KUALA LUMPUR (April 21): Medium-haul low-cost carrier AirAsia X Bhd (KL:AAX) on Monday said that it will be increasing its flight frequency for the Kuala Lumpur to Almaty, Kazakhstan, route in the next quarter amid surging demand.

AAX, the only carrier offering direct air services between Kuala Lumpur and Almaty, will be flying five times a week from the current four, providing nearly 27,000 seats, it said in a statement.

“Since launching this route in March last year, we have flown over a hundred thousand guests between Kuala Lumpur and Almaty, underscoring its potential as a key market for tourism and trade,” AirAsia X CEO Benyamin Ismail said.

AAX said that the company has maintained a 90% load factor on its four weekly flights since the route commenced on March 14, 2024.

Additionally, AAX has also signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Almaty Tourism to mutually enhance tourism flows between Malaysia and Kazakhstan while positioning Almaty as a top destination for travellers from Southeast Asia, particularly Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia.

“With Malaysia assuming the Asean chairmanship in 2025, the country is well-positioned to lead regional growth and connectivity. This enhanced relationship with Kazakhstan not only supports mutual economic growth but also unlocks new opportunities in emerging markets across Central Asia,” Benyamin said.

The partnership also supports the Visit Malaysia 2026 (VM2026) campaign which targets 45 million tourist arrivals and RM270 billion in tourism receipts by 2026, according to Tourism Malaysia director-general Datuk Mano­haran Peria­samy.

“Kazakhstan continues to be one of our key and emerging tourism source markets in the region, and we are committed to strengthening this partnership as we prepare to welcome more visitors from this region ahead of VM2026,” Mano­haran said.

Through AirAsia’s Fly-Thru connectivity, passengers from Almaty can transit in Kuala Lumpur to over 130 destinations across Asia-Pacific, including Penang, Langkawi, Bali and Bangkok, while travellers from the region can access Almaty conveniently with a short stopover.

Shares of AAX closed three sen or 1.96% lower at RM1.50 on Monday, valuing the company at RM670.61 million.