AirAsia has arrived in Sydney

New low-cost carrier AirAsia X launched its inaugural service to Sydney this week as the airline looks to expand its operations in Australia.

The Kuala Lumpur (KL) based airline will operate daily flights from Sydney to KL, with one-way promotional fares from $199 for bookings before April 5.

AirAsia X chief executive Azran Osman-Rani expects the new service to bring some “much needed” competition to Sydney’s skies.

“We are delighted with the response to the Sydney service and have recorded strong forward sales since we opened the route for sale in January,” he said. “We expect our latest round of sale fares will continue to drive interest in this flagship route.”

AirAsia X’s arrival will be followed by fledgling Singaporean carrier Scoot in June, with Tiger Airways set to make Sydney its second Australian base in July, upping pressure on Jetstar.

AirAsia X has also increased frequencies in Perth, Taipei and Tokyo as part of a broader strategy to focus on its core markets.