KUALA LUMPUR: Skyports Infrastructure, the world's leading advanced air mobility (AAM) infrastructure developer, and AirAsia's Advanced Air Mobility, a unit of AirAsia Aviation Group Ltd, are exploring the development of air taxi infrastructure in Malaysia.

The companies had signed a Letter of Intent (LoI) on the prospect, AirAsia said in a statement today.

The partnership was an important next step in establishing a fully operational vertiport network in the country, it added.

"As the industry matures, partnerships between traditional aviation players and AAM specialists are essential in developing a practical, well-studied, and well-integrated network of vertiports.  

"Already a global leading brand in the commercial airline industry, AirAsia is also actively involved in the operationalisation of AAM in Malaysia," the carrier added.

AirAsia said in the past year alone, it had announced future plans to lease 100 Vertical Aerospace VX4 eVTOL aircraft from Avolon, launched its drone training programme, and most recently, extended drone-related training to the high-technology related sectors.

"Leveraging the strengths of both parties, the partnership will draw on AirAsia's aviation expertise and experience, as well as its on-ground market knowledge and networks. Complementing this, Skyports Infrastructure brings to the table its global portfolio of designing and building take-off and landing infrastructure for eVTOL passenger aircraft."

Skyports' work was also instrumental in advancing regulatory development across markets, through close collaboration with local regulatory bodies and standards setting organisations, it added.

The airline said initial assessments would prioritise Kuala Lumpur.

The one-year partnership will focus on joint feasibility studies for the integration of air taxi vertiport infrastructure, identification of potential vertiport sites, and development of operational requirements and frameworks to ultimately implement a vertiport network in Malaysia. 

AirAsia Aviation chief safety officer and head of AAM Captain Ling Liong Tien said following the announcement of its venture into the urban air taxi service earlier this year, it had been to explore its feasibility in Malaysia. 

"This partnership with Skyports will accelerate the review of the infrastructure including vertical take-off and landing platforms in the country as well as strengthen our potential as a zero-emissions ultra-short-haul air travel provider in Southeast Asia."

Yun-Yuan Tay, Skyports head of Asia Pacific, said the partnership highlighted the steady progress of AAM development and interest in Malaysia and the wider Asia Pacific region. 

"With innovative and forward-looking partners like AirAsia, we will be able to take concrete steps towards the realisation of a safe, efficient and fully-integrated air taxi network which brings real benefits to the people and communities it serves."

Skyports has a diverse portfolio of projects across major cities including Paris, London and Los Angeles. 

Within Asia Pacific, the company has made steady progress with ongoing partnerships to assess and develop AAM infrastructure in Singapore and Japan.