{"id":2421116,"date":"2026-06-22T09:43:54","date_gmt":"2026-06-22T07:43:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/airasia-x-london-gatwick-bahrain-hub-return-2026\/"},"modified":"2026-07-21T13:50:33","modified_gmt":"2026-07-21T11:50:33","slug":"airasia-x-london-gatwick-bahrain-hub-return-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/airasia-x-london-gatwick-bahrain-hub-return-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"AirAsia X Returns to London After 14 Years"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><style>.et_pb_title_container h1.entry-title { padding-top: 40px !important; }<\/style><\/p>\r\n<p>Fourteen years ago, AirAsia X tried to do something that sober aviation economists said couldn\u2019t be done: fly a budget airline halfway around the planet. It ran low-cost long-haul flights from Kuala Lumpur to London and Paris \u2014 and in 2012, bruised by fuel bills and thin margins, it pulled the plug and retreated to Asia and Australia.<\/p>\r\n<p>On 26 June 2026, it comes back. AirAsia X is once again flying to London \u2014 and the way it has chosen to do it tells you how much the budget long-haul game has changed.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div style=\"background: #f2f4f7; border-radius: 8px; padding: 18px 22px; margin: 24px 0;\">\r\n<p style=\"margin: 0 0 10px; font-weight: bold; color: #333; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: .3px;\">QUICK FACTS<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"margin: 5px 0; font-size: 15px;\"><strong style=\"color: #5c91ff;\">Airline:<\/strong> AirAsia X<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"margin: 5px 0; font-size: 15px;\"><strong style=\"color: #5c91ff;\">Route:<\/strong> Kuala Lumpur \u2013 Bahrain \u2013 London Gatwick<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"margin: 5px 0; font-size: 15px;\"><strong style=\"color: #5c91ff;\">Aircraft:<\/strong> Airbus A330-300<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"margin: 5px 0; font-size: 15px;\"><strong style=\"color: #5c91ff;\">First flight:<\/strong> 26 June 2026 (first UK service since 2012)<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"margin: 5px 0; font-size: 15px;\"><strong style=\"color: #5c91ff;\">Frequency:<\/strong> 4x weekly, rising to daily from 16 September 2026<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"margin: 5px 0; font-size: 15px;\"><strong style=\"color: #5c91ff;\">New hub:<\/strong> Bahrain \u2014 AirAsia X\u2019s first stepping-stone to Europe<\/p>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n<h2 style=\"padding-top: 22px;\">Why Bahrain is the trick<\/h2>\r\n<p>The original London experiment was a single, brutal 13-hour haul on jets that burned a fortune in fuel and had to fill every seat to break even. This time, AirAsia X has split the journey. Flights leave Kuala Lumpur late at night, pause for about two hours in Bahrain, and arrive at London Gatwick around 7:30 the next morning.<\/p>\r\n<p>That stopover is the whole strategy. Bahrain becomes a hub \u2014 somewhere to pick up and drop off passengers, refuel, and break a punishing sector into two manageable ones. It turns one all-or-nothing route into a network with options. For a low-cost carrier, options are oxygen.<\/p>\r\n<h2 style=\"padding-top: 22px;\">The plane it is NOT flying<\/h2>\r\n<p>Here is the detail that aviation watchers seized on. AirAsia X is flying this route on the trusty A330-300 \u2014 and has walked away from its remaining order for the newer, more efficient A330-900neo. The airline\u2019s long-term bet is on long-range narrowbody jets, the single-aisle aircraft now stretching far enough to cross continents.<\/p>\r\n<p>It is a quietly radical position. The conventional wisdom says long-haul needs a widebody. AirAsia X is signalling that the future of budget long-haul might be smaller aeroplanes flown more cleverly \u2014 through hubs like Bahrain, on routes sliced into digestible pieces.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\" style=\"margin: 0 0 24px;\"><img data-opt-id=1430679328  fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"skip-lazy\" style=\"display: block; width: 100%!important; max-width: 100%!important; height: auto!important; border-radius: 6px;\" src=\"https:\/\/ml5psubhxdln.i.optimole.com\/cb:0e0_.b970\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/ig:avif\/https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/06\/london-gatwick-airport.jpg\" alt=\"London Gatwick Airport\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" \/>\r\n<figcaption style=\"font-size: 13px; color: #777; text-align: center; margin-top: 6px; font-style: italic;\">London Gatwick \u2014 AirAsia X\u2019s chosen UK gateway, cheaper and less congested than Heathrow. Photo: Wikimedia Commons<\/figcaption>\r\n<\/figure>\r\n\r\n<h2 style=\"padding-top: 22px;\">Gatwick, not Heathrow \u2014 and that\u2019s deliberate<\/h2>\r\n<p>AirAsia X isn\u2019t chasing Heathrow\u2019s prestige or its eye-watering fees. Gatwick is cheaper, the slots are easier, and the budget traveller it courts cares far more about the fare than the postcode. The service opens at four flights a week and ramps to daily by mid-September, the airline testing demand before committing the full schedule.<\/p>\r\n<p>Whether low-cost long-haul to Europe can finally work \u2014 after burning so many airlines that tried it \u2014 is the open question. But AirAsia X has come back with a smarter plan than the one it left with. A hub, a split route, the right-sized aircraft, and a gateway that doesn\u2019t cost a fortune. If budget long-haul is ever going to stick, this is roughly what it has to look like.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\" style=\"margin: 0 0 24px;\"><img data-opt-id=1129748861  fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"skip-lazy\" style=\"display: block; width: 100%!important; max-width: 100%!important; height: auto!important; border-radius: 6px;\" src=\"https:\/\/ml5psubhxdln.i.optimole.com\/cb:0e0_.b970\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/ig:avif\/https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/06\/airasia-x-a330-long-haul.jpg\" alt=\"AirAsia X Airbus A330-300 long-haul\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" \/>\r\n<figcaption style=\"font-size: 13px; color: #777; text-align: center; margin-top: 6px; font-style: italic;\">AirAsia X first tried \u2014 and abandoned \u2014 Europe in 2012. This time the route runs through a hub. Photo: Wikimedia Commons<\/figcaption>\r\n<\/figure>\r\n\r\n<p style=\"font-size: 13px; color: #888; font-style: italic; margin-top: 28px;\">Sources: AirAsia Newsroom; Aerospace Global News; ch-aviation; Aviation Week; Flightradar24<\/p>\r\n<!-- mf-faq -->\r\n\r\n\r\n<div class=\"mf-faq-block\"><style>.mf-faq-block{margin:34px 0}.mf-faq-item:not([open]) .mf-faq-answer{display:none !important}.mf-faq-block h2.mf-faq-h{padding-top:22px;margin-bottom:14px}.mf-faq-item{border:1px solid #e2e8f5;border-radius:8px;margin:0 0 10px;background:#fff}.mf-faq-item summary{list-style:none;cursor:pointer;padding:15px 50px 15px 18px;font-weight:600;color:#1a1a1a;position:relative;line-height:1.45;user-select:none}.mf-faq-item summary::-webkit-details-marker{display:none}.mf-faq-item summary::after{content:\"+\";position:absolute;right:18px;top:50%;transform:translateY(-50%);font-size:1.5em;font-weight:400;color:#5C91FF;line-height:1}.mf-faq-item[open] summary::after{content:\"\\2013\"}.mf-faq-item[open] summary{border-bottom:1px solid #eef1f8}.mf-faq-item summary:hover{background:#f5f8ff}.mf-faq-answer{padding:14px 18px;color:#333;line-height:1.6}.mf-faq-answer p{margin:0}.mf-faq-answer a{color:#5C91FF}<\/style>\r\n<h2 class=\"mf-faq-h\">Related Questions<\/h2>\r\n<details class=\"mf-faq-item\">\r\n<summary>Is AirAsia X flying to London again?<\/summary>\r\n<div class=\"mf-faq-answer\">\r\n<p>Yes. From 26 June 2026, AirAsia X flies Kuala Lumpur to London Gatwick via Bahrain, using the Airbus A330-300. It is the low-cost carrier\u2019s first UK service since 2012, starting at four times a week and rising to daily from 16 September 2026.<\/p>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/details><details class=\"mf-faq-item\">\r\n<summary>Why does AirAsia X stop in Bahrain on the London route?<\/summary>\r\n<div class=\"mf-faq-answer\">\r\n<p>The original London experiment was a single, brutal 13-hour haul that had to fill every seat to break even. By splitting the journey with a roughly two-hour stop in Bahrain, AirAsia X creates a hub to pick up and drop off passengers and refuel, turning one all-or-nothing sector into two manageable ones.<\/p>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/details><details class=\"mf-faq-item\">\r\n<summary>What aircraft does AirAsia X use to London?<\/summary>\r\n<div class=\"mf-faq-answer\">\r\n<p>AirAsia X operates the Airbus A330-300 on the Kuala Lumpur\u2013Bahrain\u2013London Gatwick route. The widebody twinjet is the backbone of the carrier\u2019s long-haul fleet, complemented by its <a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/airasia-150-airbus-a220-largest-order\/\">record order for 150 Airbus A220s<\/a> for shorter routes.<\/p>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/details><details class=\"mf-faq-item\">\r\n<summary>When did AirAsia X last fly to London?<\/summary>\r\n<div class=\"mf-faq-answer\">\r\n<p>AirAsia X previously served London but withdrew in 2012, when high fuel costs made the single ultra-long sector uneconomic. The 2026 return via Bahrain is structured to avoid the pitfalls that ended the original route.<\/p>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/details><details class=\"mf-faq-item\">\r\n<summary>Where does AirAsia X land in London?<\/summary>\r\n<div class=\"mf-faq-answer\">\r\n<p>AirAsia X flights arrive at London Gatwick (LGW) around 7:30 in the morning, after a late-night departure from Kuala Lumpur and a short stop in Bahrain. Gatwick is a common base for long-haul low-cost carriers serving the UK.<\/p>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/details><\/div>\r\n<p><script type=\"application\/ld+json\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@type\":\"FAQPage\",\"mainEntity\":[{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"Is AirAsia X flying to London again?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Yes. From 26 June 2026, AirAsia X flies Kuala Lumpur to London Gatwick via Bahrain, using the Airbus A330-300. It is the low-cost carrier\u2019s first UK service since 2012, starting at four times a week and rising to daily from 16 September 2026.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"Why does AirAsia X stop in Bahrain on the London route?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"The original London experiment was a single, brutal 13-hour haul that had to fill every seat to break even. By splitting the journey with a roughly two-hour stop in Bahrain, AirAsia X creates a hub to pick up and drop off passengers and refuel, turning one all-or-nothing sector into two manageable ones.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"What aircraft does AirAsia X use to London?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"AirAsia X operates the Airbus A330-300 on the Kuala Lumpur\u2013Bahrain\u2013London Gatwick route. The widebody twinjet is the backbone of the carrier\u2019s long-haul fleet, complemented by its <a href=\\\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/airasia-150-airbus-a220-largest-order\/\\\">record order for 150 Airbus A220s<\/a> for shorter routes.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"When did AirAsia X last fly to London?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"AirAsia X previously served London but withdrew in 2012, when high fuel costs made the single ultra-long sector uneconomic. The 2026 return via Bahrain is structured to avoid the pitfalls that ended the original route.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"Where does AirAsia X land in London?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"AirAsia X flights arrive at London Gatwick (LGW) around 7:30 in the morning, after a late-night departure from Kuala Lumpur and a short stop in Bahrain. Gatwick is a common base for long-haul low-cost carriers serving the UK.\"}}]}<\/script><!-- \/mf-faq -->\r\n\r\n\r\n<div style=\"background: #f0f4ff; border-left: 4px solid #5C91FF; padding: 16px 20px; margin: 32px 0 8px; border-radius: 0 8px 8px 0;\">\r\n<p style=\"margin: 0 0 8px; font-weight: 600; color: #333;\">Related Posts<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"margin: 4px 0;\">SAS Flies Back to India \u2014 and the First Flight Turned Around<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"margin: 4px 0;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/airasia-150-airbus-a220-largest-order\/\">150 A220s for AirAsia \u2014 Largest Single Order Ever<\/a><\/p>\r\n<\/div>\r\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Fourteen years ago, AirAsia X tried to do something that sober aviation economists said couldn\u2019t be done: fly a budget airline halfway around the planet. It ran low-cost long-haul flights from Kuala Lumpur to London and Paris \u2014 and in 2012, bruised by fuel bills and thin margins, it pulled the plug and retreated to [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":27,"featured_media":2421079,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"editor_notices":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[665,670],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2421116","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-aviation-world","category-news"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>AirAsia X London Return: Gatwick via Bahrain<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"AirAsia X returns to London after 14 years \u2014 Kuala Lumpur to Gatwick via a Bahrain hub, a new spin on budget long-haul from 26 June 2026.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/airasia-x-london-gatwick-bahrain-hub-return-2026\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"AirAsia X London Return: Gatwick via Bahrain\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"AirAsia X returns to London after 14 years \u2014 Kuala Lumpur to Gatwick via a Bahrain hub, a new spin on budget long-haul from 26 June 2026.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/airasia-x-london-gatwick-bahrain-hub-return-2026\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Afterburner - MiGFlug&#039;s Magazine\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/MiGFlug\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-06-22T07:43:54+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-07-21T11:50:33+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/ml5psubhxdln.i.optimole.com\/cb:0e0_.b970\/w:1024\/h:683\/q:mauto\/ig:avif\/https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/06\/airasia-x-airbus-a330-300.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1024\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"683\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Connor Kerr\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@migflug\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@migflug\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Connor Kerr\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"5 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/airasia-x-london-gatwick-bahrain-hub-return-2026\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/airasia-x-london-gatwick-bahrain-hub-return-2026\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Connor Kerr\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/it\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/bc7f2d09b1d7111c45fdb1335b8f2cf9\"},\"headline\":\"AirAsia X Returns to London After 14 Years\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-06-22T07:43:54+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-07-21T11:50:33+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/airasia-x-london-gatwick-bahrain-hub-return-2026\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":792,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/it\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/airasia-x-london-gatwick-bahrain-hub-return-2026\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\/\\/migflug.com\\/afterburner\\/wp-content\\/uploads\\/sites\\/4\\/2026\\/06\\/airasia-x-airbus-a330-300.jpg\",\"articleSection\":[\"Aviation World\",\"News\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/airasia-x-london-gatwick-bahrain-hub-return-2026\\\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/airasia-x-london-gatwick-bahrain-hub-return-2026\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/airasia-x-london-gatwick-bahrain-hub-return-2026\\\/\",\"name\":\"AirAsia X London Return: Gatwick via Bahrain\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/it\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/airasia-x-london-gatwick-bahrain-hub-return-2026\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/airasia-x-london-gatwick-bahrain-hub-return-2026\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\/\\/migflug.com\\/afterburner\\/wp-content\\/uploads\\/sites\\/4\\/2026\\/06\\/airasia-x-airbus-a330-300.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-06-22T07:43:54+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-07-21T11:50:33+00:00\",\"description\":\"AirAsia X returns to London after 14 years \u2014 Kuala Lumpur to Gatwick via a Bahrain hub, a new spin on budget long-haul from 26 June 2026.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/airasia-x-london-gatwick-bahrain-hub-return-2026\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/airasia-x-london-gatwick-bahrain-hub-return-2026\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/airasia-x-london-gatwick-bahrain-hub-return-2026\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\/\\/migflug.com\\/afterburner\\/wp-content\\/uploads\\/sites\\/4\\/2026\\/06\\/airasia-x-airbus-a330-300.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\/\\/migflug.com\\/afterburner\\/wp-content\\/uploads\\/sites\\/4\\/2026\\/06\\/airasia-x-airbus-a330-300.jpg\",\"width\":1024,\"height\":683,\"caption\":\"AirAsia X Airbus A330-300\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/airasia-x-london-gatwick-bahrain-hub-return-2026\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Startseite\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/it\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"AirAsia X Returns to London After 14 Years\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/it\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/it\\\/\",\"name\":\"Afterburner - MiGFlug's Magazine\",\"description\":\"for those interested in flying military jets and aviation related  topics\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/it\\\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/it\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/it\\\/#organization\",\"name\":\"MiGFlug GmbH\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/it\\\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/it\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\/\\/ml5psubhxdln.i.optimole.com\\/cb:0e0_.b970\\/w:897\\/h:278\\/q:mauto\\/ig:avif\\/https:\\/\\/migflug.com\\/afterburner\\/wp-content\\/uploads\\/sites\\/4\\/2026\\/06\\/MIGFLUG_LOGO-no-background.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\/\\/ml5psubhxdln.i.optimole.com\\/cb:0e0_.b970\\/w:897\\/h:278\\/q:mauto\\/ig:avif\\/https:\\/\\/migflug.com\\/afterburner\\/wp-content\\/uploads\\/sites\\/4\\/2026\\/06\\/MIGFLUG_LOGO-no-background.png\",\"width\":897,\"height\":278,\"caption\":\"MiGFlug GmbH\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/it\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.facebook.com\\\/MiGFlug\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/x.com\\\/migflug\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.instagram.com\\\/migflug\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.youtube.com\\\/user\\\/MiGFlug\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.linkedin.com\\\/company\\\/migflug.com\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.pinterest.ch\\\/migflug\\\/\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/it\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/bc7f2d09b1d7111c45fdb1335b8f2cf9\",\"name\":\"Connor Kerr\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/ed6d7365eb237a1c91b800bf8dfeb14b8e30a3712ed7fec9e18a70088fc423a9?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/ed6d7365eb237a1c91b800bf8dfeb14b8e30a3712ed7fec9e18a70088fc423a9?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/ed6d7365eb237a1c91b800bf8dfeb14b8e30a3712ed7fec9e18a70088fc423a9?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Connor Kerr\"},\"description\":\"Connor Kerr writes MiGFlug\u2019s long-form features \u2014 aviation history, how-it-works explainers and the stories behind the headlines.\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/migflug.com\\\/afterburner\\\/author\\\/connorkerr\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"AirAsia X London Return: Gatwick via Bahrain","description":"AirAsia X returns to London after 14 years \u2014 Kuala Lumpur to Gatwick via a Bahrain hub, a new spin on budget long-haul from 26 June 2026.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/airasia-x-london-gatwick-bahrain-hub-return-2026\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"AirAsia X London Return: Gatwick via Bahrain","og_description":"AirAsia X returns to London after 14 years \u2014 Kuala Lumpur to Gatwick via a Bahrain hub, a new spin on budget long-haul from 26 June 2026.","og_url":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/airasia-x-london-gatwick-bahrain-hub-return-2026\/","og_site_name":"Afterburner - MiGFlug's Magazine","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/MiGFlug\/","article_published_time":"2026-06-22T07:43:54+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-07-21T11:50:33+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1024,"height":683,"url":"https:\/\/ml5psubhxdln.i.optimole.com\/cb:0e0_.b970\/w:1024\/h:683\/q:mauto\/ig:avif\/https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/06\/airasia-x-airbus-a330-300.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Connor Kerr","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@migflug","twitter_site":"@migflug","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Connor Kerr","Est. reading time":"5 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/airasia-x-london-gatwick-bahrain-hub-return-2026\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/airasia-x-london-gatwick-bahrain-hub-return-2026\/"},"author":{"name":"Connor Kerr","@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/it\/#\/schema\/person\/bc7f2d09b1d7111c45fdb1335b8f2cf9"},"headline":"AirAsia X Returns to London After 14 Years","datePublished":"2026-06-22T07:43:54+00:00","dateModified":"2026-07-21T11:50:33+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/airasia-x-london-gatwick-bahrain-hub-return-2026\/"},"wordCount":792,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/it\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/airasia-x-london-gatwick-bahrain-hub-return-2026\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/ml5psubhxdln.i.optimole.com\/cb:0e0_.b970\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/ig:avif\/https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/06\/airasia-x-airbus-a330-300.jpg","articleSection":["Aviation World","News"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/airasia-x-london-gatwick-bahrain-hub-return-2026\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/airasia-x-london-gatwick-bahrain-hub-return-2026\/","url":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/airasia-x-london-gatwick-bahrain-hub-return-2026\/","name":"AirAsia X London Return: Gatwick via Bahrain","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/it\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/airasia-x-london-gatwick-bahrain-hub-return-2026\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/airasia-x-london-gatwick-bahrain-hub-return-2026\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/ml5psubhxdln.i.optimole.com\/cb:0e0_.b970\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/ig:avif\/https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/06\/airasia-x-airbus-a330-300.jpg","datePublished":"2026-06-22T07:43:54+00:00","dateModified":"2026-07-21T11:50:33+00:00","description":"AirAsia X returns to London after 14 years \u2014 Kuala Lumpur to Gatwick via a Bahrain hub, a new spin on budget long-haul from 26 June 2026.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/airasia-x-london-gatwick-bahrain-hub-return-2026\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/airasia-x-london-gatwick-bahrain-hub-return-2026\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/airasia-x-london-gatwick-bahrain-hub-return-2026\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/ml5psubhxdln.i.optimole.com\/cb:0e0_.b970\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/ig:avif\/https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/06\/airasia-x-airbus-a330-300.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/ml5psubhxdln.i.optimole.com\/cb:0e0_.b970\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/ig:avif\/https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/06\/airasia-x-airbus-a330-300.jpg","width":1024,"height":683,"caption":"AirAsia X Airbus A330-300"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/airasia-x-london-gatwick-bahrain-hub-return-2026\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Startseite","item":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/it\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"AirAsia X Returns to London After 14 Years"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/it\/#website","url":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/it\/","name":"Afterburner - MiGFlug's Magazine","description":"for those interested in flying military jets and aviation related  topics","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/it\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/it\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/it\/#organization","name":"MiGFlug GmbH","url":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/it\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/it\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/ml5psubhxdln.i.optimole.com\/cb:0e0_.b970\/w:897\/h:278\/q:mauto\/ig:avif\/https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/06\/MIGFLUG_LOGO-no-background.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/ml5psubhxdln.i.optimole.com\/cb:0e0_.b970\/w:897\/h:278\/q:mauto\/ig:avif\/https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/06\/MIGFLUG_LOGO-no-background.png","width":897,"height":278,"caption":"MiGFlug GmbH"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/it\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/MiGFlug\/","https:\/\/x.com\/migflug","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/migflug\/","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/user\/MiGFlug","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/migflug.com\/","https:\/\/www.pinterest.ch\/migflug\/"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/it\/#\/schema\/person\/bc7f2d09b1d7111c45fdb1335b8f2cf9","name":"Connor Kerr","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/ed6d7365eb237a1c91b800bf8dfeb14b8e30a3712ed7fec9e18a70088fc423a9?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/ed6d7365eb237a1c91b800bf8dfeb14b8e30a3712ed7fec9e18a70088fc423a9?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/ed6d7365eb237a1c91b800bf8dfeb14b8e30a3712ed7fec9e18a70088fc423a9?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Connor Kerr"},"description":"Connor Kerr writes MiGFlug\u2019s long-form features \u2014 aviation history, how-it-works explainers and the stories behind the headlines.","url":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/author\/connorkerr\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2421116","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/27"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2421116"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2421116\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6586205,"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2421116\/revisions\/6586205"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2421079"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2421116"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2421116"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/afterburner\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2421116"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}