Going beyond
AIRASIA has launched a couple of new international routes departing from Malaysia. The carrier recently announced Ipoh-Singapore starting Dec 2.
The four times weekly direct flights from Ipoh to Singapore marks AirAsia Malaysia’s second route from the capital of the Silver State after it launched the IpohJohor Baru route earlier on Oct 1.
AirAsia Malaysia chief executive officer Riad Asmat said the new route will increase accessibility to Ipoh. “This new international route reiterates our commitment to further expand air connectivity to Ipoh while strengthening our Singapore network, and we are positive it will contribute to the number of visitors from Singapore to Malaysia and vice versa,” he said.
Riad added the initiative would not have been possible without the help of the Perak state government.
“We wish to thank them for their continuous support, and we hope to continue working closely with them on future initiatives for Ipoh,” he said.
In recent times, Ipoh has enjoyed a surge of popularity among travellers for its colonial architecture and local delicacies. Lonely Planet has ranked it as one of the best Asian destinations as well as sing praises for the city’s coffee culture.
AirAsia will also enhance connectivity from Kota Kinabalu, Sabah with daily direct flights to Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei starting Jan 18 next year.
The new service marks the carrier’s fourth new international destination from KK this year after Bangkok (Thailand), Macao and Kunming (China).
Riad said this year alone, AirAsia has flown more than 4.9 million guests to and from Sabah.
“We believe this new route will further put the Land Below the Wind on the map as a thriving tourist destination and contribute to the local economy,” he said.
Riad added that KK is AirAsia’s second biggest hub in Malaysia, and called for an expansion of infrastructure in the state.
“As our network grows and capacity increases, we hope the state government will set up a much needed low-cost carrier terminal in Kota Kinabalu to further accommodate our growth plans,” he said.