Malaysian airline Batik Air will start its first direct east coast service between Sydney and Kuala Lumpur from July 1, with seven direct services a week adding 120,000 seats each year between the two cities.
The flights will operate via an Airbus A330, which includes 12 business class seats and 365 economy seats.
The airline will also add a direct service between Kuala Lumpur and Shanghai, starting a week before the Sydney services take to the skies.
Currently the carrier operates services out of Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney to Denpasar and then on to KL. It also flies directly between Perth and KL 14 times a week.
Batik Air suspended flights between Canberra and Denpasar, in Bali just four months after launching the service in June 2024.
Batik Air CEO Datuk Chandran Rama Muthy said the introduction of both routes reflects the airline’s continued commitment to building a resilient, demand-driven network while maintaining a measured outlook amid an evolving global environment.
“Batik Air continues to align its network with sustained market demand, and the addition of Shanghai and Sydney strengthens two of our most important international corridors,” he said.
“These routes support tourism and business travel while enhancing overall connectivity between Malaysia and key global markets.
“China and Australia remain important markets, and these services will help facilitate greater movement of travellers while reinforcing economic and people-to-people ties. Despite the broader global environment, the outlook for travel demand remains positive.
“The airline remains focused on maintaining a balanced and sustainable approach to growth, identifying opportunities where demand is strongest while continuing to support Malaysia’s position as a preferred destination in the region.”
Batik Air, a full-service airline and subsidiary of Indonesia’s Lion Air Group, started flying in 2013 under the name Malindo Air. The name “Malindo” was a portmanteau of Malaysia and Indonesia, reflecting the joint venture between Malaysia’s National Aerospace and Defence Industries (NADI) and Indonesia’s Lion Air Group.
Malindo Air initially offered a hybrid service model combining low-cost fares with selected premium services, catering to both domestic and regional international routes.
In 2022, the airline officially rebranded as Batik Air Malaysia. It now flies to 20 countries.
