Kota Kinabalu: Philippine AirAsia intends to create more direct flights to Sabah and will likely establish a hub in Sandakan as part of these expansion ambitions.
The direct routes to Kota Kinabalu they plan to study are from Puerto Princesa and Davao. A probable connection between Zamboanga and Sandakan is also on their list of possible direct routes.
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State Tourism, Culture, and Environment Minister Datuk Jafry Ariffin stated that Sabah welcomes the plan, which would help both countries in terms of economic spillover.
“One of the Sabah Maju Jaya plans is to ensure Sandakan Airport is upgraded to an international airport. We should explore additional direct routes into the state," he said in a statement.
“Tawau, being a gateway to Semporna, might potentially serve as an operational hub too. So, whether it's Sandakan or Tawau, we'll let them study the viability."