Photo caption: (L-R) Bo Lingam, Group CEO of AirAsia X; Tony Fernandes, Group CEO of Capital A and Co-founder of AirAsia; His Excellency Dr Sheikh Abdullah bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, Minister of Transportation and Telecommunications, Kingdom of Bahrain; Her Excellency Noor Alkhualif, Minister of Sustainable Development and Chief Executive of the Bahrain Economic Development Board and Datuk Kamarudin Meranun, Executive Chairman of Capital A and Co-Founder of AirAsia
MANAMA, Bahrain, 11 February 2026 – AirAsia X (AAX) Berhad celebrated a monumental milestone in the airline’s global expansion strategy with the announcement of two long-awaited international routes, connecting Kuala Lumpur to Bahrain and onwards to London Gatwick (KUL-BAH-LGW), at press conference in Bahrain today.
The Bahrain-London sector would be AAX’s second Fifth-Freedom route, marking the expansion of the airline beyond its homeground Asia, to serve the global budget travel sector. Commencing on 26 June 2026, these strategic routes establish Bahrain as AAX’s first global hub, strengthening its role as a key gateway between Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Europe. Leveraging Bahrain’s strategic location and aviation structure, the KUL-BAH-LGW service anchors a multi-sector route anchored on transit and partnership opportunities.
Tony Fernandes, CEO of Capital A and Advisor to AAX said: “This is a defining step in the next phase of AAX’s growth. Bahrain as our strategic aviation hub allows us to connect Asia with the Middle East and Europe more effectively while creating a scalable platform for future growth. Beyond the airline, this partnership strengthens the broader aviation ecosystem, enabling Capital A businesses such as cargo and MRO services to scale alongside AAX. Today, Teleport marks an important milestone as its first flight arrives in Bahrain, following its recent USD50 million capital raise – a move that will help position the Kingdom as a key aviation and logistics hub in the region. Looking ahead, we will deepen partnerships with airports, tourism authorities and industry stakeholders to unlock new demand corridors. We are building a growth engine that balances connectivity, commercial performance and operational resilience, while staying true to our value proposition of affordable long-haul travel.”