Batik Air introduced a direct flight service from Batam to Kuala Lumpur, a significant development in Malaysia-Indonesia travel relations.
This inaugural flight, celebrated by Dato’ Dr Ammar Abd. Ghapar of Tourism Malaysia, alongside Batik Air and Malaysia Airport Holdings Berhad (MAHB) representatives, arrived at Kuala Lumpur International Airport Terminal 1, promising to strengthen business, leisure, and medical tourism connections between the two nations.
The service, scheduled to operate three times a week using Boeing 737 aircraft, is part of Batik Air’s strategic initiative to broaden its reach in Southeast Asia.
This route meets the rising demand for intra-regional travel and is expected to play a vital role in increasing tourist arrivals from Indonesia to Malaysia, especially in anticipation of Visit Malaysia 2026.
Dato’ Dr Ammar highlighted the cultural and geographical ties that make Indonesia a crucial market for Malaysia’s tourism, expressing optimism that this new air link will contribute significantly to the tourism and economic growth of both countries.
“The launch of direct flights from Batam to Kuala Lumpur represents a strategic move for Batik Air as we continue to expand our presence in key markets,” said Chief Executive Officer of Batik Air Datuk Chandran Rama Muthy adding that this new route will enable passengers from Batam to connect to Batik Air’s ever-growing flight network to 53 destinations across 22 countries through KLIA.
The ASEAN market has predominantly been the primary contributor to Malaysia’s tourism sector, with Indonesia ranking second in the top ten tourist-generating markets, contributing significantly to the 2.8 million arrivals between January and November 2023.
Malaysia’s diverse offerings, including renowned medical tourism services and vibrant shopping destinations, continue to attract Indonesian travellers.
In 2024, Malaysia aims to welcome 27.3 million tourists, generating RM102.7 billion in revenue. The forthcoming Visit Malaysia Year 2026 has set an ambitious target of 35.6 million foreign tourist arrivals with target receipt of RM147.1billion.
