KOTA KINABALU: Sabah welcomed its first direct flight from Chongqing on Thursday (March 19), with the arrival of Chongqing Airlines’ inaugural service from the city in south-western China.
Flight OQ2193 landed at Kota Kinabalu International Airport (KKIA) at 11.15pm, marking the start of a thrice-weekly service operating every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, and opening a new gateway for travellers during Visit Malaysia 2026.
Chongqing Airlines is a subsidiary of China Southern Airlines. The inaugural flight carried 154 passengers.
The aircraft was accorded a water cannon salute upon arrival at the airport, coordinated by Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad (MAHB), while Sabah Tourism Board (STB) hosted a cultural welcome, with greeters in traditional attire presenting souvenirs to passengers.
Present to welcome the flight were STB chief executive officer Julinus Jeffery Jimit, Tourism Malaysia Sabah director Haryanty Abu Bakar, and China Southern Airlines Kuala Lumpur Office general manager Guo Hao.
"The opening of the route... provides a new channel for Chongqing residents to travel to South-East Asia for tourism, business and cultural exchanges," Guo Hao said.
"Kota Kinabalu is renowned for its rich island tourism resources and unique tropical scenery, making it a favourite destination among Chinese tourists."
With the Chongqing route, Sabah is now connected to eight key cities in China, the others being Hong Kong, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Shanghai, Beijing, Hangzhou and Fuzhou.
STB said the route signals Sabah’s rising profile as a travel destination and reflects the state’s commitment to enhancing air connectivity in support of Malaysia’s broader tourism goals for this year.
It added that it would continue collaborating with airline partners and industry stakeholders to develop more routes, improving international access into the state while ensuring a seamless arrival experience for visitors.
