KK-KT direct flights to boost Sabah, Terengganu tourism

KUALA NERUS: Terengganu and Sabah’s tourism industries are expected to become more vibrant with the introduction of direct flights from Kuala Terengganu to Kota Kinabalu, through the state government’s collaboration with low-cost airline AirAsia.

Terengganu Tourism, Culture and Digital Technology Committee chairman, Ariffin Deraman said the new flight route would help the state achieve the target of three million tourist arrivals this year.

He said for a start, the flight between Kuala Terengganu and Kota Kinabalu route was scheduled once a week, that is every Sunday.

"The state government has also made an application and held discussions with Capital A chief executive officer, Tan Sri Tony Fernandes, for AirAsia to add new routes, namely from Kuala Terengganu to Kuching, Sarawak and Penang, and to reinstate flights from Senai in Johor," he said.

He said this to reporters after welcoming the inaugural AK 5310 flight, carrying 59 passengers, here on Sunday (Jan 30).

The plane took off from Kota Kinabalu at 3.15 pm and arrived in Kuala Terengganu at 5.20pm.

Meanwhile, AirAsia Head of Commercial, Nur Liyana Mahizzan, said AirAsia chose Terengganu because of the high demand all this while, and would consider the state government's application to add routes to other destinations.

"Currently, AirAsia is offering one-way promotional fares for bookings from as low as RM128 from now until Feb 14, for the travel period from Feb 13 to Sept 30 this year.

"Apart from the Kota Kinabalu-Kuala Terengganu route, AirAsia has also launched new Kuching-Langkawi, Johor Bahru-Bintulu and Penang-Sibu routes earlier this month to drive domestic tourism," Nur Liyana said.