ISTANBUL: AirAsia X’s (AAX) inaugural flight to Istanbul, Turkiye, recorded strong demand in both directions, with the outbound Kuala Lumpur flight operating at 81 per cent capacity and the return flight nearly 89 per cent full.
AAX chief executive officer Benyamin Ismail said the route launch coincides with the peak travel season in December and January. This timing has resulted in strong bookings, and he anticipates that the load factors will be over 80 per cent throughout this period.
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“The goal is to ensure that we maintain this level consistently, not just to bring Malaysians across, but also to expand our network to Istanbul and vice versa,” he said at a press conference here, in conjunction with the maiden flight which embarked on Nov 14, 2025.
Benyamin said that AAX is offering four weekly flights to Istanbul and more than 150,000 seats annually at competitive fares.
“Operating close to 200 aircraft within the group, with Kuala Lumpur as one of AirAsia’s biggest hubs, gives the airline the ability not just to bring traffic from Kuala Lumpur, but also from across the ASEAN region.
“ASEAN already has close to 750 million people. If you include North Asia-Pacific, it is close to a billion. That is the potential that we have, and we can connect that to Istanbul. A flight frequency of four times per week is a modest yet ambitious target,” he said.
Benyamin also said that AAX’s fares, which are expected to be 30 to 40 per cent cheaper than other carriers, aim to stimulate the new market and give people the chance to save while travelling more often.
He noted that the airline is confident the Istanbul sector will boost trade and business deals.
“There will be more Malaysians coming and travelling for business, which will be seamless. Having AAX servicing Istanbul is a blessing for Malaysia and Turkiye,” he added.
Capital A executive chairman Datuk Kamarudin Meranun said the maiden flight to Istanbul is a bold yet long-awaited step in AAX’s long-haul growth strategy, as Turkiye represents a strong and dynamic market with immense potential for both leisure and business travel.
