Overview
- AirAsia launched the codeshare with Turkey’s Pegasus Airlines in a deal announced on Wednesday, Sept. 2, that uses Pegasus’ Istanbul hub to create a direct transfer corridor between the two carriers’ networks.
- The partnership initially opens five European destinations — London, Moscow, Athens, Ankara and Zurich — with tickets sold on a single itinerary that allows checked bags to be transferred through Istanbul.
- To support the new connections, AirAsia will boost its Kuala Lumpur–Istanbul service from four weekly flights to a daily frequency by February 2027.
- AirAsia introduced limited launch fares and a booking window through its AirAsia MOVE platform with promotional one-way prices from Kuala Lumpur starting at MYR 799 and Europe-to-KL fares from about US$199 for travel into March 2027.
- The codeshare is positioned as a faster route to European growth while AirAsia’s planned Bahrain hub remains targeted for March 2027 and contingent on the evolving geopolitical situation in the Middle East, which could delay that standalone hub strategy.