Last June, AirAsia Philippines resumed its flights from Manila to Kota Kinabalu in Sabah, Malaysia. As such, AirAsia strengthened ties with the Sabah Tourism Board to promote and support more tourism between the Philippines and Sabah. A ceremony to commemorate this strengthening of ties was held last July 5 at The Pacific Sutera Hotel, Kota Kinabalu.
Present were AirAsia Philippines Chief Executive Officer Ricky Isla, airasia Super App Managing Director Ray Berja, AirAsia PH Spokesperson and Communications and Public Affairs Head Steve Dailisan, and 39 transport and lifestyle media from the Philippines and Sabah. The Philippine delegation was graciously welcomed by Minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment, Honorable Datuk Jafry Ariffin, Assistant Tourism Minister YB Datuk Joniston Bangkuai, Sabah Culture and Environment Secretary Datuk Sr. Hj Mohd Yusrie Abdullah, and Sabah Tourism Board CEO Puan Noredah Othman.
“The resumption of our Kota Kinabalu flight last month has reopened this important border not only for Filipino traders and travelers, but also for Malaysians here in Sabah who would like to visit their friends and relatives in Manila. This also opens the opportunity for tourism for the two sides to prosper, as both destinations have an array of exciting offerings for first-time and seasoned travelers.”
Ricky Isla, AirAsia Philippines CEO
“In line with the transition to an endemic phase, I believe that this resumption of international flights comes at the right time for both tourists and locals in Sabah, who have been excitedly anticipating and planning their travels. I believe with the support and cooperation of AirAsia, we can re-establish collaborations on new access into Sabah. I am looking forward to more connections AirAsia may bring from the island nation of the Philippines.“
Hon. YB Datuk Jafry Ariffin, the Minister of Tourism Culture and Environment, Sabah
Currently, AirAsia Philippines flies between Kota Kinabalu and Manila twice a week every Tuesday and Saturday. It departs Manila at 12:10am and arrives at Kota Kinabalu at 2:10am. The return flight departs Kota Kinabalu at 2:50 am and arrives in Manila at 4:50 am.
What is there to see at Sabah?
Just for your information, Sabah is known for its natural beauty. Of course, its main attraction is Mount Kinabalu. This is the world’s third-highest peak on an island and the 20th most prominent mountain in the world in terms of topography.
Another place to see is the Kinabalu Heritage Park which is a World UNESCO site. For all of you platitos and plantitas, the botanical garden at this park is a sure paradise for you! Other places to see are the islands and beautiful beaches such as Manukan Island. I will have a separate about my experience at Sabah, so please do watch out for that.
Honestly, it is a perfect place for those who love nature tripping and the beach. I would also say it’s great for those who would love a good adventure, especially our mountaineers who look forward to climbing Mount Kinabalu one day.
AirAsia is also setting its sight to launch more flights to Sabah from different places in the country such as Zamboanga, Davao, and Palawan. Hopefully, this should be feasible and beneficial, especially for our Muslim brothers and sisters from the Mindanao area.
First love never dies. I fell in love with airplanes and aviation when I was a kid. My dream was to become a pilot, but destiny led me to another path: to be an aviation digital media content creator and a small business owner. My passion for aviation inspires me to bring you quality content through my website and social accounts. Aviation is indeed in my blood and blog!
