SEPANG: China-based carrier Xiamen Airlines has officially commenced its direct international flight from Chongqing to Kuala Lumpur to boost travel between China and Malaysia and increase tourist traffic between both countries.
Xiamen Airlines general manager in Malaysia, Gao Ya Shuang said currently the airline flies from three cities in China – Xiamen, Fuzhou and Chongqing to Kuala Lumpur.
"Together with the Chongqing flight, we have 25 flights per week from Kuala Lumpur to China," she said after the arrival of the inaugural Xiamen Airlines flight MF8687 from Chongqing to Kuala Lumpur today.
The narrow-body B737-8 aircraft touched down at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) Terminal 1 at 1.30pm.
All 165 passengers and nine crews were welcomed by Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing as well as Gao and Tourism Malaysia director general Datuk Dr. Ammar Abd Ghapar.
The new direct flight will fly four times weekly on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.
Meanwhile, Ammar said Xiamen Airlines' new flight is a timely event to welcome more arrivals from China.
"We had a fruitful discussion with the Civil Aviation Administration of China and various airlines to have more flights to come to Malaysia," he said, adding that Malaysia welcomes more direct flights from China to the country.
Currently, Malaysia has a capacity of 175 weekly flights from China to Malaysia.
Ammar said that there would be more direct and charter flights from China to Malaysia through strategic collaborations between various airlines as Malaysia targets five million arrivals from China in 2023.