Batik Air launches Jakarta-Kota Kinabalu direct flights
KUALA LUMPUR: Batik Air launched twice-weekly direct flights from the Jakarta Soekarno - Hatta International Airport ( CGK) to the Kota Kinabalu International Airport ( BKI) yesterday as part of efforts at expanding its international network.
Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd ( MAHB) managing director, Datuk Badlisham Ghazali said the service would benefit both countries.
“We are happy to see yet another airline adding Kota Kinabalu as its destination,” he said in a statement yesterday.
He said according to MAHB’s records, BKI’s total passenger traffic movement had increased by 11.2 per cent year- on-year to 7.3 million between January and November 2017.
“During the same period, the airport also registered 2.3 million international passenger traffic movements, a 22.1 per cent increase from last year.
“We are glad to see an increase in passenger traffic, especially after our pledge to further support the development of tourism in Sabah by intensifying efforts at promoting the state as a destination,” he added.
President Director of Batik Air, Achmad Luthfie said based on the forecast passenger load factor for the new CGK-BKI route, there was a high possibility of the flight frequency being increased to seven times per week,” he added.
Additionally, Batik Air also plans to develop more new routes to Sabah and Sarawak, such as Kuching, and the airline will use its fleet of Airbus A320 or Boeing 737- 900 ER type for this purpose. — Bernama