Lee (centre) and other guests give their thumbs-up to the international flight from Bintulu to Singapore.
BINTULU: AirAsia is praised for introducing two new international flights – from Singapore to Bintulu and from Shenzen to Kuching – after the issue was debated in Parliament.
“AirAsia understands the need to open these international routes and hopefully more such routes would be opened in the future,” Bintulu MP Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing said during a joint press conference with Assistant Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Datuk Lee Kim Shin at Bintulu Airport yesterday.
He said it’s important to have more international flights to Bintulu to boost investment and other business activities in this fast-growing town.
Tiong said these direct international flights would give convenience to the businessmen as they previously had to transit through Kuching or Kuala Lumpur before arriving in Bintulu.
Meanwhile, AirAsia’s head of commercial Spencer Lee, said they were honoured to welcome two new international flights to Sarawak.
“AirAsia has always been committed to expanding the market in Sarawak and these direct flights reiterate our commitment to grow the connectivity to the state.
“To-date, we have flown about 4.8 million guests in and out of Sarawak which is 12.1 per cent more than last year, with China and Singapore nationals topping the list.
“We are also proud to be recognised as the leading airline operator by the state government at the Sarawak Hornbill Tourism Award 2015/2016 this year.”
Chairman of Sarawak Tourism Boar, Datuk Abdul Wahab Aziz also expressed his gratitude to AirAsia for the air connectivity.
“It augurs well for the development of the state’s tourism industry,” he said.