KUALA LUMPUR (April 6): Batik Air Malaysia plans to launch two new direct routes — Kuala Lumpur to Shanghai from June 23, 2026, and Kuala Lumpur to Sydney from July 1, 2026 — as part of its expansion ahead of Visit Malaysia Year 2026.
This comes even as the airline plans to cut about a third of its flights this month to manage rising jet fuel costs.
In a statement Monday, the airline said the Shanghai route, operated by Boeing 737 aircraft, strengthens its presence in China, adding to existing cities such as Guangzhou and Chengdu. The Sydney route will run daily using Airbus A330 aircraft, complementing existing Australian services.
Chief executive officer Chandran Rama Muthy said the new routes will boost tourism and business travel, following strong visitor numbers from China and Australia in 2025.
Batik Air Malaysia, part of the Lion Air Group, operates over 60 destinations across 21 countries.
Airlines are cutting flights and increasing charges to manage higher fuel costs.
Last Friday (April 3), Batik Air Malaysia said it will cut 35% of its flights in early April to cope with rising fuel costs due to Middle East tensions. AirAsia on Monday said it has also responded by raising fuel surcharges by up to 20% and reducing capacity by 10%.