Malaysia Airlines, PT Bank Central Asia Tbk (BCA) and Novus Technologies have formalized a strategic partnership by signing a Memorandum of Understanding in Kuala Lumpur. The three companies will explore connected solutions across payments, financial services, data, loyalty and digital experiences, with the aim of strengthening links between Malaysia and Indonesia.
Each partner brings a different piece. Malaysia Airlines is Malaysia’s national carrier, with a network that connects Asia, Australia, Europe and beyond. BCA is one of Indonesia’s largest banks, and Novus will act as the technology and ecosystem integration partner.
The partnership rests on five pillars, which are payments and financial services, foreign exchange and treasury solutions, data and artificial intelligence, marketing collaboration, and loyalty ecosystems. Together they set a framework for smoother cross-border payments, stronger FX and treasury capabilities, data-driven customer insights, joint marketing and closer integration of loyalty programs.
Bryan Foong, Chief Executive Officer of Airline Business at Malaysia Aviation Group, said Indonesia is one of the airline’s most important international markets and described the deal as a way to bring aviation, banking and technology together.
“Indonesia remains one of our most important international markets, underpinned by strong travel demand, vibrant business links and deep people-to-people connections between our two nations. Through this partnership with BCA and Novus, we are bringing together aviation, banking and technology to create a more seamless and rewarding ecosystem for travellers and businesses. By integrating travel, payments, loyalty and digital capabilities, we aim to unlock new opportunities, strengthen connectivity and support the continued growth of the Malaysia-Indonesia corridor,” Foong said.
Armand Hartono, Deputy President Director of BCA, pointed to the bank’s customer base and its wish to serve customers beyond Indonesia’s borders. “BCA serves tens of millions of customers who travel, shop and do business across the region. Bringing our payment, settlement and digital capabilities together with Malaysia Airlines and Novus lets us serve them beyond Indonesia’s borders, in the moments that matter most on a journey,” Hartono said.
Ricardos Khoury, President and Chief Executive Officer of Novus Technologies, described the problem the partnership is meant to address, which is that the systems on either side of the border were built separately. “A journey between Indonesia and Malaysia still crosses systems that were never designed to speak to each other,” Khoury said. He added that Novus sees itself as the bridge between the two ecosystems and the technology and integration partner through which both institutions and their affiliates connect.
The partnership builds on Malaysia Airlines’ growing presence in Indonesia. In September 2026, the airline was named Most On-Time International Airline 2026 by Indonesia’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation. Its Jakarta to Kuala Lumpur route recorded year-to-date on-time performance of 92.19% through August 2026.
For travelers, the stated aim is a smoother experience across travel, payments, financial services and loyalty programs, while businesses are promised easier transactions and stronger cross-border commercial links. At this stage it remains an agreement to explore, with no products, pricing or launch dates attached, so nothing changes for customers yet. It does show how airlines, banks and technology firms are starting to treat travel and payments as one connected journey.
Herald View
An airline, a bank and an integration specialist agreeing to work on five pillars at once is a broad menu for an MoU. The pillars most likely to turn into something customers can touch are payments and loyalty, because points, cards and cross-border transfers already sit close together in how people travel. The rest, such as data and treasury, are harder to judge from the outside. The real test is which of the five produces a product first, and whether it arrives soon enough to make the corridor feel more connected.
