AirAsia further connects Sabah to Southwest China

SEPANG: AirAsia has expanded its connectivity from Sabah to Southwest China with the launch of a new direct route from Kota Kinabalu to Kunming commencing November 30, 2018.

The four times weekly direct flights from Kota Kinabalu to Kunming marks AirAsia Group’s fourth route into the capital of Yunnan province after Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia, and Bangkok and Phuket in Thailand. It is also AirAsia’s 10th international route from its Kota Kinabalu hub.

In a press statement, AirAsia Malaysia chief executive officer Riad Asmat said, “We are pleased to offer direct flights from Kota Kinabalu to Kunming, the capital and largest city of Yunnan. Kunming, known as the ‘City of Eternal Spring’, is known for its pleasant climate and blooming flowers all year round, and is the perfect gateway to Southwest China.

He added, “This new route signals our commitment to expanding Kota Kinabalu as our hub in East Malaysia. We have launched three international routes from Kota Kinabalu this year to Bangkok, Macao and now Kunming. We are also doubling our flights from Kota Kinabalu to Shenzhen from November 1, 2018. We have carried more than 700,000 passengers travelling between China and Kota Kinabalu, and we are confident this new route will further boost visitor arrivals.”

With its unique geographic location, Yunnan is positioned to be a key hub in Southwest China for the One Belt, One Road initiative, which will provide new trading and export opportunities between China and Asean as well as South Asia.