KUALA LUMPUR: AirAsia Bhd has won the coveted Mayor’s Special Award at the Miri City Mayor Awards 2019 for its significant contribution to the economic and social aspects of Miri and its people.
In a statement, the budget airline said it was recognised particularly for its commitment to enhancing both domestic and international connectivity for Miri as well as enabling more people to fly.
AirAsia connects Miri to Kuala Lumpur, Kuching, Kota Kinabalu and Johor Bahru as well as Singapore with 101 flights to and from Miri weekly, resulting in passenger traffic at Miri Airport tripling in the last 20 years from 790,000 in 1998 to 2.35 million in 2018.
In 2018, over 61 per cent of the passenger traffic at Miri Airport travelled on AirAsia.
AirAsia Malaysia chief executive officer Riad Asmat said the airline, as a passionate proponent of shared prosperity, strives to provide opportunities for Malaysians to fly by offering low fares and advocating for fair airport charges.
“We are humbled to be recognised for our contributions in elevating Miri’s economic and social landscape. AirAsia is the only airline offering a direct international flight to Miri because we believe in Miri’s potential for tourism and trade.
“We hope to fly more visitors to Miri in the coming years which will not only create more job opportunities for its people but further boost the state’s economy as well,” he added.
In 2018, AirAsia carried about 1.3 million Malaysians to and from Miri and about 250,000 visitors from other countries. – Bernama
