Along with the auspicious Lunar New Yr, AirAsia celebrated its inaugural flight from Kota Kinabalu to Shanghai with one hundred pc passenger load, persevering with to soar excessive within the profitable Yr of the Dragon.
Inaugural flight AK1516 departed from Kota Kinabalu Worldwide Airport at 21:30 on 20 February 2024 and landed at Shanghai Pudong Worldwide Airport at 02:00 (native time) on 21 February 2024.
On the return flight, the airline additionally welcomed the inaugural flight AK1517 from Shanghai to Kota Kinabalu with greater than 90 % occupancy. Together with Julinus Jeffrey Jimita, Chief Govt Officer of the Sabah Tourism Board, the plane was greeted with a celebratory water salute upon arrival.
Datuk Christina Liew, Sabah Tourism, Tradition and Setting Minister stated: “We’re delighted to welcome AirAsia’s first flight from Shanghai immediately. It’s encouraging to know that that is the airline’s eleventh worldwide path to Sabah with three flights per week. We really respect AirAsia’s efforts in repeatedly strengthening tourism alternatives within the nation, particularly from the fast-growing Chinese language market. Because the airline with essentially the most routes flying to and from Sabah, AirAsia has performed a key position in offering inexpensive journey for all and offering a great addition to our economic system with many spin-offs together with job creation.
“The Sabah Tourism Board (STB) has recorded an unimaginable 1,119% improve in vacationer arrivals from China between 2022 and 2023. AirAsia’s continued dedication to launching new routes and rising its providers offers important tourism and financial alternatives between Malaysia and China. It is a nice begin to the auspicious Yr of the Dragon within the Chinese language Lunar New Yr.”
Bo Lingam, Group CEO of AirAsia Aviation Teams, stated: “We’re delighted to have a good time the inauguration of our providers connecting Kota Kinabalu and Shanghai. As China’s largest overseas low-cost service, we acknowledge the big potential of this route. It comes on the excellent time, coinciding with a surge in tourism through the Chinese language New Yr and Spring Pageant, and following the continued visa-free initiative between the 2 international locations. Our providers to China proceed to develop consistent with robust demand. This extra new route serves as a major alternative for us to help the Malaysian authorities’s ambition to draw 5 million vacationers from China.
“We’re assured that this new route will show standard and are inspired to share that our inaugural flight was absolutely booked, demonstrating robust early demand and enthusiasm for this new service. We sit up for persevering with to offer much more accessible connectivity between the 2 standard locations sooner or later.”
Operated by AirAsia Malaysia (AK), Shanghai is the sixth vacation spot in mainland China accessible from Kota Kinabalu, after Hangzhou, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Beijing and Wuhan.