Kota Baharu, Nov 18 -Budget carrier AirAsia has introduced direct flights from Kota Kinabalu-Kota Baharu in a move to enhance the domestic tourist traffic between the east coast states and Sabah, Sarawak.
It also marks AirAsia’s eighth domestic route from Kota Kinabalu.
Chief Executive Officer Aireen Omar said AirAsia is at present the only airline to operate thrice weekly direct flights between the two states.
“Data collected from July 2012 to June 2013 showed 15,000 tourists from Sabah transited the Low Cost Carrier Terminal in Sepang, enroute to Kota Baharu.
“This shows high demand and the flight has at the same time helped vitalise the tourism industry between both states,” she added.
Aireen told reporters this at a ceremony at the Sultan Ismail Petra Airport here today to welcome the inaugural AirAsia flight from Kota Kinabalu.
The event was officiated by Kelantan Deputy Menteri Besar Datuk Mohd Amar Nik Abdullah.
In conjunction with the inauguration of the new service, AirAsia is offering all-in-fares from as low as RM106 one way. It is for bookings made from now until Nov 24 for travel between Dec 1 to Apr 30 2014.
Aireen said AirAsia was planning to make Kota Baharu its regional hub to connect Malaysia with Australia, China and Indonesia, due to the shorter distance, compared to using the KL International Airport (KLIA).
– Bernama
