with a focus on returning to our most popular and profitable medium haul destinations first in the short term, which are historically proven.
“This strategy ensures that the AAX Group can operate at an optimal frequency on our core routes in order to keep our costs down and deliver the best fares in the market for consumers, while at the same time, maximising our revenues to ensure a successful and viable airline for the future.
“However, the most important thing for me is that we can confirm today that we are bringing back our staff whom we had to let go during Covid. I had made a commitment and it thrills me that we can honour that in two and a half years, as we return to the skies, stronger than ever.
CEO Benjamin Ismail added that forward-booking trends remain very encouraging across all key metrics, with higher year-on-year load factors and average fares through the first quarter of 2023.
“We also anticipate a strong uptake for our new route to Istanbul, Turkey to be announced soon, and would like to thank Malaysia Airports for their support and cooperation. We look forward to flying to Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport (ISG) in the near future.
