Malaysian startup MYAirline will launch its first commercial flights from Dec. 1 after clearing all regulatory hurdles.

The LCC’s inaugural routes will be domestic, linking Kuala Lumpur (KUL) with Kuching (KCH), Kota Kinabalu (BKI) and Langkawi (LGK) twice a day. Flight frequency to Kuching and Kota Kinabalu will increase to three-times daily from Dec. 23 onwards.

MYAirline also plans to serve Kota Bharu, Penang, Sibu, Tawau, Miri, Alor Setar and Terengganu once it has received approvals. All flights will be operated using Airbus A320-200 aircraft with 180 seats in a single class cabin.

Details of the carrier’s launch network came after the Malaysian Aviation Commission granted an air service licence on Nov. 15. This followed the airline receiving an air operator’s certificate from the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia in October.

“Travelers now have a viable option for air travel in Malaysia as our entry will stimulate more travel demand,” MYAirline CEO Rayner Teo said.

“We will be increasing our flight frequency as our domestic network expands and plan to start flying in the ASEAN region by Q2 2023. Providing this capacity for the community will attract more travellers and stimulate Malaysia’s tourism growth.”

MYAirline was incorporated in January 2021 and is majority owned by Zillion Wealth Bhd. The airline currently has more than 370 employees and hopes to reach 500 by the end of the year.

The carrier’s entry to the market comes as the aviation industry continues to recover from the effects of the pandemic. According to OAG data, the country’s domestic market is back to 67% of pre-COVID levels in November 2022, while international capacity stands at 56% of 2019 levels.