AirAsia strengthens its presence in Kalimantan, Indonesia’s Borneo
AirAsia (Malaysia) launched last week two new non-stop routes to Kalimantan, the Indonesian part of Borneo island. Pontianak, the capital city of the province of West Kalimantan is again linked with the Malaysian cities of Kuala Lumpur and Kuching. Pontianak lost its Malaysian connections during the Covid pandemic. The airport also lost afterwards its international status, restricting connections to only domestic flights.
The opening of the two routes further cements AirAsia‘s position as the airline with the widest network between Malaysia and Indonesia. It reinforces its commitment to improving regional connectivity and shared economic growth.
These flights by AirAsia mark the first international services at Pontianak’s Supadio Airport, following the reinstatement of its international status in June 2025.
Lee Kim Shin, Minister for Transport Sarawak said: “I am very pleased that the Kuching-Pontianak route is now back in service after five years. Instead of land journeys that take between six to eight hours, travelers between Kuching and Pontianak can now reach their destinations in under an hour. This is a testament to the strong historical, cultural and familial ties shared by the people. This connectivity will definitely boost tourism, business, and strengthen ties between Sarawak and West Kalimantan.”
Pontianak is linked twice a day to Kuching in Sarawak (Malaysian Borneo) and four times a week (Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday) to Kuala Lumpur. This inaugural follows two other flight routes to Indonesia which were recently reinstated.
Strengthening KLIA gateway to Indonesia
On July 18, the airline reopened its Kuala Lumpur-Palembang (South Sumatra) daily flight. it was followed on September 5 with AirAsia comeback to Semarang in Central Java. The carrier flies daily from Kuala Lumpur.
Captain Fareh Mazputra, CEO of AirAsia Malaysia, said: “Following the success of our recent route launches in Palembang and beyond, Indonesia remains one of our most important markets. We are proud to reconnect Pontianak with both Kuching and Kuala Lumpur. These routes not only provide greater convenience for our guests but also open more opportunities for tourism and business between Malaysia and Indonesia.”
AirAsia Malaysia (AK) continues to strengthen its connectivity to Indonesia with flights to 18 destinations. From Kuala Lumpur, the airline currently serves Jakarta, Bali (Denpasar), Medan, Yogyakarta, Banda Aceh, Makassar, Padang, Pekanbaru, Balikpapan, Labuan Bajo, Lombok, Palembang, Semarang and Pontianak. On October 20, the carrier will land for the first time in Banjarmasin, the capital of South Kalimantan, also located on Borneo Island.
AirAsia also further connects Kuching to Pontianak, as well as Penang to Jakarta and Medan, enhancing travel accessibility between both countries.
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