DAVID FULLBROOK / SINGAPORE
Malaysian no-frills carrier plans to create second hub on island of Borneo for services
Malaysian no-frills carrier AirAsia plans to add up to six more Boeing 737-300s to its fleet and launch its first international routes by the middle of next year.
A sixth 737-300 is due in November, with three more planned for March and two more around June, says the airline. AirAsia plans to lease the aircraft for five years but is also considering buying some.
Coinciding with the arrival of the sixth aircraft is the introduction of services to Sibu and Sandakan in Sabah, a Malaysian province on the island of Borneo. Services are expected to be daily initially and follow the launch of daily flights to Tawau in Sabah on 5 September.
The carrier plans to use Kota Kinabalu - Sabah's capital - as its second hub and a base for international services from March. Kota Kinabalu International Airport's (KKIA) second terminal - known locally as the old terminal - will be renovated and renamed the AirAsia terminal.
International services from KKIA and Kuala Lumpur are pencilled in for March or April. Bangkok, Denpasar, Jakarta and Surabayaare likely to be among the first. Talks with Indonesian officials are ongoing. Flights to Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Manila, Shenzhen and Xiamen will follow.
Regular flights from Kuala Lumpur will give travellers access to cheap international flights from KKIA. AirAsia plans to establish its third hub in the Malaysian town of Johor Bahru, close to neighbouring Singapore. It expects a combination of international services and a second base at Kota Kinabalu will boost interline traffic from foreign carriers.
Source: Flight International
