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DALLAS - AirAsia X (D7) has relaunched flights between Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KUL) and Gold Coast Airport (OOL), Australia, after an almost three-year break. The thrice-weekly flight is operated by one of the carriers, Airbus A330-300s.
The inaugural service left KUL at 23:25 local time and arrived at OOL at 11:25 local time the following day. According to the official press release, passengers 'were treated to a special send-off ceremony before boarding and a welcoming event on arrival.'
Growing Australian Network
OOL is D7's fourth Australian destination, joining Melbourne (MEL), Perth (PER) and Sydney (SYD). The route was launched initially in 2007. Its return has been a joint effort between Queensland Airports Limited, the Department of Tourism, Innovation and Sport, the Gold Coast City Council and Destination Gold Coast through the Attracting Aviation Investment Fund.
Tourism Minister Stirling Hinchliffe states that the new route is expected to bring around AU$45.6m (US$30.4m) to the local economy. It will also add 58,000 airline seats to the region every year.
CEO Comments
AirAsia X CEO Benyamin Ismail said, "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."
"An Important Partnership"
Meanwhile, Queensland Airports Limited CEO Amelia Evans said, "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."
https://airwaysmag.com/airasia-x-turns-profit/
Featured Image: AirAsia X Airbus A330-300 (HS-XTH). Photo: Christian Winter/Airways.
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