AirAsia Indonesia Launches Flights Between Jakarta and Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia

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(07/02/24)
 AirAsia Indonesia resumed flights between
Jakarta and Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia on Tuesday.

The airline will operate the route with thrice
weekly flights on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays using Airbus
A320 aircraft.

Flight QZ526 is scheduled to depart from
Soekarno-Hatta Airport (CGK) near Jakarta at 12:15, arriving at
Kota Kinabalu Airport (BKI) at 15:55.

From BKI, flight QZ527 is slated to leave at
16:35, arriving at CGK at 18:15.

“The opening of this route
signifies our support to the government in enhancing the
relationship between Indonesia and Malaysia,” said Captain Wuri
Septiawan, Director Flight Operations of Indonesia AirAsia. “The flights
will simplify access for
tourists from Indonesia and Malaysia to visit and enjoy the most
popular tourist destinations in each country.”

AirAsia Indonesia A320 reg: PK-AXI. Picture by Steven Howard of TravelNewsAsia.com

Kota Kinabalu becomes AirAsia Indonesia’s fifth destination
of
direct flights between Jakarta and Malaysia,
following the successful launch of Jakarta-Kuala Lumpur,
Jakarta-Johor Bahru, Jakarta-Penang and Jakarta-Kuching services.

“We are delighted to welcome Indonesia AirAsia’s
inaugural flight to Kota Kinabalu,” said Datuk Christina Liew,
Sabah Minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment. “This
initiative not only strengthens the relationship between the
countries but also opens up new opportunities in the tourism,
cultural, and economic sectors. With this new route, we hope to
welcome more Indonesian tourists to enjoy and experience the
unique attractions and charming natural beauty of Sabah.”

Kota Kinabalu is a
culturally diverse city with stunning natural beauty and a variety
of attractions that range from
museums and beaches to the highest mountain in Malaysia – Mount Kinabalu.

Other popular tourist spots in Sabah include Tanjung Aru Beach,
Sabah State Museum, Mari Mari Cultural Village, Atkinson Clock
Tower, Gaya Street Sunday Market, KK Waterfront and Tanjung Aru
Perdana Park.

According to data from Statistics Indonesia,
Malaysian tourists ranked first among the most foreign visitors to
Indonesia in 2023, totaling 16,28% or 1,901,242 tourists.

Similarly, records from the Sabah Immigration Department
show that between
January 2023 and November 2023, Indonesian tourists ranked third,
with 78,693 foreign visitors to the state.

Indonesia’s Ministry of Tourism
and Creative Economy has set a goal of 14.3 million
international visitors in 2024, a substantial 68%
increase on the target of 8.5 million in 2023.

“We appreciate Indonesia AirAsia for taking this
significant step, which may pave the way for positive bilateral
ties between Indonesia and Malaysia,” said Rafail Walangitan,
Consul General of Republic of Indonesia in Sabah. “This is an
important move that will enhance connectivity between the two
destinations and provide new opportunities for economic and
tourism growth. We welcome this flight as tangible proof of a
strong commitment to strengthening cooperation between our
countries. Hopefully, this flight opens the door to more
cooperation opportunities in the future.”

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