An AirAsia flight from Kuala Lumpur to Brunei made a precautionary diversion to Kota Kinabalu on Friday over a technical issue related to cabin pressurisation.
Flight AK278, which left Kuala Lumpur International Airport at 1.45pm and was scheduled to arrive in Brunei at 4.05pm, was diverted to Kota Kinabalu.
The incident caught public attention after a Facebook post showing the flight’s tracking data circulated online, claiming the aircraft had declared an emergency and was making a controlled descent over the South China Sea.
Cabin pressurisation alerts typically prompt precautionary descents to ensure passenger safety.
In a statement, AirAsia said AK278 landed safely at Kota Kinabalu International Airport, where all the passengers and crew disembarked without incident.
It said the pilots followed established operational procedures after the issue was detected during the flight.
The Airbus aircraft is currently undergoing technical checks and rectification.
AirAsia said the passengers were assisted by ground staff and continued their journey on another flight at 8.08pm that day.
AirAsia Malaysia CEO Fareh Mazputra said the flight and cabin crew acted swiftly and professionally in managing the situation.
“With year-end travel plans underway, our teams focused on minimising disruption. We are grateful to our guests for their patience and understanding as we worked to get them on their way safely,” he said.
