KUALA LUMPUR: Ascend Airways Malaysia, which is in the process of obtaining an Air Operator Certificate from the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia, has set its sights on starting its operations in the country in the fourth quarter of 2025.
A sister company of Ascend Airways UK, the airline will operate under a business-to-business (B2B) aircraft, crew, maintenance, and insurance (ACMI) charter model, offering flexible and short-term capacity solutions for local and regional airlines.
A representative of Ascend Airways Malaysia told Bernama that the airline, which will be based at Kuala Lumpur International Airport Terminal 1, will not be a commercial carrier and will not sell tickets directly to passengers.
Instead, the source said, it will focus on providing aircraft to airlines that require additional capacity during peak demand periods, thus helping local and regional airlines meet their operational needs.
“We are here to support the regional aviation industry by offering a short-term, flexible solution to airlines in need of extra capacity. As we operate on a B2B ACMI charter model, we are not destination-based.
“We can operate our aircraft anywhere based on our clients’ operational needs, for example in Bangladesh, India or China,” the representative explained.
By providing ACMI services, the airline aims to provide a flexible and on-demand solution during peak periods, allowing the partners -- whether it is Malaysia Airlines, AirAsia or Batik Air Malaysia -- to scale operations efficiently without long-term commitments.
