27-11-2023 (KUALA LUMPUR) AirAsia, the Malaysia-based low-cost airline, announced a significant expansion of its services between China, India, and Malaysia, with a total of 230 weekly flights scheduled to commence in the first quarter of 2024. This increase in capacity, offered by AirAsia Malaysia and AirAsia X Malaysia, is in response to the expected surge in travel demand following the Malaysian government’s announcement of a 30-day visa-free entry for travelers from China and India into Malaysia, effective from December 1, 2023.
In a statement, AirAsia highlighted that this announcement coincides with the recent easing of travel restrictions for Malaysians visiting China, also starting from December 1, 2023.
AirAsia’s parent company, Capital A CEO Tony Fernandes, expressed his enthusiasm for the 30-day visa-free entry policy, stating that it would undoubtedly provide a significant boost to Malaysia’s tourism sector and economy, particularly during the upcoming peak travel season. Fernandes emphasized that the visa-free entry would strengthen the economic ties between Malaysia, China, and India. He further assured that AirAsia is prepared to increase its capacity to meet the demand for affordable and accessible air travel in the region.
According to the airline’s statement, AirAsia Malaysia and AirAsia X Malaysia currently operate flights from Kuala Lumpur to various destinations in China, including Guangzhou, Quanzhou, Kunming, Guilin, Nanning, Shantou, Shenzhen, Chengdu, Beijing, Hangzhou, and Shanghai. AirAsia Malaysia also operates flights from Kota Kinabalu, the capital of Sabah state in Malaysia, to Guangzhou, Hangzhou, Shenzhen, Beijing, and Wuhan. Additionally, they offer flights from Johor Bahru to Guangzhou.
China recently announced that Malaysian citizens holding ordinary passports will be able to enter China visa-free for business, tourism, visiting relatives and friends, and transit purposes for a maximum duration of 15 days, effective from December 1, 2023, until November 30, 2024.
