AirAsia X (AAX) has resumed its services to Shanghai, China with four weekly flights from Kuala Lumpur which commenced last week, on 2 March 2023.
The inaugural post-pandemic flight from Kuala Lumpur departed with an encouraging passenger load.
The subsequent return flight from Shanghai took to the air almost 100% full with 373 guests, signalling significant outbound travel demand from the Chinese market.
Capacity increase
Amid encouraging demand and the easing of inbound travel restrictions to China, AAX plans to ramp up capacity.
The airline will now increase the frequency of services to Shanghai with 11 weekly flights by the second quarter this year, akin to its pre-pandemic frequency.
AirAsia X Malaysia CEO, Benyamin Ismail said: “Our first inaugural flight to Shanghai was a decade ago and today, we are thrilled to be back in China and celebrate the resumption of this historically very popular destination.”
“In addition, we have also restarted our weekly flight to/from Hangzhou recently with 97% passenger load to Kuala Lumpur.
“China is one of the world’s major economies and the reopening of flights to China is a positive sign for AAX and the tourism industry in general.”
“As China has only just started to reopen, this is only the beginning of the recovery process. We remain optimistic that travel demand to China will quickly return to pre-pandemic levels in the near future.”
“Most importantly, we are seeing a sharp upturn in demand from Chinese travellers which will boost our recovery and accelerate the local tourism industries in both destinations. We look forward to restarting more flights to/from China in the coming months.”
Air Asia X and Shanghai
AirAsia X first started flying to Shanghai, China in 2009. The airline launched its first flight from Kuala Lumpur to Shanghai Pudong International Airport on July 8, 2009.
Since then, AirAsia X has continued to operate flights to Shanghai, as well as other destinations in China such as Beijing and Chengdu. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting travel restrictions, AirAsia X suspended its operations to China and other destinations.
Last week’s Shanghai service was thus the first since the global pandemic caused the cessation of operations.
About AirAsia X
AirAsia X is a long-haul, low-cost airline based in Malaysia. It is a subsidiary of AirAsia, one of the largest low-cost carriers in Asia. The airline operates flights to destinations in Asia, Australia, the Middle East, and the United States.
AirAsia X was launched in 2007, with its first flight from Kuala Lumpur to Gold Coast, Australia. Since then, the airline has expanded its network and fleet, and currently operates a fleet of Airbus A330-300 and A330-900neo aircraft.
AirAsia X is known for its affordable fares and no-frills service, which includes a buy-on-board menu for food and beverages.
Passengers can choose from different fare types, which include perks such as extra baggage allowance, seat selection, and priority boarding.
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