The inaugural flight departed from Kuala Lumpur International Airport (Terminal 2) at 9.05AM and landed in Kertajati International Airport on the same day at 10.20AM local time.
The excited guests onboard flight AK418 were greeted with a warm welcome upon arrival by Bapak Drs. Benny Bachtiar M.SI, Head of Tourism and Culture, Province of West Java; His Excellency Dato’ Syed Md Hasrin Ambassador of Malaysia to Indonesia; AirAsia Malaysia CEO, Riad Asmat and other dignitaries from the industry.
The new route launch marks AirAsia as the first low-cost carrier to fly internationally to and from Kertajati post-pandemic.
Kertajati International Airport is Indonesia’s second largest airport, and serves as a main hub that connects travellers to Greater Bandung, Cirebon and its surrounding areas, West Java province and parts of Central Java.
Riad Asmat, CEO of AirAsia Malaysia said: “We are truly honoured to be the first low-cost airline to connect travellers to Kertajati, the unexplored gem of Indonesia. AirAsia first commenced flights from Malaysia to Indonesia in 2004 with the sole aim of enabling travellers to experience the beauty and wonder of both countries, or to simply visit their loved ones with ease. We have since flown more than 2.5 million guests between the two nations in 2019 and expanded our network to 12 destinations in Indonesia with 151 flights weekly.
“Our mission is to place West Java on the map again and Indonesia as a whole as a must-visit destination in Asean. With this new route, more locals and tourists alike will get the opportunity to sightsee the quaint town of Kertajati and its neighbouring areas and attractions. The Majalengka Regency, which houses Kertajati is only an hour away from Bandung, an ultimate shopping paradise.
“Thus, I am pleased to note that this commencement of flights from Kuala Lumpur will not only introduce Kertajati to travellers from Asean and beyond, it will also create plentiful economic and employment opportunities for the locals.
“As an airline group with extensive connectivity in Asean and the Asia Pacific, together with our affiliate, Indonesia AirAsia, we are thrilled to continue playing our role in bringing foreign tourists directly to various popular and underserved cities in Indonesia and Malaysia. We hope to contribute significantly to both governments’ target to attract millions of foreign visitors in 2023.”
In celebration of its inaugural flight, AirAsia is offering all-in fares from Kuala Lumpur to Kertajati from RM141 one way. Value-added fares are also available for the return flights from IDR616,600 all-in one way. As a special treat, AirAsia is offering an unbeatable promo from now until 21 May 2023, for the travel period between 1 June and 14 December 2023.
