GEORGE TOWN, May 1 (Bernama) -- Penang has welcomed the inaugural Sichuan Airlines direct flight from Chengdu, marking a significant step forward in strengthening economic cooperation and cultural exchange between Malaysia and China.
Penang Tourism and Creative Economy Committee chairman Wong Hon Wai described the launch as a major milestone that enhances regional connectivity and unlocks new opportunities for tourism, trade and bilateral collaboration.
“The commencement of the Chengdu-Penang direct route not only adds a vital new air link between our cities but also strengthens Penang’s connectivity with major cities across China,” he said in a statement today.
The inaugural flight, bearing the flight number 3U3911, departed from Chengdu Tianfu International Airport at 7.40 pm local time on April 30 and arrived at Penang International Airport at 12.05 am local time today.
It will operate five times a week on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays.
Wong shared that discussions about the flight’s launch took place during his delegation’s visit to Sichuan Airlines’s management at their headquarters in Chengdu in mid-April this year.
He said that during the meeting, both sides engaged in in-depth discussions on the launch of the Chengdu-Penang direct route and also explored collaborative promotional strategies to amplify the impact of the new service and maximise its tourism potential for both Penang and Chengdu.
“There was strong consensus to jointly promote this route, ensuring mutual benefits and fostering a win-win partnership,” he said.
Highlighting the growth potential, Wong noted that the prospects for the Chengdu-Penang route are extremely bright.
He said that according to statistics published by the Chengdu Municipal People’s Government, the city’s resident population had reached 21.47 million by the end of 2024, while data from the Sichuan Provincial Government indicated that the province’s resident population stood at 83.64 million.
Hence, the introduction of the new route is expected to significantly boost two-way traffic and foster deeper cooperation in tourism, culture and economic development, breathing new life into Penang’s tourism sector.
-- BERNAMA
