SUBANG, Aug 30 — Low-cost carrier AirAsia landed a plane at the Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport this morning, ending a hiatus of over 24 years since its last flight here.
AirAsia Flight AK4102, which took off from Kota Kinabalu at 6:25am, touched down in Subang just slightly before 9:00am.
The aircraft was met with a water cannon salute, and applause from Capital A and AirAsia’s management teams.
As passengers disembarked, they were greeted by AirAsia crew and given complementary tote bags filled with souvenirs such as hats, key chains, and drinks.
The celebration continued with the send-off of Flight AK4235 to Kuching, Sarawak, which departed on time at 9:30am.
AirAsia co-founder Tan Sri Tony Fernandes, who was present, posed for photos with some of the boarding passengers.
Fernandes said that the Subang airport holds a special place in his heart.
“Today, as we return, we do so with the same passion and determination, but with far greater experience and ambition.
“We aim to explore new growth opportunities for both AirAsia and Capital A,” he said.
He said AirAsia's goal is not to compete with other airlines but to expand the market.
Fernandes also expressed delight at seeing many former employees from the airline’s time at Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport present today.
Datuk Kamarudin Meranun, executive chairman of Capital A, described the return to the Subang airport as a deeply emotional moment.
“This is where it all began, where we turned our dream of democratising air travel into reality.
“Today, we bring our aircraft back to Subang, not just to honour our past, but to chart a new course for the future,” said Kamarudin.
The launch event featured a celebratory cake-cutting, before which Fernandes surprised a family at the airport with complementary return tickets to Melbourne, Australia.
AirAsia said its return to the Airport would reinforce its position as Malaysia's largest airline by capacity, with the widest domestic network.
By the end of December 2024, AirAsia plans to operate 40 routes across the country and a total of 1,860 weekly domestic flights.
