Flight AK1510 departed Kota Kinabalu International Airport at 7:40 AM on August 15, 2025, arriving at Fukuoka International Airport at 3:15 PM local time. Dato’ Captain Fareh Mazputra, CEO of AirAsia Malaysia, and the flight crew greeted passengers during the technical stop in Taipei, commemorating this milestone achievement. This new route underscores AirAsia’s commitment to strengthening Sabah’s connectivity and establishing Kota Kinabalu as a key regional aviation hub. The service facilitates travel for Sabah residents to destinations beyond ASEAN and opens opportunities for travelers from Taipei to explore Fukuoka, fostering tourism and economic exchange across East and Southeast Asia.
Bruce Chen Ph.D., Consul General of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Fukuoka, expressed his enthusiasm: “I would like to extend my heartfelt congratulations on the launch of AirAsia Malaysia’s inaugural route to Japan, connecting Fukuoka and Kota Kinabalu via Taipei. This new service enhances travel convenience between Japan and Taiwan and offers excellent connectivity between East Asia and Southeast Asia daily. I am confident this will promote tourism, business, and cultural exchange, contributing to greater people-to-people exchange and international cooperation among our three countries.”
Dato’ Captain Fareh Mazputra, CEO of AirAsia Malaysia, stated: “We are pleased to launch our first fifth-freedom route from Taipei to Fukuoka, a significant milestone as we expand into Japan. This route reflects our commitment to growing Kota Kinabalu as a strategic hub and provides greater travel flexibility. We are confident this new connectivity will stimulate tourism and business opportunities between Kota Kinabalu, Taipei, and Fukuoka, offering our guests more value and convenience at affordable fares.”
Shinji Tagawa, Representative Director and President & CEO of Fukuoka International Airport Co., Ltd., added: “We are truly honored that AirAsia Malaysia has chosen Fukuoka for its first route to Japan. We are continuously enhancing our capabilities as an international hub. This new route offers a new travel option for passengers in the destination cities and across Kyushu, contributing to stronger ties in tourism, business, culture, education, and many other fields.”
Syaliza Abd. Aziz, Director of Tourism Malaysia in Japan, offered her congratulations: “I extend my heartfelt congratulations to AirAsia Malaysia on the launch of this new route connecting Fukuoka, Taipei, and Kota Kinabalu. This expansion strengthens ties between Japan and Malaysia, opening up greater opportunities for cultural exchange and tourism. This launch is timely as we look forward to Visit Malaysia 2026. We thank AirAsia for making this meaningful connection a reality.”
AirAsia Malaysia will operate daily flights on this new route using Airbus A320 family narrow-body aircraft (including A320neo), offering a maximum capacity of 186 seats, including 42 Hot Seats. The airline offers competitive fares: one-way flights from Kota Kinabalu to Fukuoka start from RM679*, Taipei to Fukuoka from TWD2,990*, Fukuoka to Kota Kinabalu from JPY23,990*, and Fukuoka to Taipei from JPY15,900*, all all-in one-way fares.
This new route represents a significant expansion for AirAsia, strengthening its position in the Asian market and providing enhanced travel options for passengers across three key cities. The collaboration between AirAsia and the respective airports and tourism boards highlights a commitment to fostering economic growth and cultural exchange within the region.
