AirAsia X flies in (and out) at Avalon

HISTORY was made last week as the first international flights touched down and took off at Avalon Airport.

The AirAsia X flight from Kuala Lumpur touched down on schedule at 8.15am on Wednesday and carried 317 passengers, including AirAsia X Group chief executive officer Nadda Buranisiri, AirAsia X Malaysia chief executive officer Benyamin
Ismail, Australian High Commissioner to Malaysia Andrew Goledzinowski and Linfox Airports chief executive officer David Fox.

Air Asia X’s first service from Avalon to Kuala Lumpur departed about two hours later, and the airline is now operating twice daily flights.

Speaking on the tarmac after his arrival, Mr Ismail said it only took him about 10 to 15 minutes to get through immigration and customs, and he had been “waiting for many years to find an airport that’s simple and easy to use”.

“This is something we’ve always wanted, we’ve always believed in having a good relationship with airports.

“This is really good for passengers – you don’t have to come four to five hours early.” He said passenger numbers were strong, with the first flights in and out at 82 per cent and 85 per cent capacity, respectively.

Mr Fox said it was “surreal” that Avalon was now an international airport, and he had been in talks with between 10 and 15 other airlines.

“This is the beginning – one step at time, as they say – but the reality is we’re here to stay, and we’re here to play.”

He said AirAsia X would announce one or two more daily destinations “at some point in the very near future”.

“I don’t need to actually have 100 planes in here on a daily basis at the moment; I need to make sure my kids have 100 planes here in 25 years.”

He said the airport would be a popular destination for travellers from Kuala Lumpur.

“Who wouldn’t want to come down to the Bellarine Peninsula? Who wouldn’t want to go to Bells Beach? Seven and a half hours, you’re in Australia.”