Batik Air is set to begin flying from KUL to AKL via PER

Could you imagine spending up to seven and a half hours on a 737? Now, with Batik Air Malaysia, you can.

Image: Ryder Magsalin

Batik Air Malaysia has planned to begin a new route spanning almost 9500 kilometres between KUL-PER-AKL on a fifth freedom flight, starting on the 24th of August 2023.

The flight consists of a 2-leg journey beginning in KUL under flight number OD195 at 09:55, landing in PER at 15:30. Passengers then reboard the aircraft 2 hours and 35 minutes later for a 6-hour and 40-minute flight, departing PER at 18:05 and landing in AKL at 04:45 in the morning.

The return leg is slightly longer as OD196 departs AKL at 07:50 (every 2 days) / 07:00 (every 4 days) for a 7-hour and 40-minute flight back to PER. It then prepares for the return leg to KUL in a speedy time of 10 minutes, departing PER-KUL at 12:30 (every 2 days) / 11:40 (every 4 days) for a 5-hour and 20-minute flight.

Image: Ryder Magsalin

Batik Air Malaysia will be the 2nd 737 MAX 8 operator in Auckland after Fiji Airways. Batik’s aircraft is fitted with 162 seats, featuring 12 business-class and 150 economy-class seats.

The new route competes with Air New Zealand’s AKL-PER route, AirAsia X’s KUL-SYD-AKL, and Malaysia Airlines’s direct KUL-AKL route, giving travellers even more choices for travel between Malaysia, Australia, and New Zealand.

Image: Batik Air

According to Batik Air Group's Strategy Director, Datuk Chandran Rama Muthy, Batik Air Malaysia is “Delighted to finally expand our footprint to Auckland as part of our network growth aspiration as well as committing to our promise to establish Perth as our next hub outside Kuala Lumpur.”

He also stated that “With the rapid hike in global travel demand, we can assure competitive fares and convenient access across four nations. I trust this would not only benefit leisure travellers but also business travelers alike with affordable fares for exceptional services.”