AirAsia X will fly to Nairobi

[Mattg]

This is kinda cool:

AirAsia X Plans Nairobi Debut in mid-Nov 2024 — AeroRoutes

Published at 0945GMT 23JUN24 AirAsia X from November 2024 plans to launch service to Africa, as the airline filed operational schedule for Kuala Lumpur – Nairobi route. From 15NOV24, the airline plans to offer 4 weekly flights with Airbus A330-300 aircraft. D7101 KUL1900 – 2300NBO 333 x246 D71

www.aeroroutes.com

4x weekly KUL-NBO flights. Not exactly a stylish way to fly to Kenya, but I imagine this will be far cheaper than any of the other available options.

 

[dajop]

Interesting. Distance wise, very similar to SYD-HKT, so definitely in the mid range of the long haul LCC flights.

 

[N860CR]

Decent option for business (if their flat beds remain cheap). Not sure of the game plan though. Hardly a low cost tourist destination, and I can’t imagine there’s a lot of business or VFR to warrant a direct service.

 

[AIRwin]

Inaugural flight:

View this content on Instagram

View this content on Instagram

 

[Mwenenzi]

Decent option for business (if their flat beds remain cheap). Not sure of the game plan though. Hardly a low cost tourist destination, and I can’t imagine there’s a lot of business or VFR to warrant a direct service.

East Africa is not only a high priced destination. Are 1000's of budget travellers. As I was ~40 years ago in that area. Spent a few $ more when last in East Africa.
My screen name is "Wanderer" in Swahili.

A map from the Great Circle Mapper

A map from the Great Circle Mapper

www.gcmap.com

 

[kpc]

If I can get a reasonably priced flat bed, I would be very interested taking this 9 hour flight from Kul!

I have been to SA, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Botswana, Namibia, Rwanda, Tanzania, Eswatini and technically Angola and loved my trips to Africa....would love to visit more places including Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia, Ghana, maybe Mozambique etc

 

[aikman]

Only lasted 9 months

AirAsia X today (02MAY25) announced the cancellation of Kuala Lumpur – Nairobi route, where it currently operates 4 weekly flights. The airline will not offer this service starting 01SEP25, citing “due to lower than expected travel demand”.

 

[markis10]

Only lasted 9 months

Not surprised, LCCs struggle with long haul time and time again

 

[Mattg]

Only lasted 9 months

That's a real shame. Am going to Nairobi in September and a friend was booked on this flight to meet me there. The connections and pricing to/from MEL were quite reasonable.

 

[Quickstatus]

Not surprised, LCCs struggle with long haul time and time again

Do they know how to get to NBO?

 

[clifford]

Only lasted 9 months

Why does that not surprise me?

Perhaps it would have been a better bet to return to OOL?

 

[AIRwin]

D7 redeploying aircraft to SAW:

AirAsia X Schedules Istanbul mid-Nov 2025 Launch — AeroRoutes

Published at 0430PDT / 1130GMT 10AUG25 AirAsia X during Northern winter 2025/26 season plans to launch service to Türkiye, where the airline schedules Kuala Lumpur – Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen route. From 14NOV25, Airbus A330-300 aircraft to serve this route 4 times weekly. D7604 KUL0935 – 1605SAW

www.aeroroutes.com

 

[Saab34]

Seems like AirAsia wants out of the A330 fleet this decade, or reading into his comments, seems like when the leases end. I guess the Aussie routes can be done with the 321XLR.

Further to the point that Long Haul/Low Cost doesn’t work, especially in regions that have low incomes. Jetstar here have a monopoly, play within the dual brand strategy, and operate in a region with a much higher disposable income.

https://www.flightglobal.com/airlines/airasia-confirms-a330-exit-in-5-or-6-years-as-airline-sale-nears-completion/165103.article

 

[moa999]

Air Asia seems to be having some issues.
The corporate restructure which was to combine the two Malaysian subs seems to have been delayed, and they have been deferring new 321neos,
some of which have strangely been taken up by Qatar.

Premium Airline? Where Qatar Airways Is Flying Its All-Economy, High-Capacity Airbus A321neos

It packs in more seats than many budget airlines.

simpleflying.com

 

[Saab34]

AirAsia has never really made much in the way of earnings and they have a very high amount of aircraft on order. It’s a common theme seen in Asia with Lion Group, Vietjet, AirAsia all ordering large amounts of equipment but don’t have the finances to back them.

The only operator that has been somewhat more conservative with its fleet planning has been Scoot.

AirAsia have something like 350 aircraft on order. They will never have a 500 aircraft fleet. I don’t know what these guys are smoking.

 

[elanshin]

AirAsia has never really made much in the way of earnings and they have a very high amount of aircraft on order. It’s a common theme seen in Asia with Lion Group, Vietjet, AirAsia all ordering large amounts of equipment but don’t have the finances to back them.

The only operator that has been somewhat more conservative with its fleet planning has been Scoot.

AirAsia have something like 350 aircraft on order. They will never have a 500 aircraft fleet. I don’t know what these guys are smoking.

Hard to say- short haul though I can see this actually being possible. South East Asia is expanding, all sorts of infrastructure is needed. nobody is questioning indigo which has almost 1000 aircraft on order.

These markets have significant room to grow and in some cases air travel is the fastest and most convenient. Whether they have correctly placed their bets we wont really know. Indonesia has 283m people on those islands... so it's not really that insane if you see it from that lens.