AirAsia X switches London airport
Malaysian long-haul low-cost airline AirAsia X is to switch flights from London Stansted to Gatwick from October.
Starting October 24, Gatwick will become the new UK base for the airline, which will operate six flights weekly to Kuala Lumpur by mid December.
Chief executive officer Azran Osman-Rani said: “Gatwick Airport was chosen as it demonstrated the passion to work with us in realising our objectives to grow passenger traffic between our hubs in London and Asia Pacific.
"With our new home base in Gatwick, guests will be able to further benefit from the airport’s regional access and market connectivity potential with faster and cheaper rail connectivity to the city as compared to Stansted.
"AirAsia X sees strong potential for the airport as we believe our entry will address the fact that direct services to Asia have been significantly underserved from Gatwick."
AirAsia X launched its maiden flight into Stansted in March 2009.
The airline is currently operating six times a week between Stansted and Kuala Lumpur.
By Bev Fearis
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
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