New flight: Penang will become Emirates’ second destination in Malaysia
Travellers to have direct access to Emirates’ global network via Dubai
Dubai: Emirates will start flying to Penang, which will be the airline’s second destination in Malaysia.
The Dubai-based international award-winning airline announced on Monday its plan to launch a new daily service from Dubai (DXB) to Penang International Airport via Singapore from April 9, 2020.
Emirates’ flight to Penang will be a linked service with Singapore, allowing passengers to travel easily between the two cities while enjoying the airline’s award-winning service.
Penang will become Emirates’ second destination in Malaysia after its capital, Kuala Lumpur, which the airline currently serves with three flights a day and is a route that has been operating since 1996. The flight will be operated by an Emirates Boeing 777-300ER aircraft in a three-class configuration, offering eight private suites in First Class, 42 lie flat seats in Business Class and 304 spacious seats in Economy Class.
The new route enables travellers from the Northern cities of Malaysia to enjoy convenient onward connections from Dubai to destinations in Europe, North America and the Middle East.
Malaysia's second largest city - Penang
Located on the North-western coast of Malaysia, the state comprises a mainland portion as well as an island, connected by Malaysia’s two longest road bridges. Penang is the country’s second largest populated city and is known for its rich heritage and architecture, vibrant multicultural society, modern entertainment and retail options, cuisine as well as the natural beauty of its beaches and hills. The city is home to a Unesco World Heritage Site and a variety of tourist attractions. Besides its appeal to tourists, Penang is also considered to be an economic powerhouse in Malaysia, being an important trade and industrial city and attracting business travellers from around the globe.
“Penang is a major centre for tourism, business travel, as well as medical tourism and the increased levels of inbound travel is consistent with the growth in numbers of visitors to the country,” said Adnan Kazim, Chief Commercial Officer at Emirates.
He noted that the introduction of flights to Penang would help the airline meet growing demand from leisure and business travellers, both to and from Malaysia. “We are also pleased that the fifth freedom flights between Penang and Singapore will connect two sister cities and increase connectivity for passengers in South East Asia,” he added.
Cargo service
The new service will also enable Emirates SkyCargo, the cargo division of Emirates, to offer up to 15 tonnes of cargo capacity on the flight, giving Malaysian businesses the opportunity to increase their exports such as electronic products and components including semiconductors, laptops, other consumer products; spare parts for other industries including aviation, oil and gas as well as renewable energy. Frequently imported commodities to Malaysia include pharmaceuticals, fashion goods, perishable goods including food items and fresh flowers. The route will also support import and export opportunities for Singapore, connecting the world through Dubai and between Singapore and Penang.
Emirates SkyCargo has been facilitating trade between Malaysia and the rest of the world since 1996. During the last financial year the carrier transported close to 23,000 tons of cargo on the route to and from Kuala Lumpur, 17% up from the previous year.