AirAsia X: Bahrain Route as Strategic Hub Still on Schedule

Jakarta (ANTARA) - AirAsia X airline has stated that the development of the Bahrain route as a strategic hub connecting Asia, the Middle East, and Europe remains on schedule to begin operations on 26 June 2026, with hopes that regional conditions will become increasingly conducive. “The Bahrain (route development) plan is still proceeding. If the war ends before then (June), we will definitely (operate flights). The airport is also fine. I have seen videos of the airport. The airport in Manama looks good,” said AirAsia X Group CEO Bo Lingam during an online press conference monitored from Jakarta on Monday. Meanwhile, Bo said AirAsia X is also proactively redirecting capacity to routes with stronger performance and yield, such as Almaty, Tashkent, and Istanbul, to capture disrupted demand. At the same time, the development of a domestic hub in Malaysia at Senai, Johor Bahru, is also being explored as part of the medium-term strategy. “We are operating in an increasingly challenging environment, but demand for travel to ASEAN destinations remains strong. This demonstrates the resilience of our network as well as the high interest in regional travel,” said Bo. Travel demand, he continued, remains solid, further strengthening AirAsia X’s commitment to making Kuala Lumpur the main hub for seamless and affordable regional connectivity. “This further affirms Kuala Lumpur’s role as the main hub and strengthens its position as a global LCC megahub that connects passengers seamlessly and affordably,” he stated. “Current challenges are not only faced by airlines but by the entire aviation ecosystem, so collaboration with partners is key to strengthening the industry’s competitiveness,” said Tan. “We are also continuing to explore expansion opportunities, including additional aircraft orders and lease options to support growth plans and network expansion to more destinations,” he added.