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144-Hour Visa-Free Transit unlocks in Yunnan

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KUNMING, China, 28 October 2024: China’s 144-hour visa-free transit policy expands to Yunnan Province, allowing international travellers to access a broader list of destinations. 

The 144-hour visa-free policy now includes Kunming, Lijiang, Yuxi, Pu’er, Chuxiong, Dali, Xishuangbanna, Honghe, Wenshan, and nine other cities and prefectures. 

Travellers from 54 countries can enter Yunnan through Kunming Changshui International Airport, Lijiang Sanyi International Airport, and Mohan Railway Port by presenting valid international travel documents and onward tickets to be eligible for a 144-hour (up to six days) visa-free stay. 

In Asia, only Brunei, Japan, South Korea, and Singapore nationals can enjoy 144-hour  visa-free transit stays in Yunnan province. 

Last week, Yunnan province’s press statement affirmed: “This allows for a spontaneous Yunnan tour without cumbersome visa processes.”

Yunnan boasts three World Natural Heritage Sites: Three Parallel Rivers, Chengjiang Fossil Site, and Yunnan Stone Forest. Snow-capped plateaus stand alongside peaks and canyons, complemented by rivers, lakes, and forests. 

Yunnan is known as a blooming “Spring City”: camellias grace Dali, flamboyant flowers brighten Xishuangbanna, Ottelia acuminata sways on Lugu Lake, and winter cherry blossoms adorn Wuliang Mountain. Yunnan is also home to rare animal species like Yunnan snub-nosed monkeys, Asian elephants, and black-headed gulls.

Three World Cultural Heritage Sites: Lijiang Old Town, Honghe Hani Rice Terraces, and Jingmai Mountain Ancient Tea Forests in Pu’er. Historical corridors like the Southern Silk Road and Tea Horse Road reflect Yunnan’s foreign trade and cultural exchanges. The Bai’s Three-Course Tea, the Naxi’s Dongba culture and pictographs, the Yi’s Torch Festival, the Dai’s Water-Splashing Festival and the Peacock Dance highlight its vast cultural legacy.

Green and healthy lifestyle: Yunnan is an ideal destination for wellness tourism, outdoor activities, and international sports events. Its forested mountains, clear waters, and spring-like climate year-round make it a great place for these activities. 

Eco-friendly products: Yunnan’s flowers, tea, fruits, vegetables, medicinal herbs, and coffee, along with dishes like Mushroom feasts, Yunnan ham, cross-bridge rice noodles, flower cakes, and steamed pot chicken.

Video link:

Emirates retrofit 777s fly to Kuwait and Dammam

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TTR WEEKLY
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DUBAI, UAE, 25 October 2024: Emirates will debut newly retrofitted Boeing 777s featuring its latest Business Class and Premium Economy cabins to Kuwait and Dammam, Saudi Arabia, as more aircraft sporting refreshed cabins roll out into scheduled service.

The airline aims to offer customers travelling on short flights more opportunities to experience its latest-generation products and raise the bar for premium travel. Kuwait and Dammam will become the second and third cities in the GCC to be served by the refurbished Emirates Boeing 777s.

Emirates’ enhanced Boeing 777s with the airline’s signature Premium Economy and next-generation Business Class will operate as follows:

Kuwait: The retrofitted Emirates Boeing 777 will operate on EK855 and 856 from 27 October.
Dammam: From 22 November*, the refurbished Emirates Boeing 777 will operate on the daily EK823 and EK824, as well as the EK 821 and EK 822.

Dammam will be the second destination in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to be served by the retrofitted Emirates Boeing 777.
The Emirates Boeing 777 entered refurbishment in early July, and so far, six aircraft have fully rolled out into service, flying to Geneva, Zurich, Brussels, Haneda and Riyadh.

The four-class configuration features 24 Premium Economy seats set in a 2-4-2 abreast layout. The 19.5-inch-wide cream leather seats consist of a 38-inch pitch, reclining 8 inches to stretch and relax, in addition to six-way adjustable headrests.

The new Emirates Boeing 777 Business Class is inspired by the fresh, open and contemporary design elements of Emirates’ iconic A380 experience, featuring soft leather cream seats accented with champagne trim, lighter wood panelling, a mini-bar, and other technology touches that deliver an elegant and engaging experience. Emirates will offer 38 seats in a 1-2-1 configuration, ensuring every customer has direct access to the aisle. Seats convert to a spacious flatbed, which reclines up to 78.6 inches. The Business Class seat’s 23-inch HD screen, one of the biggest in the skies, helps deliver the ultimate in-flight entertainment experience.

The Emirates Boeing 777 Business Class cabin will also include a small bar for light snacks and refreshments. The new Economy Class cabin features 256 ergonomically designed seats in soft greys and blues.

Emirates will also be growing its network of cities featuring latest generation products in Business Class and Premium Economy, with the introduction of refurbished Boeing 777s on six routes in the US, including Chicago, Boston, Dallas-Fort Worth, Seattle, Athens/Newark and Miami/Bogota. Customers connecting from Kuwait and Dammam to the United States through Dubai can enjoy a seamless experience across Premium Economy and Business Class cabins.

Tickets can be booked on emirates.com, the Emirates App, or via both online and offline travel agents.

For more information on the new Emirates Boeing 777, visit: https://www.emirates.com/english/experience/our-fleet/the-new-boeing-777/

*Aircraft deployments may be advanced if released earlier from refurbishment

Pandaw Cruises opens blog competition

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TTR WEEKLY
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SINGAPORE, 25 October 2024: Pandaw, Asia’s leading river cruise specialist, is once again inviting storytellers, writers, influencers and anyone else with a flair for writing to submit a blog or short story about their past adventures on a Pandaw cruise. 

Last year’s first prize winner, Theodore and Alice Tanoues’ entry titled ‘Sandbanks of Burma’.

The quest is for pithy travel tales that encapsulate a typical Pandaw adventure, preferably focussing on one particular destination or sailing. 

Your blogs should be no more than 1,000 words and can be submitted to Pandaw’s team by emailing [email protected] with the subject line ‘Pandaw Blog Competition’.

Prizes are available for the top three stories, which will be selected after the closing date of 30 June 2025. 

It’s time to get creative and submit your entries. Your story may even be selected to publish on the Pandaw website or in its onboard magazines, in addition to the opportunity to win one of the three top prizes on offer.

PRIZES 

1st Prize USD1,000 Pandaw travel voucher
2nd prize USD500 Pandaw travel voucher
3rd prize USD250 Pandaw travel voucher

Enter competition now

RULES

1. All entrants are deemed to have accepted these rules and agreed to be bound by them.
2.  One submission per individual; multiple entries will be discounted.
3  Your blog should be no more than 1000 words.
4. By entering our competition, you allow Pandaw to use your blog in any promotional literature, social media or online.
5. Pandaw’s Founder, Paul Strachan, will select the three best blogs, and his decision will be final.
6. The closing date for the competition is 30 June 2025.
7. The winners will be notified by email after the closing date.
8. The Pandaw Travel voucher prizes:
 • have no cash value.
 • can be applied to any new booking made within the next two years.
 • Can be used by any friend or family of the winner.

For more information on Pandaw Cruises: Download a Pandaw brochure

STB recruits campaign partners

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TTR WEEKLY
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SINGAPORE, 25 October 2024: Maintaining the momentum of its Gateway to Borneo campaign, the Sarawak Tourism Board signed a Tripartite Campaign Agreement with strategic airline partner Scoot and Sarawak Trade and Tourism Office Singapore( STATOS) on the sidelines of ITB Asia earlier this week. 

The signing was held during a Sarawak Bleisure Networking Session that positioned Sarawak as a “bleisure” destination in Singapore’s outbound travel market and hosted collaboration with Business Events Sarawak (BE Sarawak) and STATOS.

 STB’s press statement emphasised the tripartite agreement marked a pivotal step in “promoting Sarawak’s diverse offerings and further enhancing its visibility across the global tourism landscape.” 

Scoot currently schedules 14 weekly flights from Singapore to three destinations in Sarawak: Daily flights to Kuching using a 180-seat A320, four weekly flights to Miri, and three weekly flights to Sibu. (Scoot deploys Embraer 190 E2s, configured with 112 seats, on the Miri and Sibu routes.)

To support the three routes, the airline is promoting a roundtrip economy fare to Sibu at SGD228 during October. In November, the airline sells a roundtrip fare to Miri at SGD219 and to Kuching at SGD166. 

Partnership praise

Sarawak Minister of Tourism Performing Arts YB Dato Sri Haji Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah commented: “Sarawak and Singapore share a long-standing relationship, one built on mutual respect, cultural exchanges, and economic collaboration. This partnership is about

harnessing Singapore’s global influence and its role as a crossroads for international travel and business, allowing us to amplify Sarawak’s unique offerings to the world.” 

Sarawak Tourism Board CEO Sharzede Datu Haji Salleh Askor expressed optimism concerning the partnership, stating: “This Tripartite agreement reflects our shared vision of enhancing Sarawak’s accessibility while providing travellers with seamless opportunities to experience our diverse culture and adventure offerings. Together with Scoot and STATOS, we are making it easier for visitors to explore the best of Sarawak.”

Scoot Chief Commercial Officer Calvin Chan noted the renewed partnership reaffirms Scoot’s commitment to enhancing connectivity between Sarawak, Singapore, and the rest of our extensive network.” 

Sarawak Bleisure Networking Session 

The event brought together travel professionals, tour operators, media representatives, and potential business partners to explore Sarawak’s growing appeal as a destination for Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions (MICE). Attendees were introduced to the extensive support services offered by BESarawak and STATOS.

Representatives from Paradesa Borneo, CPH Travel Services, Mutama Holidays, Journey Travel Agencies, Borsarmulu Park Management, Brighton Travel and Tour and Pullman Hotels showcased Sarawak’s diverse tourism products during the session. The Sarawak Bleisure Networking Session also underscored Sarawak’s dedication to sustainable tourism, aligning with global trends in business travel where professionals seek destinations that offer cultural and natural experiences alongside workspaces. 

“With Sarawak targeting 4 million visitors in 2024, the promotional efforts made in Singapore and at the ITB Asia should play a significant role in driving a strong growth trend in tourism to Borneo Island.” 

For more information on Sarawak visit: https://sarawaktourism.com

ONYX opens two hotels in Southeast Asia

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TTR WEEKLY
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SINGAPORE, 25 October 2024: ONYX Hospitality Group is expanding its footprint in Southeast Asia and is moving closer to its 50 hotels and residences under its management by the end of 2025 and 70 by 2028.

Amari Colombo Sri Lanka.

During ITB Asia, which closes today, 25 October, the group reported it currently manages 46 properties across four brands: Amari, OZO, Shama, and Oriental Residence. The group headlined two hotel openings in Q4 2024: 167-room Amari Colombo in Sri Lanka, scheduled to open on 17 November, and 248-room Amari Vientiane in Laos, expected to open by the end of December. Other upcoming openings in Malaysia include Shama Medini and OZO Medini.

China’s outbound travel makes strong recovery

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TTR WEEKLY
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SINGAPORE, 25 October 2024: DidaTravel, a tech-driven global travel distribution company, has shared booking trends that indicate China’s outbound travel continues its rapid recovery, with hotel bookings for trips abroad showing impressive growth. 

According to DidaTravel’s latest data, for the Golden Week holiday, when many Chinese travellers take a seven-day break from 1 to 7 October, hotel bookings surged across various regions compared to last year: up by 190% in the Americas, 78% in Europe, 77% in Asia-Pacific, and 106% in the Middle East. 

The average hotel stay duration for international travellers remained stable at around two nights, consistent with pre-pandemic trends. While Average Daily Rates (ADR) showed a slight increase in the Middle East, they were marginally lower in other regions compared to last year.

As of 8 October, the top 20 most popular international destinations for Chinese travellers were Japan, Thailand, Malaysia, South Korea, Indonesia, Singapore, the United States, Italy, Vietnam, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, France, Spain, Switzerland, Germany, Australia, Turkey, Iceland, the Philippines, and New Zealand. 

The most booked destinations among international cities were Bangkok, Tokyo, Singapore, Osaka, Kuala Lumpur, Seoul, Pattaya, Kyoto, Kota Kinabalu, Jeju, Karon, Dubai, Paris, Patong, Phuket, Abu Dhabi, Chiang Mai, Rome, Milan, and London. For domestic travel, the top destinations included Hong Kong, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Beijing, and Macau. 

DidaTravel President Stone Fan commented: “The evolving preferences of Chinese travellers signal a new era for the global travel industry. At DidaTravel, we not only prepared for the resurgence of outbound tourism but are also helping to shape it. By leveraging our insights and technology, our commitment remains steadfast in redefining how the world connects with Chinese travellers, creating seamless, enriching journeys that reflect their growing desire for exploration and discovery.”

*All data in this release is based on DidaTravel’s accommodation booking data for the 2024 Chinese Golden Week holiday period, a peak travel season when most Chinese people enjoy an average of seven days off.

Global cruise travel booms

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TTR WEEKLY
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SINGAPORE, 25 October 2024: The cruise industry is experiencing a renaissance, and 2024 is proving to be a record-breaking year, with global cruise bookings up 344% from January to October 2024 compared to the same period in 2023 says Trip.com. 

This rise reflects a global trend of travellers rediscovering the appeal of cruise vacations as they seek diverse destinations and experiences in a single journey. 

Disney Adventure, set to sail from Singapore in December 2025, has already generated significant family interest.

Fly-Cruise Bookings Surge by 520% in 2024, Driven by Younger Age Groups 

A standout trend is the substantial rise in fly-cruise bookings, with bookings from international tourists up by 520% year-on-year. The combination of air travel and cruising allows international travellers to start their voyages in exotic locations, contributing to the industry’s overall growth.  

Additionally, younger travellers are at the forefront of this growth. Bookings from millennial travellers skyrocketed by 857%, while Gen Z travellers increased by 450%. Older age groups, too, saw significant growth, with a 112% rise in bookings from those born in the 1950s and over 400% among those born in the 1980s. These figures underscore the expanding appeal of cruise vacations across a broader demographic than ever before. 

Cruise trips are also becoming longer, with the average cruise duration rising from 4.53 days in 2023 to 4.81 days in 2024, highlighting the increasing preference for extended travel experiences. In addition, booking behaviours have evolved, with the average booking window lengthening by 10 days to 37 days in 2024, indicating that travellers are planning their cruise holidays further in advance. This reflects a shift towards making cruises a key part of family vacations and long-term holiday planning.  

Cruise bookings are particularly popular across key global hubs, with Singapore ranking top in international cruise destinations, followed closely by Port Klang, Barcelona, Jakarta and Tokyo at fifth spot.

High Demand for Disney Adventure Cruise Reflected in Trip.com’s Growing Waitlist

The upcoming launch of the Disney Adventure – set to sail from Singapore in December 2025 – has also generated significant interest, reflecting the strong demand for family-friendly cruising options. This will be the first Disney ship to homeport in Asia, offering three- and four-night voyages with immersive Disney, Pixar, and Marvel experiences. So far, nearly 10,000 travellers have signed up on Trip.com’s exclusive waitlist for this cruise. Bookings are set to open on 10 December 2024.

(Source: Trip.com)

TA Network powers ICE Holidays’ GStay

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TTR WEEKLY
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SINGAPORE, 25 October 2024: ICE Holidays, a leading B2B travel wholesaler in Malaysia, has launched the GStay Hotel & Tour portal to attract a more diverse customer segment and adapt to industry trends. 

GStay will ultimately drive growth and loyalty with greater revenue opportunities through up-selling and cross-selling. Powered by Trip Affiliates Network (TA Network), ICE Holidays can quickly adopt technology to jump-start its global connectivity with suppliers and customers, foster stronger online collaborations with its travel operators, and use an efficient inventory and booking management platform. 

 ICE Holidays  Managing Director Mita Lim Swee Kok commented: “We have watched TA Network grow in technical competence and sophistication over the years, providing impactful and cost-effective FIT and packaging solutions for us to leverage on our strong franchise and branding to expand our travel business. Our partnership with TA Network fits our goals to continually expand innovation, support, and travel partnerships throughout the Asia Pacific area.”   

The technology collaboration provides ICE Holidays access to TA Network’s multi-faceted digital solutions, such as Hotel Switch Integration. This powerful plug-in simplifies connectivity and contracting with leading hotels. 

“We are thrilled to support ICE Holidays in launching GStay, a robust white-label portal tailored to meet the needs of their travel partners,” said TA Network managing partner Josef Foo. “By integrating our advanced technology and extensive distribution network, we are confident that GStay will drive significant growth and operational efficiency for ICE Holidays and their partners”.

Air India and SQ extend codeshare scope

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TTR WEEKLY
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NEW DELHI, 25 October 2024: Air India and Singapore Airlines have expanded their codeshare agreement significantly, adding 11 Indian cities and another 40 international destinations to their network.  

This marks the first extensive build-up of codeshare arrangements between the airlines since 2010, offering customers enhanced travel options between Singapore and India and beyond.

Photo credit: Air India. Air India Chief Commercial Officer Nipun Aggarwal (left) and Singapore Airlines Chief Commercial Officer Lee Lik Hsin (right) signing the codeshare expansion agreement in Delhi, India.

From 27 October 2024, Air India and SIA will codeshare on each other’s flights between Singapore and the Indian cities of Bengaluru and Chennai, increasing their weekly scheduled codeshare services between the countries to 56 from 14.

SIA will codeshare on Air India’s domestic flights between Delhi and Amritsar, Bengaluru, Coimbatore, Lucknow, and Varanasi, between Mumbai and Ahmedabad, Amritsar, Bengaluru, Coimbatore, Goa, Jaipur, Kolkata, Lucknow, and Thiruvananthapuram, as well as between Kolkata and Guwahati. 

Air India customers can access 29 destinations across SIA’s network. These are Adelaide, Brisbane, Cairns, Darwin, Melbourne, Perth, and Sydney (Australia), Bandar Seri Begawan (Brunei), Phnom Penh and Siem Reap (Cambodia), Denpasar, Jakarta, Medan, and Surabaya (Indonesia), Fukuoka, Nagoya, Osaka, Tokyo-Haneda, and Tokyo-Narita (Japan), Busan and Seoul (South Korea), Kuala Lumpur and Penang (Malaysia), Auckland (New Zealand), Cebu and Manila (the Philippines), as well as Danang, Hanoi, and Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam). This includes existing codeshare arrangements to Kuala Lumpur. 

SIA customers will also be able to connect to Air India’s international services from Bengaluru, Delhi, and Mumbai to 12 destinations across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. These are Copenhagen (Denmark), Paris (France), Frankfurt (Germany), Milan (Italy), Nairobi (Kenya), Amsterdam (the Netherlands), Jeddah and Riyadh (Saudi Arabia), Colombo (Sri Lanka), as well as Birmingham, London-Gatwick, and London-Heathrow (UK).

Both airlines plan to include other destinations in the codeshare arrangements. Subject to regulatory approvals, the codeshare flights will be progressively made available for sale through the airlines’ respective booking channels. 

Air India Chief Commercial Officer Nipun Aggarwal said: “This is a continuation of our effort to offer our guests more choice and an extended global network. Air India and Singapore Airlines have been longtime partners. With this expanded scope of our codeshare agreement, we are excited to offer our guests greater connectivity to destinations across Southeast Asia, East Asia, and Australasia. We also look forward to welcoming Singapore Airlines customers on board our flights within India and westward to multiple points across Europe, Africa, and the Middle East via our hubs in India.” 

Singapore Airlines, Chief Commercial Officer Lee Lik Hsin added: “This expansion of Singapore Airlines’ codeshare arrangements with Air India demonstrates our commitment to meeting the high demand for air travel between India and Singapore and beyond, and contributing to the growth of both aviation markets. Adding Air India’s domestic network to our codeshare arrangements will also offer our customers enhanced connectivity and convenience in India’s key market for the SIA Group.”

Batik Air expands Malaysia network

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TTR WEEKLY
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KUALA LUMPUR, 25 October 2024: Batik Air launched its inaugural flight between Sultan Ismail Petra Airport Kota Bharu (KBR) and Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport Subang (SZB) last Monday.

The new route expands leisure and business travel options between Malaysia’s northeastern and central regions.

It also provides a more efficient alternative to flying from Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA), as passengers depart from Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport, which is closer to the city. Batik Air deploys a Boeing 737-800 for the daily flights on the Subang-Khota Bahru route.

Batik Air Chief Executive Officer Datuk Chandran Rama Muthy emphasised the strategic importance of Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport, Subang, as an essential hub for the airline. “We recognise the growing demand for improved connectivity between the country’s northeastern and central regions, and this new route is a direct response,” he stated.

The Kota Bharu–Subang route further strengthens Batik Air’s expanding network, and more destinations from Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport are in the pipeline.

Meanwhile, the airline established three new routes from its home base at Kuala Lumpur International Airport to Sabah and Sarawak on Borneo Island Malaysia earlier in October.

The new connections from Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) to Bintulu, Miri, and Sandakan will enhance convenience for both leisure and business travellers. The Kuala Lumpur–Bintulu route commences on 1 November 2024, the Kuala Lumpur–Sandakan route commences on 1 December 2024, and the Kuala Lumpur–Miri route commences on 14 January 2025.

Bintulu 

As a gateway to Sarawak’s natural wonders, Bintulu invites travellers to explore outdoor adventures, cultural experiences, and serene escapes. Home to the Similajau National Park, with its pristine beaches, rainforests, and wildlife, this destination is ideal for eco-travellers and families alike. Beyond its natural beauty, Bintulu plays a key role in Malaysia’s economy as a hub for Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) production and the Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (SCORE).

Miri 

Miri is the birthplace of Malaysia’s oil and gas industry, and is the gateway city to the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Gunung Mulu National Park. Miri is increasingly attracting corporate travellers, as well as those seeking a blend of natural beauty and industrial opportunities.

Batik Air Chief Executive Officer Datuk Chandran Rama Muthy expressed the airline’s support for driving East Malaysia’s economy and tourism growth, noting that Bintulu, Miri, and Sandakan are destinations with immense potential, both as tourist hotspots and industrial powerhouses.

“By launching these direct routes, Batik Air is strengthening connections between West and East Malaysia, supporting tourism and economic development in Sabah and Sarawak. We are proud to be able to offer more options for travellers and businesses, continuing our mission to expand our route network in support of Malaysia’s overall growth,” he stated.

The Kuala Lumpur-Bintulu route will operate 10 times weekly, while the Kuala Lumpur-Miri and Kuala Lumpur-Sandakan routes will each schedule 14 weekly flights.

In addition, online advance schedules reported that the airline will start a daily service on 7 December between Kuala Lumpur and Alor Setar using a Boeing 737-800.

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