07 Feb 2018 – 9:14
The Peninsula
DOHA: Qatar Airways’ first non-stop flight to Penang touched down yesterday at Penang International Airport, inaugurating the award-winning airline’s second destination in Malaysia, as it continues its robust expansion plans throughout South East Asia.
Qatar Airways flight QR850, operated by a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, departed Hamad International Airport on Tuesday at 02:30 and arrived at Penang International Airport at 14:30 on February 6, 2018.
The delegation was led by Qatar Airways Chief Commercial Officer, Ehab Amin, and was accompanied by Ahmad Fadil Shamsuddin, the Malaysian Ambassador to Qatar.
The VIP delegation was greeted in Penang by Essa bin Mohamed Al Mannai, Qatari Ambassador to Malaysia; Lim Guan Eng, Chief Minister of Penang; Datuk Badlisham Bin Ghazali, Managing Director, Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad and Ooi Chok Yan, Chief Executive Officer of Penang Global Tourism.
Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, Akbar Al Baker, said: “We are delighted to launch direct flights to Penang, a long-anticipated addition to our global route network. Our Kuala Lumpur service started in 2001, and it has since grown to a triple-daily direct non-stop service to and from Doha. We are tremendously pleased to now be able to offer our passengers another exciting destination to experience in this beautiful country”.
“The addition of Penang to our global network comes as part of our continued expansion plans throughout Eastern Asia, as we have recently launched direct services to Thailand’s Chiang Mai and Pattaya, as well as adding additional services to Krabi, Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi,” he added.
Lim Guan Eng, Chief Minister of Penang, said: “We offer a Unesco World Heritage city that is captivating in not only our cultural diversity and religious harmony but also in offering our natural beauty and world class tourism products. Let your senses be invaded by sights, sounds and smells that will entice you to come back for more.”
Managing Director of Malaysia Airports, Datuk Badlisham Ghazali, said: “Having worked together for the past 17 years, we take pleasure in welcoming Qatar Airways, which will be another great addition to the existing international airlines at Penang International Airport. With this new route, Qatar Airways will be the first Middle Eastern carrier to offer non-stop flight service from Doha to Penang, a city well known for being a Unesco World Heritage City. The long haul flight to Penang will also bring a great expansion in tourism opportunities in Malaysia”.
At a press conference held at the Shangri-La Rasa Sayang shortly after the inaugural flight arrival Ehab Amin, announced the Penang route will be boosted to a four-times-weekly frequency effective July 1, 2018. Until then, Qatar Airways will fly three times a week to Penang with its state-of-the-art Boeing 787 Dreamliner, which features 22 seats in Business Class and 232 seats in Economy Class, with spacious cabins and specially-designed interiors.
