In great news for Queenslanders and sunshine seeking holiday makers alike Air Asia X have finally made a return to the Gold Coast after a hiatus of more than two years due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The inaugural flight last week departed from Kuala Lumpur International Airport’ Terminal 2 at 11.25pm local time and landed at Gold Coast International Airport the following morning at 9.25am local time. In celebration of the newly resumed services to the coastal city, all guests on the inaugural flight were spoilt with a special to a special send off ceremony before boarding and then welcoming celebration on arrival in the Australian holiday hotspot.
The Gold Coast route has always hold a significant part of Air Asia X’s history as the first ever route launched by the airline in November 2007. The resumption of the service now becomes the airline’s fourth destination in Australia and will follow the return of services to Sydney, Melbourne and Perth this year which had already carried over 300,000 guests between Australia and Malaysia through to April last year. Surprisingly, Air Asia X is also the only carrier servicing direct flights between Queensland and Malaysia.
Tourism Minister Stirling Hinchliffe said AirAsia X was predicted to generate AUD45.6 million for the Gold Coast’s visitor economy.
“These direct services from Kuala Lumpur have been secured by the Palaszczuk Government’s $200 million aviation war chest in partnership with Gold Coast Airport.
“We’re backing AirAsia X because of the airline’s commitment to increasing its Gold Coast flight schedule to five days a week by the end of the year.
“AirAsia X is a terrific investment in the Gold Coast’s visitor economy and the 450 good Queensland jobs these services will support.
“It’s terrific to welcome Malaysian visitors back to Queensland to share our great lifestyle and enjoy the Gold Coast’s world-class holiday experiences,” Mr Hinchliffe said.
AirAsia X CEO Benyamin Ismail said today is an incredibly important day for AAX as it returns to the Gold Coast – its first ever route which was launched in November 2007.
“The Gold Coast will always hold a special place in our hearts and what makes this announcement even more of a major milestone is that AAX is now the only airline connecting Kuala Lumpur directly to the Gold Coast and to Queensland on the whole.
“Our newest route now provides the most affordable and convenient air travel option for guests who want to explore one of Australia’s most popular tourist destinations and for Australians seeking to visit Malaysia or continue on throughout Asia with our vast global network including to leisure favourites like Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, India and more.
“The resumption of this route today will not only attract a significant number of visitors from Malaysia and other Asian countries but also strengthen the ties between Malaysia and Australia. We look forward to working closely with all of our key airport and tourism stakeholders, especially Queensland Airports and Destination Gold Coast to make the Gold Coast a preferred tourism destination of choice for the many millions of leisure seekers across Asia,” Mr Benyamin Ismail said.
Queensland Airports Limited CEO Amelia Evans said the return of AirAsia X to the Gold Coast would provide three return flights between Kuala Lumpur and the Gold Coast each week, bringing 58,000 additional seats into the region each year.
“Since the first AirAsia X flight took off from Kuala Lumpur to the Gold Coast in 2007 more than two million travellers have flown between the two cities.
“The return of this service re-establishes an important connection between two major tourism and economic hubs at a competitive price for international travel, and an important partnership with AirAsia X for the future.
“We’re also excited to have been able to welcome AirAsia X back to our new International Terminal, providing visitors with an elevated experience from the moment they touch down into the Gold Coast and the region,” Ms Evans said.
