The airline began flying the route on September 3rd.
- AirAsia X has resumed non-stop flights between Kuala Lumpur and Amritsar, benefiting frequent travelers from Punjab.
- The airline aims to attract passengers looking to travel to Malaysia, Australia, and Southeast Asia.
- AirAsia X faces competition from Batik Air Malaysia and also Malaysia Airlines, which will start operating on the same route in November.
Malaysia’s AirAsia X has once again started flying to the North Indian city of Amritsar from Kuala Lumpur. The airline launched this route five years ago but had to suspend it during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Amritsar-Kuala Lumpur non-stop flight will also be great for connecting passengers from the state of Punjab, many of whom are frequent travelers to countries such as Australia and New Zealand.
Back in Amritsar
AirAsia X resumed non-stop flights between Kuala Lumpur and Amritsar in the North Indian state of Punjab on September 3rd. The four-times-a-week service (flight D7189) will operate out of Amritsar on Monday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday.
The occasion was marked by the presence of Amritsar member of Parliament Gurjit Singh Aujla, who visited Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport and met with the airline’s crew. AirAsia X’s Amritsar service began in 2018 through the efforts of FlyAmritsar Initiative. But it came to an abrupt halt in March 2020 with the onset of the COVID pandemic. Sameep Singh Gumtala, global convener, FlyAmritsar Initiative, was quoted by Hindustan Times as saying.
Increasing competition
AirAsia X is hoping to attract passengers from Punjab who not only wish to travel to Malaysia but also those looking to take advantage of its network in Australia and Southeast Asia. A lack of adequate flight options forces many from Punjab to travel to nearby bigger airports such as Delhi to travel abroad.
Currently, AirAsia X’s only competition on the Amritsar-Kuala Lumpur route is Batik Air Malaysia, which operates three weekly flights on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday out of Amritsar on a Boeing 737 aircraft.
However, a third airline will soon jump into the fray to compete on this route. Malaysia Airlines recently announced that it has added three new routes in India, one of them being the Amritsar-Kuala Lumpur flight, which will start on November 8th. According to Cirium, the total number of return flights between Amritsar and Kuala Lumpur will be 108 by December.
Busy months ahead
AirAsia X reported a second-quarter net profit of RM5.5 million ($1.16m) compared to a net loss of RM652.2 million ($137m) in the same period last year. This was largely due to a return of capacity, with the airline strengthening its fleet following a surge in travel demand.
The airline expects to have at least 16 fully operational aircraft by the end of 2023 and is gradually bringing back more Airbus A330s into service. According to the latest reports, AirAsia X plans to lease one more Airbus A330-300 to cater to the demands during the busy winter season.
By Mian Saeed Ahmed Khan
