Malaysian carrier Batik Air will introduce year-round flights between Melbourne and Kuala Lumpur, adding extra capacity to one of Asia’s largest cities and increasing options for travellers heading to Southeast Asia and India.
The service will operate four times a week using a 377 seat Airbus A330-300, featuring 12 seats in Business Class and 365 in Economy.
Batik Air is part of the Lion Air Group and the extra Kuala Lumpur services will supplement the carrier’s daily flights between Melbourne Airport and Bali.
As well as being a popular destination in its own right, Kuala Lumpur is an important transit hub for passengers heading to India or other destinations in Southeast Asia.
With international capacity at record highs, Melbourne Airport continues to focus on delivering new terminal, airfield and road infrastructure to cater for current demand and future growth.
In February Melbourne Airport welcomed a total of 2,729,545 people through the terminals, including 930,356 international travellers.
With no Taylor Swift or leap year this year, domestic passenger numbers were down on February 2024.
Melbourne Airport Chief Executive Officer Lorie Argus said Batik Air’s year-round service would provide more choice for Victorians heading abroad, as well as international students and visitors looking to visit Melbourne.
“Having three airline groups offering year-round service between Melbourne and Kuala Lumpur makes this route more competitive than most Australian domestic routes,” she said.
“Batik Air prides itself on being a premium carrier and serves more than 70 destinations across India and Southeast Asia, and we are confident both inbound and outbound travellers will welcome the extra choice.
“To keep pace with demand, we’re working with our airlines to deliver an expansion of the international terminal, and a third runway to ensure our airfield has the capacity to serve Victoria’s growing population.”
Passenger figures for February 2025:
| Passengers | February 2025 | February 2024 | Growth (%)* |
| International | 930,356 | 915,456 | +2% |
| Domestic | 1,799,189 | 1,944,486 | -7% |
| Total (excl. transits) | 2,729,545 | 2,859,942 | -5% |
*Monthly percentage growth compared to February 2024
Passenger figures for Financial Year to February
| Passengers | Financial Year 2024/25 | Financial Year 2023/24 | Growth (%)* |
| International | 8,150,302 | 7,476,673 | +9% |
| Domestic | 16,311,184 | 16,236,567 | +0.5% |
| Total (excl. transits) | 24,461,485 | 23,713,240 | +3% |
*Percentage growth compared to FY 2023/24