ROMPIN: After nine years, the first scheduled commercial flight to Pulau Tioman touched down safely today.
The 19-seater turboprop DHC-6-300 Twin Otter aircraft operated by new commercial carrier, SKS Airways from the Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport in Subang landed on the duty-free island at about 10.30am.
Since Berjaya Air ceased operations several years ago, only chartered 12-seater single-engine flights were available for holidaymakers to the island.
Tioman Development Authority (TDA) general manager Datuk Idros Yahya described the return of scheduled flight services as a boon to the tourism industry on the island.
"Now, visitors can either choose to travel by ferry from Rompin or take the direct flight to the island. It will certainly save travel time and attract more people to plan vacation trips to the island.
"The flight which departed Subang at 9am today landed at the airstrip at Tioman Airport, Kampung Tekek on the island at 10.30am. Four flights will be scheduled every week and it will be increased in stages," he said when contacted today.
Idros said the scheduled flight services to the island will allow visitors to plan their holidays in advance and make the necessary bookings.
SKS Airways, in a statement, said Pulau Tioman is the commercial airline's third island destination route after its Subang-Pulau Pangkor and Subang-Pulau Redang routes which were launched on Jan 26 and Jan 31 respectively.
SKS Airways director Datuk Rohman Ahmad was reported saying the flight to Pulau Tioman will provide easy access to island hopping for both domestic and international tourists.
"This would be perfect, in line with the current growing demand for domestic travel and reopening of borders as the country moves towards the Covid-19 endemic phase," he said.
SKS Airways will be operating the new Subang-Pulau Tioman route four times weekly and the flight frequency will be increased to two flights daily from July 1 and Oct 29.