AirAsia Malaysia (flight code AK) commemorated its inaugural flight from Kota Kinabalu to Fukuoka via Taipei recently. The maiden flight from Taipei to Fukuoka recorded an impressive full load factor of 100%, while its return flight recorded more than 80% to Taipei, marking the airline’s first venture into the Japanese market.
Flight AK1510 took off from Kota Kinabalu International Airport at 7:40am on 15th August 2025 and landed at Fukuoka International Airport at 3:15pm (local time) on the same day. To double up the significant milestone, guests onboard flight AK1510 bound for Taipei-Fukuoka were warmly sent off by Dato’ Captain Fareh Mazputra, CEO of AirAsia Malaysia, together with its lively crew during its technical stop at Taipei.
The launch of this brand-new fifth-freedom route marks a significant milestone for AirAsia, reaffirming its commitment to strengthening Sabah’s connectivity and positioning Kota Kinabalu as a key regional hub. This new service not only allows travellers from Sabah to explore destinations beyond Asean but also opens up opportunities for guests from Taipei to discover the hidden gems of Fukuoka, fostering greater tourism and economic exchange across the region.
Dato’ Captain Fareh Mazputra, CEO of AirAsia Malaysia, said: “We are pleased to launch our first-ever fifth-freedom route from Taipei to Fukuoka, highlighting an important milestone for AirAsia as we expand our footprint into Japan. This route not only reflects our continued commitment to growing Kota Kinabalu as a strategic hub in East Malaysia, but also provides greater travel flexibility for our guests across the region. We are confident that this new connectivity will stimulate tourism and business opportunities between Kota Kinabalu, Taipei and Fukuoka, while offering our guests more value and convenience at affordable fares.”
AirAsia Malaysia (flight code AK) will operate daily flights on this new fifth-freedom route using the Airbus A320 family narrow-body aircraft (including A320neo) with a maximum capacity of 186 seats, including 42 Hot Seats. Travellers from Kota Kinabalu can now conveniently access Fukuoka with all-in one-way fares starting from RM679, while flights from Taipei to Fukuoka are available from as low as TWD2,990 (RM417.49) all-in one way.
Return flights from Fukuoka to Kota Kinabalu start from JPY23,990, and fares for the Fukuoka to Taipei sector are available from JPY15,900 (RM455.94), all-in one way. For more information on this route, prices and promotions, visit the official AirAsia website.
