AirAsia expands Europe network with Turkiye’s Pegasus Airlines codeshare via Istanbul

AirAsia Group Bhd chief commercial officer Amanda Woo said the partnership will kick off with five European destinations, namely Stansted (London), Vnukovo (Moscow), Esenboga (Ankara), Zurich (Switzerland) and Athens (Greece). — AFP pic

First Published: Wednesday, 02 Sep 2026 5:22 PM MYT

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 2 — AirAsia has launched its first codeshare partnership with Turkiye’s low-cost carrier (LCC), Pegasus Airlines, connecting Southeast Asia and Europe via Istanbul.

The partnership will progressively open access to160 destinations across 56 countries via AirAsia and Pegasus’ combined network.

AirAsia Group Bhd chief commercial officer Amanda Woo said the partnership will kick off with five European destinations, namely Stansted (London), Vnukovo (Moscow), Esenboga (Ankara), Zurich (Switzerland) and Athens (Greece).

She further said that the codeshare will also see connecting flights from Kuala Lumpur through Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen to Munich, Prague, Madrid, Vienna, Barcelona, Manchester and Edinburgh likely next year.

“The partnership brings together two LCC powerhouses from Asean and Europe, connecting AirAsia’s extensive network across Asean and Asia with Pegasus’ broad European network through its Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen hub,” she said.

Sabiha Gökçen is owned and operated by Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB), which connects over 117 international and 40 domestic destinations. 

Woo said this marks another milestone in AirAsia’s mission to become the world’s first low-cost network carrier, as the airline makes international travel more accessible and affordable, while strengthening Kuala Lumpur’s position as a key gateway between Asia and the world. 

To further strengthen the Asia-Europe connection, she also said that AirAsia will increase its Kuala Lumpur-Istanbul frequency from four times to seven times weekly by February 2027, providing travellers with greater flexibility and more convenient connectivity between the two regions. 

Woo said the airline would be using A330 aircraft for this partnership. — Bernama