Malaysia Airlines, Indonesia's PT Bank Central Asia Tbk (BCA) and Singapore-registered Novus Technologies Pte. Ltd. have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to explore connected travel, payments and loyalty services between Malaysia and Indonesia, a press release from Malaysia Aviation Group (MAG) said Monday.

The three companies said the agreement formalises a strategic partnership aimed at strengthening connectivity between the two countries and exploring opportunities across travel, commerce, financial services and digital innovation. Novus will act as the technology and ecosystem integration partner.

The MoU is built on five pillars: payments and financial services; foreign exchange and treasury solutions; data and artificial intelligence; marketing collaboration; and loyalty ecosystems. The framework covers cross-border payment experiences, foreign exchange and treasury capabilities, data-driven customer insights, joint marketing and closer integration of loyalty programmes.

Bryan Foong, chief executive officer of airline business at MAG, said Indonesia "remains one of our most important international markets". He said the partnership would bring aviation, banking and technology together to create a smoother and more rewarding experience for travellers and businesses, and to support growth along the Malaysia-Indonesia corridor.

Armand Hartono, deputy president director of BCA, said the bank serves tens of millions of customers who travel, shop and do business across the region. He said combining BCA's payment, settlement and digital capabilities with those of Malaysia Airlines and Novus would let the bank serve those customers beyond Indonesia's borders.

Ricardos Khoury, president and chief executive officer of Novus, said journeys between Indonesia and Malaysia still cross systems that were not designed to work with one another. He said Novus aims to act as the bridge between the two ecosystems, serving as the technology and integration partner through which the institutions and their affiliates connect.

The companies said consumers would benefit from a more seamless experience across travel, payments, financial services and loyalty programmes, while businesses would gain smoother transactions and stronger cross-border commercial links through integrated financial and digital solutions. The release did not give a timeline, financial terms or details of specific products or services.

The release noted that the partnership builds on Malaysia Airlines' presence in Indonesia. In September 2026, Indonesia's Directorate General of Civil Aviation named the airline the Most On-Time International Airline 2026. The airline said its Jakarta (CGK) to Kuala Lumpur (KUL) route recorded year-to-date on-time performance of 92.19 percent through August 2026.

Source: PR