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), marking a crucial step forward to commencing commercial operations in Malaysia. Ascend Airways Malaysia chief executive officer Germal Singh Khera confirmed this to Bernama.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, the airline plans to commence operations effective mid-November, with flights scheduled to start in the first quarter of 2026. “However, it is subject to all regulatory clearances,” Khera stated. The airline was initially 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. The airline announced that it can begin 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,” the airline said in a separate statement. It also highlighted 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 percent and 15.6 percent year-on-year in 2025, reaching 105.8-112.9 million passengers.
Earlier in August, Germal Singh Khera 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 and 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 operation.