STANSTED Airport has launched the UK’s first low-cost long-haul service to Asia.

The airport has teamed up with the airline AirAsia X to offer bargain-basement flights to Kuala Lumpur.

The first flight left today, with some passengers having paid a special promotional rate of just £99 for a one-way flight. Regular fares are about £350 for a round trip.

From Malaysia, AirAsia connections to other destinations such as Australia are already available as cheaply as a low-cost flight from Stansted to continental Europe.

AirAsia flights from Stansted to Kuala Lumpur are selling well, with the company’s website asking as little £18 to carry travellers on from Malaysia to Australia.

Stansted’s commercial and development director Nick Barton said: “This is very significant, because getting new airlines and services for the airport is great especially in this climate, which is a challenge.

“We have been working on this for several years and it’s taken a lot of planning, but it is well worth the effort.

“We’re now well placed to link the continents of Asia and Europe. Not only that, we can link with Australia as well.

“We know there is a lot of demand for long-haul flights from people in our area and already a lot of people have been booking up.”

Tickets for today’s inaugural flight to Kuala Lumpur went on sale in November and quickly sold out.

Mr Barton said: “They were selling at a rate of a full plane every 16 minutes.

“AirAsia is a great company to work with, because it is a substantial business.

“Our focus is the European short-haul model, which is where we’re strongest, but this gives us a chance to grow in other directions.”

AirAsia X chief executive Azran Osman-Rani said: “The London route is a significant achievement for us, allowing those who have always wanted to travel between Europe and Asia to achieve their dream at an affordable price.

“We are looking to expand from five flights a week to a daily service in the near future.”