GEORGE TOWN: Flight cancellations caused by recent volcanic activity in Indonesia have not resulted in a large-scale stranding of passengers at the Penang International Airport (PIA), says state tourism committee chairman Wong Hon Wai.
Speaking after a meeting on Tuesday (Sept 8) with newly appointed PIA senior airport manager Ahmad Fikri Samsudin, Wong said affected carriers: including AirAsia, TransNusa, and Batik Air, promptly notified passengers of cancellations via email, SMS, and other channels.
“As a result, there has been no large-scale stranding of Indonesian passengers at Penang International Airport,” he said.
The disruptions followed volcanic ash plumes that affected operations at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Jakarta, leading to the cancellation of several Penang-Jakarta flights. Wong added that recent haze affecting parts of Malaysia has not impacted arrivals or departures, with overall airport operations continuing as normal.
The high-level meeting focused on aligning state tourism strategies with airport infrastructure developments, particularly regarding capacity expansion, international route growth, and passenger management.
Preparations are also underway for two new international direct routes launching in the fourth quarter. Hainan Airlines will commence a Haikou-Penang route on Oct 11, followed by Batik Air’s Batam-Penang service on Oct 18.
Wong noted that ongoing efforts to boost air connectivity are delivering strong results. PIA recorded 2,646,500 international passenger movements between January and July this year, an 11.13% increase from the 2,381,520 movements recorded during the same period last year.
The state government, along with airport management and airlines, will continue monitoring aviation developments closely to minimize disruption to visitors and the local tourism sector.
“Overall airport operations are continuing as normal,” he said.
Also present at the meeting were state assembly members Heng Lee Lee (Berapit), Chee Yeeh Keen (Bagan Jermal), and Wong Yuee Harng (Pengkalan Kota); Penang Deputy State Secretary (Development) Datuk Mohamed Abdul Rahman; Penang Global Tourism chief executive officer Ooi Chok Yan; AirAsia Northern Region Affairs director Kenneth Tan; and Malaysian Association of Hotels (Penang Chapter) chairman Datuk Tony Goh.
PIA leadership in attendance included Head of Operations Mohd Ridzuan Ahmad Walid, Head of Airport and Fire Rescue Services Noor Azirul Hafiz Maamor, and Head of Aviation Security Muhammad Iqbal Ab Razak.
