KUALA LUMPUR (June 28): AirAsia X Bhd looks firm on returning to Adelaide after pulling out of the market in 2015, according to a Facebook message by AirAsia Group chief executive officer Tan Sri Tony Fernandes.

While praising his AirAsia X flight crew which steered flight D7 232 to safety after facing engine troubles en route to Kuala Lumpur on Sunday and thanking Australians for their praises on the airline, Fernandes remarked that AirAsia X was heading to Adelaide.

However, he did not specify a time frame for its return to the market.

On June 21, News Corp Australia's online news portal news.com.au carried an article by the Australian Associated Press quoting Fernandes as saying that it was 'much more important to go to Adelaide than London right now'.

"There are places begging for more connectivity and South Australia is one of them. Right now, there is a bit of a bloodbath going on in Europe, I only want to go into places where we can make a difference," Fernandes told the Australian Associated Press.

In 2015, after flying for about a year to Adelaide from October 2013, AirAsia X hived off the route due to unprofitability.

Fernandes reportedly said a lot of people have been asking him about restarting in Adelaide.

"We had it, we pulled out of it but at that time (2015) we were a different airline," he was quoted as saying.

In a Facebook message on Tuesday, Fernandes said he is 'super proud' of the crew led by 'Captain Ibrahim, and first officers Vincent and Purser Ruijaruuneglai', who did a superb heroic job of bringing the passengers back safely.

"I want to thank the many Australians who have praised AirAsia for all we have done despite all the adverse press. Adelaide here we come," he wrote.

Fernandes, who was responding to comments that the pilot should not have asked the passengers to pray when the plane was in distress, said AirAsia X was hit by criticisms because it is a low-cost carrier.

"AirAsia don't (sic) make engines and all airlines have engine failures. But when it does happen it takes great pilots and great leadership in times of crisis.

"If it [were] a full service airline, the pilot would have been a hero. But because it's a low-cost carrier, press and so called experts make wild accusations and forget the heroics of our crew," he said on his Facebook page yesterday.

"I'm beaming with pride. From videos you can see all guests calm, and from the many emails and whatsapp I got, the Captain's announcements kept everyone calm," he wrote.

At 11.23am, AirAsia X remained unchanged at 41 sen with 1.8 million shares done for a market capitalisation of RM1.7 billion.