AirAsia launches inaugural flights to Sabah and Sarawak from Subang Airport

AirAsia today commenced its highly anticipated operations from Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport (Subang Airport) with inaugural flights to Sabah and Sarawak on 30th August. 

This return marks a significant milestone in the airline’s history, reconnecting with its origins 24 years after first launching operations from the same airport.

The maiden flight AK4102 from Kota Kinabalu departed at 6:25 am and arrived at Subang Airport at 9:00 am. The aircraft was greeted with a water cannon salute upon arrival together with a cheer by Capital A and AirAsia’s management teams. The inaugural ceremony was followed by the send-off of the Kuching-bound flight AK4235, which departed Subang Airport at 9:30am.

A welcome return

Capital A executive chairman Kamarudin Meranun said: “Returning to Subang Airport is a deeply emotional moment for all of us at AirAsia. This is where it all began: where we turned our dream of democratising air travel into reality. Standing here today, I am filled with pride as we bring our aircraft back to Subang, not just to honour our past, but to chart a new course for the future.” 

AirAsia Aviation Group advisor and Capital A chief executive Tony Fernandes remarked that, for him, Subang Airport has always held a special place in his heart. 

Fernandes said: “It was here that we launched our first steps as a small airline with a big dream. Today, as we return, we do so with the same passion and determination, but with far greater experience and ambition as we explore new growth opportunities for both AirAsia and Capital A with this new beginning.”

Boosting connectivity

AirAsia’s return to Subang Airport is expected to significantly enhance connectivity within Malaysia and across the region. 

In 2023 alone, the airline carried over 14 million guests across its domestic network of 918 flights weekly, and with the addition of Subang, the airline aims to further increase its domestic passenger volume.

This further solidifies the airline’s position as the largest airline by capacity in Malaysia and the carrier with the widest domestic network with 40 routes across the country and a total of 1,860 return weekly domestic flights by the end of December 2024.