AirAsia X, the long-haul arm of Kuala Lumpur-based airline AirAsia, says it remains committed to building a “key strategic hub” in Bahrain, with flights between London and Asia set to take off from the small Persian Gulf nation in June.
The renewed commitment was announced on Monday, amidst speculation that AirAsia X would be forced to dramatically rethink its long-haul expansion plans to Europe due to the ongoing Iran War.
Bahrain International Airport (BAH), located on the edge of the capital Manama, has been shuttered to all commercial air traffic since February 28, when Israel and the United States launched a joint military offensive on Iran.
In retaliation, Iran has repeatedly targeted Bahrain with ballistic missiles and kamikaze drone attacks, with several confirmed hits at or near the international airport.
Unlike neighboring Gulf states like Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, officials in Bahrain have been unable to establish safe air corridors to reopen airspace, resulting in the prolonged and indefinite closure of the airport.
Bahrain-based Gulf Air has been forced to temporarily relocate its operations to Dammam in neighboring Saudi Arabia, where it has established a limited network, although the majority of its fleet remains grounded in the West of Saudi Arabia, out of harm’s reach from an Iranian attack.
On Monday, however, AirAsia X said it still plans to commence operations from Bahrain on June 26 as originally planned, saying in a statement that it remains optimistic that conditions in the region will have ‘normalized’ by then.
AirAsia X plans to use Bahrain as a transit point connecting Europe with key markets across Asia. Rather than using gas-guzzling widebody aircraft, AirAsia X plans to use much more efficient Airbus A321XLR single-aisle aircraft.
With the opening of its Bahrain hub, AirAsia X will be returning to London for the first time in 14 years. The airline previously withdrew from the European market due to high fuel prices and passenger taxes.
AirAsia X is again grappling with high fuel prices as a result of the Iran War and the continued closure of the Hormuz Strait, which is putting pressure on aviation jet fuel supplies around the world.
Bo Lingam, the airline’s chief executive, warned that jet fuel prices had more than doubled compared to 2025, forcing the airline to introduce a fuel surcharge on new ticket sales to offset the increased costs it is facing.
Along with flights to London, AirAsia X plans to use its Bahrain hub to expand throughout the Middle East, as well as opening up routes into Africa and less served airports in Europe.
