By Rafiq Vayani
KUALA LUMPUR/DUBAI: Emirates and Batik Air Malaysia today announced a codeshare agreement, allowing Emirates’ customers to access 5 domestic Malaysian cities and 3 regional South East Asia points operated by Batik Air via Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA).
The Minister of Transport Malaysia, YB Tuan Anthony Loke, graced the launch and lauded the strategic partnership between Emirates and Batik Air, emphasising the numerous opportunities it offers to travellers worldwide.
“We are pleased with the partnership, which has the potential to strengthen Malaysia’s role as a prime gateway to the region. We hope to see an increase in KLIA traffic, especially to facilitate connectivity to regional destinations.”
The enhanced cooperation was introduced by Orhan Abbas, Emirates’ Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations (Far East) and Datuk Chandran Rama Muthy, Group Strategic Director of Batik Air. Also present at the launch event were Anand Lakshminarayanan Emirates’ Senior Vice President Revenue Optimisation and Airline Partnerships and Saeed Mubarak, Emirates’ Country Manager in Malaysia. In line with the agreement, Emirates will place its code on Batik Air-operated flights to Penang, Kuching, Kota Kinabalu, Langkawi, Johor Bahru, Denpasar, Jakarta and Singapore, offering customers a seamless travel experience as they connect to new destinations using a single ticket, and convenient baggage policy.
Emirates’ customers will also have the option to stopover in Kuala Lumpur before proceeding to their final destinations. The airline will further gain access to eight additional destinations operated by Batik Air via Kuala Lumpur for interline transfers.
Orhan Abbas commented on this partnership: “Malaysia is an important market in our Far East network and we’re pleased to offer increased connectivity and more options for our customers to new and exciting destinations. Through this partnership, we’ll further expand our network reach to more than 1,490 cities worldwide. We look forward to working closely with our partner Batik Air on offering even better choices and more convenient experiences for travellers.”
Group Strategic Director of Batik Air, Datuk Chandran Rama Muthy said this initiative not only amplifies Batik Air’s network connectivity but also provides Emirates’ travellers with the opportunity to explore captivating new destinations in Malaysia and South East Asia.
“We are proud to be part of this strategic alliance, further expanding our footprint and offering flexibility and convenience to our valued passengers. This partnership underscores our commitment to excellence, and we look forward to welcoming travellers from around the world to experience the unique blend of Emirates’ and Batik Air’s services.”
Emirates has been flying to Malaysia since 1996, and currently operates 21 weekly flights to Kuala Lumpur using a mix of Boeing 777 and Airbus A380 aircraft, serving passengers with its world-class products and services. The airline currently has 30 codeshare, 11 Intermodal and 118 interline partners, including a longstanding partnership with the Jakarta-based Lion Air Group and its subsidiaries Batik Air Indonesia and Batik Air Malaysia.
Tickets can be booked on www.emirates.com, Online Travel Agencies (OTA’s) and via travel agents, for travel commencing from 1 November 2023.
