AirAsia is to axe its operations from Kuala Lumpur’s Subang airport, dealing a blow to plans to rejuvenate the city airport.
The low-cost operator on 6 March said it will be relocating domestic flights to Kota Kinabalu and Kuching – its only two routes from Subang airport – to its Kuala Lumpur international airport (KLIA) hub from 7 April.
It adds that the move “is aimed at optimising operations amid growing demand and enhancing the overall guest experience”.
AirAsia in August 2024 resumed operations at Subang airport after more than 20 years, launching twice-daily flights to Kuching and Kota Kinabalu in east Malaysia. It was among a bevy of airlines that began jet operations from the airport, which is located nearer to Kuala Lumpur than KLIA.
At the time, the resumption of jet operations at Subang had been hailed as a key milestone in government plans to rejuvenate the airport.
“AirAsia has closely assessed passenger trends and operational needs, and KLIA…offers the best platform to enhance efficiency and service quality. While Subang Airport has been convenient, especially for city-bound travellers, its redevelopment to support future growth will take time,” the airline states.
AirAsia Malaysia managing director Fareh Mazputra notes that KLIA’s infrastructure “supports connectivity needs at scale—particularly during peak travel periods”.
“It also offers the capacity required for continued growth as we mount more flights to serve the rising demand across East Malaysia routes,” he adds.
AirAsia’s exit from Subang operations leaves just two Malaysian operators at the airport: Malaysia Airlines sister unit Firefly, as well as Batik Air Malaysia. Two foreign operators – Singapore’s Scoot and Indonesia’s TransNusa – also operate to the airport.
