AirAsia X is expanding its network further into Australia with the introduction of flights to Sydney from Kuala Lumpur.

AirAsia X will fly daily from its hub in Kuala Lumpur to Sydney starting on April 1, 2012, and introductory fares starting at $99 have been snapped up with more than 6,000 tickets sold within 12 hours of going on sale.

The new route is expected to deliver more than 55,000 new tourists a year to Sydney which will become AirAsia X’s fourth Australian destination after Gold Coast, Melbourne and Perth.

The announcement was made by AirAsia X chief executive officer, Azran Osman Rani, and follows on from the decision to cut services to Europe and India.

The airline's A330 service to both Paris and London as well as to Mumbai and New Dehli will be cut as the company said it would instead opt to keep its business focused on Japan, Korea, Taiwan and Australasia.