By V. Sivaji
Cambodia Airways made its inaugural landing at Penang International Airport (PIA) today (June 26), marking the airline’s official entry into the Penang market and strengthening ties in both tourism and medical tourism sectors.
Flight XU-762 touched down at 10:31 AM, carrying approximately 110 passengers. The arrival was celebrated with a traditional water cannon salute and a vibrant kompang troupe performance at the terminal.
Among the dignitaries on board was His Excellency Shaharuddin Onn, Ambassador of Malaysia to the Kingdom of Cambodia. Welcoming the flight were YB Lee Boon Heng, State Assemblyman for Kebun Bunga, and Dato Yeoh Soon Hin, Deputy chairman of Tourism Malaysia.
The new route will operate twice weekly—on Thursdays and Sundays—enhancing connectivity between Phnom Penh and Penang, both recognized UNESCO heritage cities. The service is expected to significantly benefit leisure travelers and medical tourists alike.
Founded in 2017, Cambodia Airways has shown rapid growth and now operates six Airbus A319 and A320 aircraft. The airline has completed over 17,000 flights, safely transporting more than 1.7 million passengers, and logging over 35,000 flight hours. In 2024 alone, it served over 620,000 passengers across 22 domestic and international destinations.
Cambodia Airways operates a fleet of five aircraft mainly the A319s and A320s based in Phnom Penh.
It has been reported that the airline aims to further expand its fleet with the addition of ATR 72-600, A320neo, and A321LR aircraft to serve new routes in the near future.
Also in attendance at the welcoming ceremony were YB Chee Yeeh Keen, State Assemblyman for Bagan Jermal; Datin Bharathi Suppiah, Director of PCEB and GM of Chief Minister Incorporated (CMI); Ms. Tang Xiaojun, Vice President of Cambodia Airways; Daniel Li, Deputy Director Cambodia Airways, Lee Thai Hung, Deputy Director General (Promotion II), Tourism Malaysia; and Mohd Ridzuan Ahmad Walid, Operations Manager of Penang International Airport, among others.
