Flight D7 536 by AirAsia X, the long haul, low fare affiliate of low-cost carrier (LCC) AirAsia arrived at Kansai International Airport in Osaka at 2125 (local time) on November 30, marking the official launch of the Malaysian-based carrier’s second destination in Japan. The city, the third largest by population in the country after Tokyo and Yokohama, is a gateway to the historical city of Kyoto and Kobe, which can be reached in under 30 minutes by connecting through rail network.
The Kuala Lumpur-Osaka route is AirAsia X’s sixteenth destination to date, flying on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. The launch comes at a perfect time as the country’s tourism sector strives to recover from the March earthquake and tsunami, and the ensuing nuclear plant leak that is still affecting the northeastern part of the country.
At the launch ceremony, Azran Osman-Rani, chief executive of the airline, commented that the new route would be a strong feeder for passengers intending to connect onwards from Osaka domestically, while those from Japan could be connected to many Southeast Asian destinations by Air Asia through the Kuala Lumpur hub. The LCC operates over 165 routes from the Malaysian capital.
He added: “Kansai International Airport is a regional hub giving the Asia Pacific region and beyond the capability to attract a broader range of passengers from America, Oceania/Micronesia, and Middle East, as well as same-day domestic flights and ground connections from several major cities in Japan.
Special all-in fares are being introduced to celebrate the launch.
Flight From |
Departure/Arrival |
Flight No. |
Frequency |
Kuala Lumpur to Osaka (Kansai) |
08:20/15:45 |
D7 534 |
Monday, Friday, Sunday |
Osaka (Kansai) to Kuala Lumpur |
16:55/22:40 |
D7 535 |
Monday, Friday, Sunday |
Kuala Lumpur to Osaka (Kansai) |
14:00/21:25 |
D7 536 |
Wednesday |
Osaka (Kansai) to Kuala Lumpur |
23:15/05:00 |
D7 537 |
Wednesday |
For more information, visit www.airasia.com
Reggie Ho