By V. Sivaji
Paving the way for more Indian tourists to visit Penang, the IndiGo Airlines commenced its inaugural flight to Penang this morning.
Flight 6E 1045 landed at the Penang International Airport at 8.08am carrying some 146 tourists from Chennai, India.
The plane was given the customary water salute upon touch down.
Present to receive the guests was State Exco for Tourism and Creative Economy YB Wong Hon Wai accompanied by Penang Convention and Exhibition Bureau chief executive officer Ashwin Gunasekeran.
Also present was Dato Manoharan Periasamy, Director General Tourism Malaysia, Vice President of IndiGo Airport Operation and Customer Services, Sanjiv Chawla and Senior Manager Sales Tamil Nadu of IndiGo, Srinivasan Jayaseelan.
Arriving passengers were presented with goody bags and souvenirs.Indigo Airlines will now connect Chennai and Penang on a daily basis.
In his welcoming address Wong hailed the maiden flight as it marks a historic moment for Penang and celebrates the arrival of the first IndiGo direct flight from Chennai to Penang.
“This new route not only strengthens the air link between Penang and India, but it also serves as a strategic alliance to open up the vast and growing Indian market.
“Today, as the Chennai-Penang route takes off, all the hard work and effort has paid off.
“Looking ahead, I also plan to visit more key cities in India early next year to further strengthen our tourism promotion efforts, with a special focus on the MICE sector.
“I am confident that this new flight will drive a significant increase in tourism, business exchanges and family visits, further deepening the economic and cultural ties between the two regions”, said Wong.
He also noted that this new flight, which connects Penang directly to Chennai, also serves as a gateway for travelers from the northern states of Perak, Kedah and Perlis, allowing them to easily transit through Penang to reach Chennai.
The flight departed Chennai International Airport at 2:15am (local time). The return flight, number 6E1046, will depart Penang at 9:30am and arrive in Chennai at 10:35am.
Wong also added that Chennai, with a population of over 12 million, is one of India’s largest cities and a hub for southern India. Tamil Nadu, home to Chennai, has a population of around 78 million people, making it one of the most densely populated states in India. India itself, now the world’s most populous country with over 1.46 billion people, represents a massive and growing source of potential visitors for Penang.
Meanwhile, Penang’s international flight network continues to grow, with direct routes to major destinations like China, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and now India. This Chennai-Penang flight is one of the fruits of the persistent efforts to expand Penang’s global connectivity. Our ongoing efforts will continue to position Penang as a world-renowned tourism destination.
This new flight marks Penang’s 35th international route, with Chennai becoming the 19th city to have direct flights to Penang. Other cities include Shanghai, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Xiamen, Hong Kong, Dubai, Singapore, Bangkok, and others.
Also present was the Deputy Speaker of the Penang State Legislative Assembly, YB Dato’ Azrul Mahathir Aziz, State Assemblyman for Bagan Dalam, YB Kumaran Krishnan, State Assemblywoman for Sungai Puyu, YB Phee Syn Tze, State Assemblyman for Bagan Jermal, YB Chee Yeeh Keen, State Assemblyman for Batu Uban, YB Kumaresan Aramugam, General Manager of Chief Minister Penang Incorporated, Datin Bharathi Suppiah, Managing Director of Shan Poornam Sdn Bhd, Dato Seri S. Selvakumar, Senior Airport Manager for Penang International Airport, Mr Mohd Nadzim.