KOTA KINABALU, September 4, 2023 -- [centre: Pn. Noredah Othman, CEO of Sabah Tourism Board and Ms Vivien Lee, Political Secretary representing Minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment YB Datuk Christina Liew, together with AirAsia at the welcoming event]
AirAsia celebrated yet another direct international flight into Kota Kinabalu today, from Hangzhou, China, marking the first flight for this route by the airline after a 3 year-long hiatus.
The renewed service will operate with a thrice weekly frequency throughout September 2023, offering AirAsia guests increased options to explore the rich cultural heritage and natural beauty of both destinations. Recognising the growing demand of this connectivity, AirAsia will increase the frequency to seven times weekly from October 2023 to March 2024, ensuring more convenience and ease for guests travelling between the two cities during this peak travel period.
To celebrate this milestone, guests onboard flight AK1575 from Hangzhou to Kota Kinabalu were given a hearty welcome by AirAsia and Pn Noredah Othman, CEO of Sabah Tourism Board, much to their surprise and delight.
At a glance
- Company
- AirAsia
- Announcement
- Expansion
- Location
- Kota Kinabalu
Key figures
- Route frequency in September 2023
- thrice weekly
- Planned route frequency from October 2023 to March 2024
- seven times weekly
- Promotional discount
- 20%
- Kota Kinabalu domestic destinations
- 9
- Kota Kinabalu international destinations
- 10
- Kota Kinabalu weekly frequencies
- 268
People
- Riad AsmatAirAsia Malaysia CEO
- Noredah OthmanCEO of Sabah Tourism Board
- Vivien LeePolitical Secretary representing the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment
- Christina LiewMinister of Tourism, Culture and Environment
Products and programs
AirAsia Malaysia CEO, Riad Asmat said: "We are delighted to resume the Kota Kinabalu to Hangzhou route, connecting these two remarkable cities once again. We’ve always strived to uphold our commitment to contribute to Sabah’s booming tourism industry through our expanding network of flights in Asia and beyond, and this new route is a clear testament to that. Both Sabah and China are two of our key markets and we’re confident that our vast connectivity will allow us to enable affordable travel for our trusted guests as we continue to grow our fleet and network to cater to growing demand.”
Coinciding with the resumption of this route, AirAsia is offering an unbeatable promo for a limited time only. AirAsia guests can enjoy an amazing 20%* discount on all seats and all flights to Chengdu, Beijing, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Guilin, Shantou, Nanning, Taipei, Kaohsiung, Macao, Hong Kong and more for booking between 4 to 10 September 2023 and travel between 11 October 2023 to 31 March 2024.
Kota Kinabalu is AirAsia’s second largest hub, connecting the city to 9 domestic and 10 international destinations via 268 weekly frequencies - and counting. AirAsia Malaysia (AK) currently flies 20 routes to/from Greater China with over 156 flights weekly from Kuala Lumpur to, Guilin, Quanzhou, Guangzhou, Kunming, Shenzhen, Nanning, Shantou, Kaohsiung, Hong Kong and Macao; Kota Kinabalu to Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Wuhan, Beijing and Macao; Penang to Hong Kong and Johor Bahru to Guangzhou. AirAsia X Malaysia (D7) currently flies five routes to/from China with over 30 flights weekly from Kuala Lumpur to Chengdu (Tianfu), Beijing (Daxing), Shanghai, Hangzhou and Taipei.
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*Terms and conditions apply
*This promo is applicable for flights with airline codes AK & D7 only
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In brief
AirAsia has resumed direct flights between Hangzhou, China, and Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia, after a three-year break for the route. The service is scheduled to run three times weekly during September 2023, with the company planning to increase it to seven weekly flights from October 2023 through March 2024. AirAsia Malaysia CEO Riad Asmat said the renewed connection supports the company’s role in Sabah tourism and its efforts to offer travel between the markets. The release also describes a limited-time 20% discount on seats for flights to listed destinations, for bookings made September 4–10, 2023, and travel from October 11, 2023, to March 31, 2024. The release identifies Kota Kinabalu as an AirAsia hub and outlines the carrier’s other China routes.
Key takeaways
- AirAsia resumed direct Hangzhou–Kota Kinabalu service after a three-year hiatus.
- The route is set for three weekly flights in September 2023, rising to seven weekly from October through March.
- AirAsia announced a 20% discount on eligible flights booked September 4–10, 2023.
- The company says Kota Kinabalu connects to domestic and international destinations through its network.
Earlier from AirAsia
- AirAsia welcomes inaugural flight from Hong Kong to Penang, marking seventh direct international route to the island
- airasia: Sounds of Asean
- AirAsia ramps up flights to China amid surge in travel demand
- AirAsia launches YASSS to Holiday Quickies campaign to reignite Singaporean’s spirit of wanderlust and adventure
- Millions of global travellers voted AirAsia as the World’s Best Low-Cost Airline for the 14th consecutive time at Skytrax
