Indonesia AirAsia (QZ, Jakarta Soekarno-Hatta) has announced in a press release that it will launch a new service from Tanjung Pandan to Kuala Lumpur International, the first international route for the former airport.

Flights from the airport on Belitung island, located between Sumatra and Borneo, will launch on October 27, 2019, and will operate 4x weekly using A320-200 equipment. The LCC will simultaneously launch daily services from Tanjung Pandan to Jakarta Soekarno-Hatta.

Currently, Tanjung Pandan sees only domestic services to Jakarta, Palembang, Pangkalpinang, and Yogyakarta Adisutjipto operated by Garuda Indonesia, NAM Air, Wings Air (Indonesia), Citilink, Sriwijaya Air, and Lion Air. Indonesia AirAsia does not presently serve the airport, the ch-aviation capacities module shows.

Meanwhile, the Filipino sister carrier Philippines AirAsia (Z2, Manila Ninoy Aquino International) has petitioned the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) for designation and allocation of entitlements to serve the United States. The LCC would not disclose more details regarding its plans for American operations. The CAB hearing has been scheduled for September 10, 2019.

Currently, Philippine Airlines (PR, Manila Ninoy Aquino International) operates from Manila Ninoy Aquino International to Honolulu, Los Angeles International, New York JFK, and San Francisco. Delta Air Lines operates daily from Honolulu via Tokyo Narita, although the service is due to relocate to Seoul Incheon as Delta progresses to close its Narita hub.

The designation would also cover potential services to US territories in the Pacific, such as Guam International (currently served from Manila by Cebu Pacific Air, Philippine Airlines, and United Airlines) and the Northern Mariana Islands (currently with no direct scheduled links to the Philippines).

Philippine AirAsia has simultaneously asked the CAB to revoke the designation of PAL Express (2P, Manila Ninoy Aquino International) d/b/a PAL Express for the US routes. The carrier does not operate any widebody aircraft and is not able to serve Hawaii or the US mainland at this time. It used to, however, serve Guam prior to transferring the route to Philippine Airlines mainline.