AirAsia is strengthening its expansion further by introducing direct daily international flights to Medan and Jakarta from the city dubbed as ‘Pearl of the Orient’. The new service which is set to commence on 30th March 2008 to Medan and Jakarta will be AirAsia’s second and third international route from Penang after Bangkok.
Currently there are a total of 71 flights a week flying from Penang, among which the destinations are to Kuala Lumpur, Kuching, Kota Kinabalu, Johor Bahru and Bangkok. Thus, this new service from Penang will stimulate another demand segment consisting of the local and international passengers be it for the purpose of vacation, business trip or for health tourism. Thus AirAsia’s new service from Penang is certainly timely and will be well received by many as it has a great advantage by the virtue of its extensive route network and low fares to the public without compromising on safety and quality.
Tony Fernandes, Group Chief Executive Officer of AirAsia, said “Penang has been on the tourist route-map for decades, and is now fast-growing as an industrial centre. With the combined attractions of tourism and business, Penang air connectivity has to be expanded to cater to the ever increasing traffic demands from the inbound and outbound travelers. Also hailed as Silicon Valley of the East, the city is multifaceted, diverse, vibrant, thriving and growing due to the excellent infrastructure and transportation facilities,”
“It is also geographically strategic with an excellent port for ships, access to the North-South highway and the railroad and now, has additional international air connectivity. We are also proud with the fact that Penang was announced to be the next Cyber City in the national roll-out of the Northern Corridor Economic Region (NCER) by the Prime Minister last year. This will definitely boost Penang into a city of vibrance and innovation besides manufacturing and tourism as a mainstay of the economy. Thus we are very pleased with this development as our low fares have also played a vital role in increasing the air traffic, promote tourism, boost trade and stimulate the growth of the traveling market. And to celebrate this joyous occasion, we are giving away 15,000 free seats to Medan and another 15,000 to Jakarta from Penang.” concluded Mr.Fernandes
YB Mr. Teng Chang Yeow, Penang State Executive Councilor, Tourism, Development and Environment commented “We are very proud of AirAsia’s move in opening up Penang’s market and positioning the city as an affordable travel option. Malaysia remains one of the top 10 destinations for Indonesian travelers. Penang has endless attractions, unique heritage and currently one of the preferred locations for medical tourism for the people in Medan and Jakarta by virtue of our highly efficient medical staff and modern healthcare facilities. The removal of fiscal charges in Medan has also made it possible for more locals there to have the opportunity to visit our beautiful island.”
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