Batik Air Malaysia and Institut Jantung Negara (IJN), with the support of Tourism Malaysia, have officially launched a strategic collaboration aimed at integrating air connectivity with world-class cardiac care. This partnership is designed to champion preventive heart health and bolster Malaysia’s position as a premier regional hub for medical tourism.

The initiative, which reflects a shared commitment to improving access to specialised cardiovascular services, leverages IJN’s clinical expertise and Batik Air’s regional connectivity to reach a wider community.

As part of the "Fly High with a Healthy Heart" campaign, IJN is offering exclusive health screening promotions for Batik Air international passengers. Upon presenting a valid boarding pass, passengers can receive a 15% discount on the Essential Health Screening package, bringing the price to RM765. This package is intended to encourage early detection and proactive heart health management.

To further celebrate the launch, the first 1,000 Batik Air international passengers can access a 20% discount on the Premier Heart Screening package. Priced at RM1,760 after the discount, this comprehensive assessment includes advanced cardiac and vascular evaluations, abdominal imaging, expanded laboratory tests, dietary counselling, and a consultation with a cardiology specialist.

For those travelling specifically for medical treatment, Batik Air is offering a 10% airfare discount for international patients heading to IJN, provided they present an official IJN appointment letter. This benefit also extends to accompanying family members to ease the logistics of seeking specialised care in Malaysia.

The collaboration extends to the employees of both organisations. IJN has joined the Batik Air Corporate Programme, which provides preferential travel benefits for official requirements and eligible employees’ personal travel. Conversely, Batik Air employees and their dependents are entitled to discounts of up to 20% on selected IJN Wellness Screening packages to encourage regular health monitoring.

Datuk Chandran Rama Muthy, Chief Executive Officer of Batik Air, emphasised the growing importance of air connectivity in healthcare. He stated:

"The collaboration reflects a shared commitment to improving access to preventive healthcare and strengthening awareness of early care. Malaysia continues to strengthen its position as one of the key healthcare travel destinations in the region, while within ASEAN, Thailand remains the regional leader, receiving over 3 million medical travellers annually. Malaysia recorded approximately 1.85 million healthcare travellers in 2025, generating about RM3.35 billion in revenue and surpassing its RM3 billion target. This reflects growing confidence in Malaysia’s healthcare ecosystem and its ability to support patients seeking care across borders. These developments reflect the growing link between healthcare and air connectivity, enabling patients to access treatment across borders more easily. At its core, this collaboration is about ensuring travel supports meaningful access to care when it is needed most."

Prof. Dato’ Sri Dr. Mohamed Ezani Md Taib, Group Chief Executive Officer of IJN, highlighted the institute's role in public health:

"The collaboration underscores IJN’s commitment to patient and community wellbeing through greater awareness of preventive heart health and improved access to care. At IJN, our responsibility goes beyond treating heart disease. As Malaysia’s national heart centre, we also play an important role in encouraging prevention, early detection and timely intervention. Through this collaboration with Batik Air, we hope to encourage more travellers and members of the public to take proactive steps in understanding their heart health. Heart health should not be overlooked, especially in today’s fast-paced lifestyle where many individuals may delay routine health checks. By making screening more accessible through this initiative, we hope to support early detection and empower more people to make informed decisions about their health. This collaboration also supports patients who travel to IJN for specialised cardiovascular and thoracic care. By working with Batik Air, we hope to provide added convenience for patients and their families, particularly those travelling from overseas to seek treatment at IJN."

Y.Brs. Tuan Mohd Amirul Rizal Abdul Rahim, Director General of Tourism Malaysia, remarked on Malaysia’s global standing:

"Malaysia's recognition among the world's top six medical tourism destinations for 2026 reflects the country's strong healthcare ecosystem and reinforces our position as a preferred healthcare travel destination. In conjunction with the Visit Malaysia 2026 (VM2026) and Malaysia Year of Medical Tourism 2026 (MYMT2026) campaigns, medical and wellness tourism remains one of Tourism Malaysia's key niche market segments, which we continue to promote aggressively together with the Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council (MHTC) and our healthcare partners through international sales missions and strategic marketing initiatives across key source markets. As Malaysia's premier cardiac institution, Institut Jantung Negara (IJN), with its world-class specialists and advanced medical technology, has become the preferred destination for cardiovascular treatment among patients from ASEAN, South Asia and beyond, further strengthening Malaysia's reputation as a leading medical tourism hub."

The strategic collaboration officially commenced on 1 May 2026 and is scheduled to remain in effect until 30 April 2027, with the possibility of renewal based on mutual agreement.