KUALA LUMPUR: Ascend Airways Malaysia has received its air operator certificate (AOC) and air service permit (ASP) from the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM) on Thursday, marking a crucial step forward to commencing commercial operations in Malaysia.
Ascend Airways Malaysia chief executive officer Germal Singh Khera confirmed this to Bernama.
He added that the airline plans to commence operations, effective mid-November, and flights are scheduled to start in the first quarter of 2026.
"However, it is subject to all regulatory clearances,” he said.
The airline was first granted its Conditional Air Service Permit (CASP) in 2024.
Ascend Airways Malaysia is a Malaysia-based airline and part of the global aircraft, crew, maintenance and insurance (ACMI) provider, Avia Solutions Group.
According to the airline, it can start operations with its first aircraft, a Boeing 737-800SF, after successfully obtaining the AOC and ASP.
"The Kuala Lumpur-based ACMI and charter airline will be offering both passenger and cargo operations in Malaysia and across the broader Southeast Asia region,” it said in a separate statement today.
The airline said that it will offer flexible ACMI solutions to support Malaysia’s aviation expansion, with the nation’s passenger traffic expected to grow between 8.4 per cent and 15.6 per cent year-on-year in 2025, reaching 105.8-112.9 million passengers.
Earlier in August, Germal expressed his confidence in the demand for ACMI in Malaysia and the broader ASEAN market, despite the concept being relatively new in the region compared to Europe, where it is widely adopted.
Avia Solutions Group has been offering the ACMI business model globally via 11 AOCs in Europe, Asia, and the Americas.
Avia Solutions Group already holds an AOC in Indonesia. It is seeking regulatory approval for additional AOCs in Thailand, the Philippines and Malaysia.
For Malaysia, operations will be based at KL International Airport Terminal 1, with an initial fleet expected to reach 20 aircraft by 2027, including contributions from its United Kingdom (UK) operation. - Bernama
