By V. Sivaji

The Penang International Airport (PIA) received yet another direct flight from China recently (September 24).

This time around it was from the Southwestern city of Kunming, the flight landed at PIA at around 6.30am.

Kunming is the capital and the largest city of the province of Yunnan in China.

Present to welcome passengers was Tourism Malaysia Deputy chairman, Dato Yeoh Soon Hin and his team.

The incoming passengers were received with a kompang troupe and also presented with goody bags.

The chartered flight is operated by Batik Air and brought another 177 passengers to Penang.

This will surely add to the burgeoning number of tourists from China.

“Direct flights will increase the growth of the tourism sector and business trade. The flight schedule operates once a week. Batik Air is using its Aircraft Boeing 737 Max 8 for this route”, said Yeoh.

As of now, Penang has established direct flight connections to seven cities in China, including Xiamen (Xiamen Airlines), Guangzhou (China Southern Airlines), Shenzhen (Shenzhen Airlines and upcoming AirAsia in October), Hong Kong (Cathay Pacific, AirAsia, and upcoming HK Express Airways in November), Shanghai (Juneyao Airlines and Shanghai Airlines), Haikou (Batik Air charters) and Chongqing (Firefly Airlines charters).

Ends