AirAsia X’s inaugural flight from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia to Seoul

A packed Airbus A330 pulled up to the gate at Incheon International Airport on Monday night, completing AirAsia X’s inaugural flight from Kuala Lumpur, Malasia to Seoul and ushering in a new wave of low-cost competition in Korea.Now everyone can fly,said Kamarudin Bin Meranun, group deputy chief executive officer of Malaysia-based carrier AirAsia and chairman of its low cost affiliate AirAsia X. He was speaking yesterday at a press conference in Seoul to celebrate the launch of the new service.The unbeatable low price AirAsia X offers will no doubt allow both Malaysians and Koreans who couldn’t afford to travel between the countries a chance to do so.”

AirAsia X has helped lower fares on the route significantly, opening the door to Malaysia for more travelers. The carrier offers promotional fares for as low as 100,000 won ($89.88) each way, which is significantly lower than the 300,000 won to 500,000 won larger airlines charge. Additionally, travelers from Korea can access AirAsia’s network of flights across southeast Asia from Kuala Lumpur.Meranun said AirAsia X chose Seoul its 11th destination for numerous reasons, including the rising popularity of Korean culture. The company said it has seen a positive response from customers both in Malaysia and Korea, with sales outpacing other routes by a wide margin in the first 24 hours after tickets went on sale. To date, about 40 percent of bookings for the route originate in Korea, said Azran Osman-Rani, CEO of AirAsia X.