AirAsia X committed to opening Bahrain hub despite Middle East conflict
April 07, 2026
Source:
KUALA LUMPUR, April 6 (Reuters) - Budget carrier AirAsia X said on Monday that it remained set on opening a planned 鈥媓ub in Bahrain in June, though the airline's chief executive was 鈥宯on-committal on whether the plans would go ahead if the Middle East conflict drags on.
AirAsia X in February plans to resume flights from Kuala Lumpur to London via the Bahrain 鈥媓ub, its first outside Asia, with services due to begin on 鈥婮une 26.
That announcement however came before U.S. and Israeli airstrikes on 鈦營ran later that month, which disrupted aviation across the Middle East, with many airlines 鈥媍ancelling routes to avoid airspace in the region.
AirAsia X chief executive Bo Lingam 鈥媡old a press conference that the Bahrain service would definitely go ahead if the war ends before June, but declined to say if it would proceed in the event of a 鈥媝rotracted conflict.
"Anything's possible," he said, when asked if the airline would pursue 鈥媋lternate routes to Europe, such as via its existing flights to Turkey.
The airline - which in 鈥孞anuary 鈦爄ts takeover of the short-haul aviation business from its former parent and affiliate Capital A has been hit hard by the conflict, which saw jet fuel prices soaring.
Fuel shortages in Asia have also led some countries, including Thailand 鈥媋nd Vietnam, to place 鈥媗imits on plane 鈦爎e-fuelling, Bo said.
AirAsia X co-founder and Capital A chief executive Tony Fernandes said the airline will need to raise 鈥媐ares and trim capacity in places where it can 鈥媙o longer 鈦燾over fuel costs, with jet fuel prices rising to up to $300 per barrel in some markets.
Fernandes said demand for flights remained high, however, and he was optimistic 鈦爐he 鈥媋irline would return stronger after the crisis ends.
The company 鈥媓as raised fuel surcharges by about 20%, while fare prices have increased between 31% and 40%, 鈥媔t said.