Just three months after launching flights to Kuala Lumpur, AirAsia X has announced that it is to cease operations from Gatwick Airport.

Citing high fuel prices, Air Passenger Duty (APD) and the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) as reasons for its withdrawal, the airline will cease Gatwick flights on 31 March 2012.

The airline is also scrapping flights to Paris from Kuala Lumpur.

Azran Osman-Rani, CEO of AirAsia X said “AirAsia X remains focused on maintaining its global leadership position in the low cost, long-haul segment. We intend to concentrate capacity in our core markets of Australasia, China, Taiwan, Japan, and Korea where we have built up stable, profitable routes within an infrastructure that supports low cost services.

“The continued high jet fuel prices and the weakening demand for air travel from Europe, brought about by the current economic situation together with exorbitant government taxes, have placed cost pressures on operating long-haul low cost flights between Asia and Europe, compromising our ability to offer the low fares AirAsia X is known for.

“The implementation of the Emissions Trading Scheme and the escalating Air Passenger Duty taxes in UK, which will rise yet again in April 2012 has forced our decision to withdraw our services to Europe.”

AirAsia X has finally arrived at Gatwick after switching its London base from Stansted to Gatwick.

The airline now operates a five-times-per-week Gatwick to Kuala Lumpur service using AirAsia X’s 327-seat Airbus A340-300, which includes 18 Premium Fly Flat bed seats.

AirAsia Head of Commercial, Darren Wright said: “Gatwick Airport was chosen as it demonstrated the passion to work with us in realising our objectives to grow passenger traffic between our hubs in London and Asia Pacific.

“With our new home base in Gatwick, guests will be able to further benefit from the airport’s regional access and market connectivity potential with faster and cheaper rail connectivity to the city as compared to Stansted. AirAsia X sees strong potential for the airport as we believe our entry will address the fact that direct services to Asia have been significantly underserved from Gatwick.”

AirAsia X is set to move its flights from Stansted to Gatwick Airport this autumn.

The airline, which has been based at Stansted since March 2009, will offer six flights per week on its new Gatwick to Kuala Lumpur service from 24 October 2011 using an AirAsia X’s Airbus A340-300.