AirAsia X is, for the time being, maintaining its focus on Bahrain. Despite the regional turmoil caused by the US and Israeli strikes against Iran and the temporary closure of several airspaces in the Middle East, the Malaysian long-haul low-cost carrier insists that the opening of its hub in Bahrain and the launch of the Kuala Lumpur-Bahrain-London-Gatwick, scheduled for June 26, 2026, remain «still relevant», while leaving a great deal of uncertainty as to the operational feasibility of this geopolitico-aerial gamble.
AirAsia X aims to make Bahrain its first global hub
Announced in February, the project will mark AirAsia X's return to London after an absence of over ten years, via a new hub at Bahrain International Airport. The airline plans a daily flight between Kuala Lumpur and Bahrain, extended to London-Gatwick, operated by Airbus A330-300, with aggressive introductory fares from the Gulf. Bahrain is set to become the group's first hub outside Asia, designed as a bridge between South-East Asia, Europe and, eventually, Africa, with the ambition of building up a substantial fleet and increasing frequencies by 2030.
In its launch press release, AirAsia X explained that it wanted to «Connect Asia with the Middle East and Europe more effectively».» thanks to this foothold in the heart of the Gulf, capitalizing on the flight times of the A330 and the potential of regional connections. The new Kuala Lumpur-Bahrain-London route is part of a wider strategy of post-restructuring growth, which also includes the arrival of long-haul single-aisle A321XLRs to further expand the European network.
Opening confirmed... subject to conditions
In the face of regional tensions, AirAsia X's management reaffirmed in early April its intention to launch service to Bahrain in June, while acknowledging that the timetable will depend directly on the evolution of the conflict. At a press conference, Managing Director Bo Lingam confirmed that «flights to Bahrain will operate if the war ends before June», However, he refused to commit to maintaining the project in the event of prolonged conflict. Asked about possible fallback plans, he conceded that «everything is possible», including the possibility of alternative routes to Europe via Turkey, should the situation in the Middle East remain too unstable.
Group founder Tony Fernandes, for his part, insisted that the company remained «very committed» on the new route and on its Bahrain hub, while admitting that the explosion in fuel costs linked to the conflict - with kerosene doubling to around $180 a barrel, according to the economic press - is already forcing fare increases and capacity reductions in certain markets. «We will have to raise prices and adjust capacity where we can no longer absorb the cost of fuel, said the executive, quoted by regional media based on information from Reuters.
A project caught up in the Middle East sky crisis
The initial enthusiasm surrounding the Bahrain hub was quickly overtaken by a sudden deterioration in the geopolitical and aviation context. Following a joint attack on Iran by the USA and Israel, which led to retaliatory strikes, several Middle Eastern countries - including Iran, Israel, Jordan, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates - temporarily closed their airspace, causing a domino effect on global traffic.
Bahrain, which hosts the Fifth US Fleet in the Juffair district, briefly suspended all flights, leaving transit passengers stranded at the airport and forcing many international airlines - including Emirates, Qatar Airways, Turkish Airlines and several Indian carriers - to divert or cancel their routes.
For network planners, the situation complicates the management of trajectories between Asia and Europe, already constrained by the fact that many airlines have been unable to use Russian airspace since 2022. Longer routes, combined with higher fuel costs, threaten the economic equation of certain long-haul low-cost routes, a model already highly sensitive to variations in external costs.
The sudden closure of Bahraini airspace at the end of February, albeit temporary, illustrates the hub's direct dependence on regional tensions, with immediate consequences for the continuity of operations and passenger confidence. For AirAsia X, which is emerging from a major restructuring after the Covid-19 crisis, a new operational shock on an emblematic route to Europe could weaken its long-haul reconquest strategy.
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