Photo Caption: (From the left) Mr. Nazeem Hambali, Assistant Manager of AirAsia Government Relation; Mr. Patrick Zhong, Assistant Manager of AirAsia Government Relation; Mr. Yoganthiran Manikam, Deputy Director of Tourism Malaysia (Hong Kong); Ms. Tan Mei Leng, Director of Tourism Malaysia (Hong Kong); Mr. Terence So, Head of Marketing (AirAsia HK & MO); Mr. Muzambli Markam, Consul General of Malaysia; Mr. Frank Tang, General Manager of AirAsia China; Mr. Gary Zhan, Chairman of SATS HK; Ms. Mandy Chan, Chief Executive Officer of SATS HK; Ms. Denise Wong, Director of Passenger Services of SATS HK; Mr. Raymond Wong, Assistant Manager of Hub Development of HKIA; Ms. Abbey Wong, Manager of Hub Development of HKIA; Cabin Crew; Ms. Stella Ng, Communications Manager of AirAsia and Harry Chan, Station Head of AirAsia (Hong Kong) greeting the passengers at Hong Kong International Airport.

Hong Kong, 10 August 2023 - AirAsia celebrated its newly-resumed flight from Hong Kong to Penang today with a grand welcome. The route, operated with a thrice weekly frequency, marks a significant milestone for AirAsia making it the only low-cost carrier offering this direct air connection between the two vibrant cities.

Flight AK2280 departed from Hong Kong International Airport at 11:15am and arrived at Penang International Airport at 2:55pm with an impressive load of 96 percent, where elated guests were greeted with a warm reception on both sides. Guests on board the flight were greeted by AirAsia, together with the special guests including Consul General of Malaysia, Mr. Muzambli Markam; Director of Tourism Malaysia (Hong Kong), Ms. Tan Mei Leng; Deputy Director of Tourism Malaysia (Hong Kong), Mr. Yoganthiran Manikam; Manager of Hub Development of HKIA, Ms. Abbey Wong; Assistant Manager of Hub Development of HKIA, Mr. Raymond Wong; Chairman of SATS HK, Mr. Gary Zhan; Chief Executive Officer of SATS HK, Ms. Mandy Chan; and Director of Passenger Services of SATS HK, Ms. Denise Wong in Hong Kong International Airport and were treated to exclusive AirAsia & Tourism Malaysia souvenirs.

The guests were also welcomed with a water cannon salute and were greeted in another welcome ceremony in Penang, which was graced by the Caretaker Penang State EXCO for Tourism & Creative Economy, YB Yeoh Soon Hin, Chief Executive Officer of Penang Global Tourism, Mr Ooi Chok Yan, and Non-Executive Director of Capital A, Dato’ Abdul Aziz Bakar, further highlighting the importance of this new connectivity for both leisure and business opportunities.

With the introduction of this new route, AirAsia aims to enhance connectivity between Hong Kong and Penang, making it more seamless for travellers to explore the beauty and charm of these picturesque destinations.

Riad Asmat, CEO of AirAsia Malaysia said: "We are thrilled to officially operate the Hong Kong-Penang route which is a significant addition to our ever-expanding network in Penang, our third-largest hub in Malaysia. As the only low-cost carrier offering this direct connection, we aim to make travel more accessible and affordable for our guests flying between these two dynamic cities. My humblest gratitude goes out to the Ministry of Tourism, Arts & Culture, the Penang State Government and Penang Global Tourism for their steadfast support in promoting Penang as a must-visit destination.”

To celebrate the launch of this new route, AirAsia is offering an amazing promotional fare for flights between the two cities. Guests wishing to connect to Penang from Hong Kong may snap up AirAsia’s flash deal promo of just HKD88* (all-in fare at HKD538) from 11 to 13 August 2023, for travel between 21 August 2023 and 31 March 2024. Travellers can take advantage of these special fares to experience the best of both destinations for a steal.

AirAsia currently operates direct services between Hong Kong / Macao to and from Malaysia, Thailand and the Philippines, flying over 104 weekly flights to Bangkok (Don Mueang), Chiang Mai, Phuket, Kuala Lumpur, Kota Kinabalu, Penang, and Manila.

Flight Schedule between Hong Kong and Penang**

*Fares exclude taxes and surcharges. Terms and Conditions apply. **Flight schedules are subject to regulatory approval and change without prior notice.

AirAsia welcomes inaugural flight from Hong Kong to Penang, marking seventh direct international route to the island