Malaysia aims to add US flights after safety rating boost
The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration has upgraded Malaysia’s air safety rating, allowing the country’s carriers to expand flights to the United States after a three-year hiatus
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration has upgraded Malaysia's air safety rating to Category 1, allowing the country's carriers to expand flights to the United States after a three-year hiatus, Transport Minister Wee Ka Siong said Saturday.
Wee said the move will bolster tourism and economic growth in Malaysia, which opened up from pandemic shutdowns in April.
“With the return to Category 1, our airlines can now mount new flights to the U.S. and have code sharing with American carriers. There is no more barrier now,” said Wee, who was in Montreal for an ICAO assembly. “This is good news after the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Riad Asmat, CEO of low-cost carrier AirAsia Malaysia, said it was a “very good start.” He said AirAsia, currently the only Malaysian carrier that flies to the United States — from Kuala Lumpur to Honolulu — will seek opportunities to expand in the U.S.
