AirAsia Indonesia Launches Flights Between Jakarta and Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia

Dark/Light Mode (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.”

See recent and exclusive HD video interviews about Malaysia: Tourism Pahang, Malaysia with Uzaidi Bin Udanis, Tourism Malaysia with Datuk Musa Bin Yusof and Malaysia Airports with Megat Ardian Wira Mohd Aminuddin.

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