AirAsia’s Singapore-Miri direct flight is back

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MIRI: The Singapore-Miri route by AirAsia has been reinstated with the first batch of visitors brought in from Singapore yesterday.

After many months of hard work and persistence by Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Dr George Chan Hong Nam, AirAsia finally relented.

“With the reinstatement of the AirAsia Singapore-Miri route, it’s time to actively promote what Miri has to offer to keep Singaporean visitors coming,” Dr Chan said after welcoming passengers who disembarked from AirAsia’s AK6067 at Miri Airport.

Mirians finally have something to cheer about after false starts that lead to suspension of Miri-Singapore flights that barely lasted half a year from early March last year; and a reinstatement that did not turn out as anticipated late March last year.

“Singaporeans can now fly direct to Miri in about an hour, and do not have to transit at Kuching or Kuala Lumpur,” said Dr Chan who is also Tourism and Heritage Minister.

The direct flight is expected to save visitors several hours in transit time and much hassle, which will boost inbound tourism for Miri and Sarawak.

In conjunction with the reinstatement, AirAsia is also offering promotional fares of RM33 and S$33 from May to June this year.

Present to welcome visitors at the airport were Miri mayor Lawrence Lai, Sarawak Tourism Board chief executive officer Datuk Rashid Khan, and Kuala Lumpur-based AirAsia marketing manager Victor Leow Khian Ngean.