AirAsia X makes Central Asian debut with sold-out flight

AirAsia X (AAX) marked its grand entry into the Central Asian market yesterday with a fully-booked maiden flight from Almaty, Kazakhstan to Kuala Lumpur.

The historic D7601 flight touched down at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (Terminal 2) today, carrying 285 passengers.

A warm welcome and ambitious goals

The arriving passengers were greeted by Dr. Yasmeen binti Yasim, Deputy Secretary General (Tourism) from the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, along with Tourism Malaysia dignitaries and AirAsia representatives.

Dato Sri Tiong King Sing, Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, hailed the inaugural flight as a significant milestone.

He emphasised Malaysia’s rich cultural heritage and natural beauty, welcoming Kazakh visitors to experience the country’s famed hospitality.

Tiong further expressed confidence that Kazakh tourists will contribute to Malaysia’s ambitious target of welcoming over 27.3 million tourists in 2024.

AirAsia X expanding horizons

AirAsia X CEO, Benyamin Ismail, expressed his delight at the launch, highlighting the impressive 100% load factor on the inaugural flight.

He described the move into Central Asia as a significant leap forward for AAX, reflecting their commitment to expanding their global network and reconnecting travelers with exciting destinations.

Benyamin projected that AAX’s entry into Kazakhstan will not only boost tourism between both nations but also forge stronger regional ties by connecting the people of Central Asia’s largest country to AAX’s extensive network of 130 destinations accessible from Kuala Lumpur.

To celebrate this achievement, AAX is offering special promotional fares starting from RM599 (approximately USD169) for one-way journeys between Kuala Lumpur and Almaty.

These limited-time fares are bookable from March 15th to 21st, 2024, for travel dates between now and June 17th, 2025.

Bookings can be made on the AirAsia website (airasia.com) or through the AirAsia mobile app (formerly known as the “airasia Superapp”).

With a successful inaugural flight and attractive promotional fares, AirAsia X looks poised to capitalise on the growing travel demand between Malaysia and Central Asia.