Ken K. Kour 0 Report post Posted July 7, 2006 (edited) Air Asia may 'fast-track' KK-Sandakan service July 7 2006 AIR Asia Bhd, the leading regional low-cost carrier, may consider including a Kota Kinabalu-Sandakan route in addition to two new destinations to be introduced next week, said its group chief executive officer Datuk Tony Fernandes. Air Asia is introducing the two new daily flights, Kota Kinabalu to Tawau and Kota Kinabalu to Miri, in conjunction with the launch of its new East Malaysia hub at the Kota Kinabalu International Airport. The hub is expected to start operations next Tuesday. "There has been huge request for us to start Kota Kinabalu-Sandakan quicker than we have planned. So we are looking at whether we can launch it at the same time next week," Fernandes told reporters after the launching of the hub in Kota Kinabalu yesterday by Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman. At the moment, he said the hub would operate with two Boeing 737-300 aircraft. He said the airline is also aiming to recruit more locals including pilots to operate the hub. The airline's chairman Datuk Pahamin Rajab said that the setting up of the hub in Kota Kinabalu was significant for Air Asia's expansion because it suited the nature of lower cost carrier operations to fly from point to point without any transit to cut down operational cost. "We cannot bring passengers from Kuala Lumpur to Kota Kinabalu and then from Kota Kinabalu to Miri. That is why the hub is important for Air Asia," he said. He also said with the usage of new Airbus aircraft, the volume of passengers from Kuala Lumpur to the state had increased tremendously. To date, it has carried over three million passengers to or from Sabah. Musa said the introduction of the two new routes and additional frequencies from Kota Kinabalu hub would certainly create more economic opportunities in terms of tourism and business travel. In the last five years, he said, the number of both international and domestic arivals in Sabah had gone up by 18.7 per cent annually to 1.83 million in 2005 from 774,475 in 2000. "The numbers continue to be encouraging as between January and May this year, Sabah recorded 286,038 international and 415,184 domestic arrivals, making it a combined total of 701,222 visitors so far," said Musa. - Bernama ______________ Copyright © The New Straits Times Press (Malaysia) Berhad, Balai Berita 31, Jalan Riong, 59100 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. ______________ Kota Kinabalu - Tawau Daily Flights Departs Kota Kinabalu at 09:00, arrive at Tawau 09:45 (AK 5833) Tawau - Kota Kinabalu Daily Flights Departs Tawau at 10:10, Arrive Kota Kinabalu at 10:55 (AK 5834) Kota Kinabalu - Miri Twice Daily Departs Kota Kinabalu at 06:50, arrive Miri at 07:30 (AK 5811) Departs Kota Kinabalu at 11:20, arrive Miri at 12:00 (AK 5813) Miri - Kota Kinabalu Departs Miri at 07:55, arrive Kota Kinabalu at 08:35 (AK 5812) Departs Miri at 12:25, arrive Kota Kinabalu at 13:05 (AK 5814) ____________ on a side note, from now on, on certain days, there might be as much as 3 AK flights aday in Tawau, to KK, KL and JB Edited July 7, 2006 by Ken K. Kour Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pieter C. 5 Report post Posted July 7, 2006 Do I also see a flight between BKI and MNL ??? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ken K. Kour 0 Report post Posted July 7, 2006 (edited) Do I also see a flight between BKI and MNL ??? yep pieter, you do! twice daily AK 502 BKI CRK 14:05 16:05 AK 502 BKI CRK 13:30 15:30 AK 503 CRK BKI 15:55 17:55 AK 503 CRK BKI 11:40 13:40 Edited July 7, 2006 by Ken K. Kour Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PC Yuen 0 Report post Posted July 7, 2006 Now we everyone can go to Manila! yeehaa! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tamizi Hj Tamby 1 Report post Posted July 7, 2006 Twice daily? Sigh... Why not AK doing it thrice daily? Sure many passengers will use AK Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pieter C. 5 Report post Posted July 7, 2006 yep pieter, you do! twice daily AK 502 BKI CRK 14:05 16:05 AK 502 BKI CRK 13:30 15:30 AK 503 CRK BKI 15:55 17:55 AK 503 CRK BKI 11:40 13:40 with same flight-number ? My system shows the following: - - 1234567 1405 BKI 1605 CRK AK 502 733 Y 0 - - 1234567 1140 CRK 1340 BKI AK 503 733 Y 0 so, only 1 single flight per day... Anyhow, good move to 'open up' the Phils. market Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
S V Choong 4 Report post Posted July 7, 2006 So, we don't see any A320 flights to Tawau and Sandakan just yet? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Keno Omar 0 Report post Posted July 7, 2006 Flights to Manila (CRK) from BKI have been around for over a year now. Service commenced 5 Apr 2005. AK should try venturing into Mindanao (Zamboanga & Davao) to capture the labour traffic considering a large proportion of Filipinos working/living in Sabah are from that region. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Min Chun 0 Report post Posted July 7, 2006 AK, what about PEN-LGK route huh? Great news from AK again! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Andrew Yong 0 Report post Posted July 7, 2006 This news also anounce in Buletin Utama this night ,thanks for ur infomation Ken Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
