LONDON – The Asian low-cost carrier AirAsia X is going to restart its scheduled operations on February 14 after a 2-year hiatus after the global pandemic brought air travel to a halt.

AirAsia X will begin the gradual restoration of flights with weekly service from Kuala Lumpur to Sydney.

Schedules for the autumn and winter will be announced in mid-February 2022.

“Following our travel downtime over the last two years, and the recent completion of our restructuring process, we are thrilled to be able to relaunch and commence our gradual return to the skies,” AirAsia X CEO, Benyamin Ismail announced in a statement.

The airline, which has no domestic market, has been highly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

But after its successful restructuring, the airlines see “light at the end of this long tunnel.” The long-haul subsidiary, AAX first announced a debt restructuring scheme as a measure to avoid liquidation in October 2020.

Despite the fact that AirAsia X hasn’t been flying scheduled flights with passengers, they have been able to stay active in cargo operations.

“This has been a lifeline for us,” AirAsia X Suresh COO, Kumar Bangah said.

“Whilst take-up will be gradual, it can only get better in the coming months as more people return to the skies. We are ready for that pent-up demand,” Bangah added.