In May, low-cost carrier Firefly will establish a full-fledged hub here, paving the door for its sister firm, Malaysia Airlines (MAS), to take over some of MAS's flights.
Additionally planned for later this year is the start of direct flights from China to Sabah.
Ahmad Luqman Mohd Azmi, the chief executive officer of airlines at the airline's holding firm Malaysia Aviation Group (MAG), reportedly briefed Sabah Tourism, Culture, and Environment Minister Datuk Christina Liew on this development recently.
With Penang and Subang serving as its current hubs, Firefly, a wholly-owned subsidiary of MAG, was established in April 2007 and offers links to numerous locations within the nation as well as southern Thailand, Singapore, and Indonesia's Sumatra.
"I was told that by May 15 of this year, Firefly will establish its hub here (in Kota Kinabalu), where its B738 aircraft can accommodate 189 passengers.
"Shortly, the airline has ambitions to take over MAS's three routes, Kota Kinabalu-Sandakan, Kota Kinabalu-Tawau, and Kota Kinabalu-Kuching.
She added in a statement released here on Thursday that "more importantly, the existence of a Firefly hub will facilitate direct China flights to Sabah." (April 6).
According to her, Ahmad Luqman stated that Firefly direct flights from China to Sabah wouldn't start operating until the second quarter of 2023.
"He (Ahmad Luqman) explained that to start, they have started charter flights using MAS services from China to Kuala Lumpur.
After the hub is established, we will have much more direct connectivity with China and the North Asia-Pacific, according to what I was told from their conversations with the charterers, said Liew. "Charter flights from Xiamen to Kota Kinabalu will start once the hub is set up," he added.
Ahmad Luqman also discussed the performance of MAS and MASwings, a regional sister airline, concerning Sabah operations, she continued.