AirAsia X (AAX) is adding a new long-haul link between Southeast Asia and Europe, announcing a Kuala Lumpur–Bahrain–London Gatwick service (KUL–BAH–LGW) that is set to begin on 26 June 2026.
The airline says the move positions Bahrain as its first strategic global hub to Europe, using the Gulf state as a bridge connecting Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Europe.
What’s being launched
AAX announced two international routes as part of the same move, linking Kuala Lumpur to Bahrain, and then continuing onwards to London Gatwick.
It also described the Bahrain–London leg as the airline’s second “fifth-freedom” route, expanding beyond its home market in Asia to target global budget travellers.
This brings AirAsia X back to London after it cancelled its Kuala Lumpur to London Stansted service previously. I was on one of the flights on this route in 2010 for the AirAsia British MotoGP.
Route snapshot
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Routing | Kuala Lumpur (KUL) – Bahrain (BAH) – London Gatwick (LGW) |
| Planned start date | 26 June 2026 |
| Aircraft | Airbus A330 fleet |
| Positioning | Bahrain to serve as AAX’s first strategic hub to Europe |
Why Bahrain, why now
AAX is framing Bahrain as more than a stopover. The airline says the service is designed around transit and partnership opportunities, using Bahrain’s location and aviation set-up to create a multi-sector route.
Tony Fernandes, CEO of Capital A and advisor to AAX, said the Bahrain hub model is intended to help the group connect Asia, the Middle East and Europe more effectively, while also creating room for adjacent businesses like cargo and MRO services to scale alongside the airline.
He also highlighted Teleport’s first arrival flight into Bahrain, following what he described as a US$50 million capital raise, positioning Bahrain as an aviation and logistics hub and signalling more partnerships ahead with airports, tourism authorities and industry stakeholders.
Bahrain’s pitch: jobs, skills, tourism
Bahrain’s Minister of Finance and National Economy, H.E. Shaikh Salman bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, said the agreement aims to reinforce Bahrain’s role as a gateway linking Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Europe, with expected spillover into tourism, logistics and hospitality, plus skills development and career pathways for Bahrainis in aviation.
Where this sits in AirAsia X’s network
AAX says it is building on a network of more than 150 destinations worldwide. It also states Kuala Lumpur remains its major gateway, connecting travellers to 95 destinations across 23 Asian countries with nearly 2,000 weekly flights, and that the new service broadens access for travellers from markets including Australia, Indonesia and Vietnam.