Penang, MAHB ramp up plans for new international routes as PIA expansion progresses

The Penang government is collaborating with MAHB to enhance Penang International Airport's connectivity and capacity, aiming to increase its annual passenger capacity from 6.8 million to 12 million.

Early planning with MAHB is crucial to open new international routes and increase flight frequencies, ensuring optimal use of the expanded airport facilities once completed in two years.

Penang's efforts to establish direct air links with major international cities have boosted tourism, and discussions with MAHB will focus on future projects, including increasing air cargo capacity and attracting more direct flights.

GEORGE TOWN, Oct 6 — The Penang government will strengthen coordination with Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) to plan the expansion of international air connectivity in tandem with the ongoing expansion of Penang International Airport (PIA).

State Tourism and Creative Economy Committee chairman Wong Hon Wai said early planning was crucial to ensure PIA’s additional capacity could be fully utilised once the expansion project is completed within the next two years.

He said the project would increase PIA’s annual passenger capacity from the current 6.8 million to 12 million, creating opportunities to introduce new international routes and increase flight frequencies on existing routes.

“The next priority will be to fully utilise this additional capacity by opening new routes and increasing flight frequencies on existing routes; therefore, it is crucial that we make early preparations at this stage and work closely with MAHB to put the necessary plans in place,” he said in a statement today.

Wong said he recently met MAHB senior officials in Kuala Lumpur to discuss the expansion and upgrading of PIA, as well as the development of new air routes.

He said the Penang government had intensified efforts in recent years to develop direct air links between Penang and major international cities, which had helped boost tourist arrivals while generating wider tourism and economic benefits.

Wong said the Penang government and MAHB would hold regular meetings on route development, aviation market trends and future projects involving PIA.

He also urged MAHB to continue giving attention to PIA’s position as Malaysia’s second busiest airport and further harness its potential as an aviation hub, including through timely sharing of aviation market intelligence and relevant data.

Wong said air cargo also had significant growth potential, given Penang’s concentration of multinational corporations and their increasing demand for international logistics and air freight services.

He said the Penang government had urged the federal government to strengthen the tourism development agenda under Budget 2027, including through an International Air Connectivity Fund with matching grants to attract more direct flights from strategic markets such as Japan, South Korea, Australia and the Middle East. — Bernama

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槟城政府正与马来西亚机场控股公司（MAHB）合作，提升槟城国际机场的连通性和容量，目标是将其年旅客吞吐量从 680 万人次提高到 1200 万人次。

与 MAHB 进行早期规划至关重要，以便开辟新的国际航线并增加航班频次，从而确保在两年后扩建完成时能够充分利用机场设施。

槟城为与国际主要城市建立直航联系所​​做的努力促进了旅游业的发展，与马来西亚机场控股公司（MAHB）的讨论将重点放在未来的项目上，包括增加航空货运能力和吸引更多直航航班。

乔治市，10 月 6 日讯——槟城政府将加强与马来西亚机场控股有限公司（MAHB）的协调，以配合槟城国际机场（PIA）的持续扩建，规划扩大国际航空连接。

州旅游及创意经济委员会主席黄汉伟表示，提前规划至关重要，以确保巴基斯坦国际机场的扩建项目在未来两年内完成后，其新增容量能够得到充分利用。

他表示，该项目将使巴基斯坦国际航空公司的年客运量从目前的 680 万人次增加到 1200 万人次，从而创造机会开通新的国际航线并增加现有航线的航班频次。

“下一个重点是充分利用新增运力，开辟新航线，增加现有航线的航班频次；因此，在这个阶段尽早做好准备，并与马来西亚机场控股公司（MAHB）密切合作，制定必要的计划至关重要，”他今天在一份声明中表示。

黄先生表示，他最近在吉隆坡会见了马来西亚机场控股公司（MAHB）的高级官员，讨论了巴基斯坦国际航空公司（PIA）的扩建和升级，以及新航线的开发。

他表示，槟城政府近年来加大了发展槟城与主要国际城市之间直航的力度，这有助于促进游客入境，同时带来更广泛的旅游和经济效益。

黄先生表示，槟城政府和马来西亚机场控股公司将定期举行会议，讨论航线发展、航空市场趋势以及涉及槟城国际航空公司的未来项目。

他还敦促马来西亚机场控股公司继续关注巴基斯坦国际航空公司作为马来西亚第二繁忙机场的地位，并进一步发挥其作为航空枢纽的潜力，包括及时分享航空市场情报和相关数据。

黄先生表示，鉴于槟城聚集了众多跨国公司，以及这些公司对国际物流和航空货运服务的需求不断增长，航空货运也具有巨大的增长潜力。

他表示，槟城州政府已敦促联邦政府在2027年财政预算案中加强旅游业发展议程，包括设立国际航空连通基金并提供配套拨款，以吸引更多来自日本、韩国、澳大利亚和中东等战略市场的直飞航班。——马新社

马来西亚部长表示，马来西亚明年将推动东盟采取更有力的行动应对跨境烟霾问题。

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