Qatar Airways’ first non-stop flight to Penang touched down today at Penang International Airport yesterday, inaugurating the airline’s second destination in Malaysia, as it continues its robust expansion plans throughout Southeast Asia.

Qatar Airways flight QR 850, operated by a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, departed Hamad International Airport on Tuesday at 02:30 am and arrived at Penang International Airport at 14:30 on Feb 6.

The delegation was led by Qatar Airways Chief Commercial Officer Ehab Amin, and was accompanied by Ahmad Fadil Shamsuddin, the Malaysian Ambassador to the State of Qatar.

The VIP delegation was greeted in Penang by Essa Bin Mohamed Al-Mannai, Qatari Ambassador to Malaysia; Lim Guan Eng, Chief Minister of Penang; Datuk Badlisham Bin Ghazali, Managing Director, Malaysia Airports Holdings Behd and Ooi Chok Yan, CEO of Penang Global Tourism.

Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive Akbar Al Baker, said: “We are delighted to launch direct flights to Penang, a long-anticipated addition to our global route network. Our Kuala Lumpur service started in 2001, and it has since grown to a triple-daily direct non-stop service to and from Doha. We are tremendously pleased to now be able to offer our passengers another exciting destination to experience in this beautiful country.

Lim said: “We offer a UNESCO World Heritage city that is captivating in not only our cultural diversity and religious harmony but also in offering our natural beauty and world class tourism products. Let your senses be invaded by sights, sounds and smells that will entice you to come back for more.”

Badlisham said: “With the current triple-daily frequencies to KLIA catering to the many passengers travelling to destinations in North America and Europe, we believe that the same demand for these destinations from Penang is growing rapidly. As one of the busiest airports in Malaysia, Penang International Airport recorded 7 million passenger movements last year.

At a press conference held at the Shangri-La Rasa Sayang shortly after the inaugural flight arrival, Qatar Airways Chief Commercial Officer Ehab Amin, announced the Penang route will be boosted to a four-times-weekly frequency effective 1 July 2018.  

As of now, Qatar Airways will fly three times a week to Penang with its state-of-the-art Boeing 787 Dreamliner, which features 22 seats in Business Class and 232 seats in Economy Class, with spacious cabins and specially-designed interiors.

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