JAKARTA, 2 August 2018 - AirAsia is expanding its Asean footprint with four weekly flights from Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA2) to Silangit Airport in Tapanuli, North Sumatra, Indonesia, beginning 28 October 2018.

Silangit Airport is the main gateway to the magnificent Lake Toba, the largest volcanic lake in Asean and one of the most beautiful lakes in the world.

The new destination was announced at a press conference in Jakarta attended by esteemed guests, including Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs; Pramintohadi Sukarno, Acting Director General of Air Transportation; and also Judi Rifajantoro, Special Staff to Minister of Tourism for Tourism Infrastructure, together with Tan Sri Tony Fernandes, AirAsia Group CEO, Datuk Kamarudin Meranun, AirAsia Group Berhad Executive Chairman and AirAsia X Co-Group CEO and AirAsia Group CEO of Indonesia, Dendy Kurniawan.

Tan Sri Tony Fernandes, AirAsia Group CEO said: “As a truly Asean airline, we strive to connect more people and more places in this region we call home. I’ve always said Indonesia is much more than just Bali. Our new service from Kuala Lumpur to Silangit is part of our commitment to support the government of Indonesia in developing the 10 priority tourism destinations, including Lake Toba.

“Not only do we connect travellers to the hidden treasures of Indonesia, we also invest in sustainable tourism development. Our sustainability team will work closely with all stakeholders to preserve the natural beauty of Lake Toba through green initiatives. We will also embark on community-based programs to support local communities. It is our commitment to bring travelers closer to the best tourism spots in Indonesia while ensuring the sustainability of these destinations.”

He added: “We’ve always wanted to bring people from all over the world to Lake Toba through our hub in Kuala Lumpur, and we laud the Indonesian government for building the appropriate infrastructure to boost tourist arrivals. Prior to Silangit, travelers wishing to visit Lake Toba had to take a six-hour bus ride from Medan. Today, they can fly direct to Silangit and reach Lake Toba in just an hour. In addition to building new airports, Indonesia is also converting Terminal 2 at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport into a low-cost carrier terminal. We believe this is a step in the right direction and we will continue to fully support the Tourism Ministry to achieve 20 million tourist arrivals by 2019.”

Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs Luhut Pandjaitan welcomed the launch of the new route. He is confident the new services will boost tourist arrivals in Lake Toba, which has been identified as one of Indonesia’s 10 priority tourism destinations.

He said: “I would like to thank AirAsia for launching direct services between Kuala Lumpur and Silangit. We are currently upgrading the facilities at Silangit Airport and extending the runway length from 2,650 meters to 3,000 meters. We are also expanding the apron and terminal building to accommodate more aircraft and passengers. We hope this new route will benefit the local economy and community.”

AirAsia is offering special introductory all-in-fares from Kuala Lumpur to Silangit from RM39.10*. These fares are available for booking on airasia.com and AirAsia mobile app from 2 August to 12 August 2018 for the travel period from 28 October 2018 to 29 March 2019. BIG members will enjoy zero processing fees when making payment using BigPay card. BIG members can also redeem a one-way flight from Kuala Lumpur to Silangit with as little as 10 BIG points (base fare only).

Besides Silangit, AirAsia also flies to fifteen other destinations in Indonesia namely Jakarta, Lombok, Pekanbaru, Surabaya, Bali, Medan, Padang, Semarang, Banda Aceh, Pontianak, Yogyakarta, Palembang, Bandung, Makassar and Solo.

Surrounded by luscious greenery, Lake Toba is bound to delight nature lovers and adventure seekers. Start your day by enjoying the breathtaking sunrise view by the lake, then take a dip in the lake’s clear water or set on a kayak excursion. Photography enthusiast should not miss a trip to insta-worthy photo spots in Bukit Indah, Nantampukmas Sidiangkat or Sapo Juma Tongging.

For other leisure activities, visitors may visit the Batak village which is inhabited by the local ethnic group, enjoy the tallest waterfall in Indonesia Sipisopiso Waterfall, hike up Mount Berastagi or take a natural hot spring bath at Sipoholon Hot Spring. Beach lovers can head to beautiful beaches such as Sibolga, Pantai Bulbul, Free Beach Parapat, Pantai Silalahi and Pulau Samosir.

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*Promotional all-in-fares quoted are for one-way travel only inclusive of taxes and fees. Fare shown are for BIG members only.  Terms and conditions apply.

Flight Schedule for Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (KUL) – Silangit - Lake Toba, Indonesia (DTB):