KUANTAN: After Scoot Air, the low-cost subsidiary of Singapore Airlines, it is now Garuda Indonesia's Citilink that could soon offer direct flights between Jakarta and Kuantan. Discussions are currently underway between the Pahang state government and Citilink to establish direct flights to and from Sultan Ahmad Shah Airport (LTSAS) in Kuantan, with the aim of boosting visitor arrivals.
State Unity, Tourism and Culture Committee chairman Leong Yu Man said Scoot Air had recently launched 14 weekly flights to Kuantan. "When Scoot Air resumed operations between Changi Airport and Kuantan in March 2023, they initially operated three flights weekly. This was later increased to four weekly flights last year, and now they operate two flights daily. I was informed this expansion was due to a strong overall load factor," she said. Going with Citilink, and should these negotiations come to fruition, Pahang would become the first East Coast state to offer direct flights to Jakarta.
Leong said that this development would benefit both visitors and workers and could help promote Pahang's tourism destinations to neighbouring countries. Meanwhile, she reiterated the state government's hopes of reviving the Penang-Kuantan route, previously serviced by low-cost carrier Firefly, and introducing new routes to East Malaysia. It was previously reported the Pahang government was in talks with airlines companies, both local and abroad to operate at LTSAS.
Addressing concerns about the decline in popularity of Cherating Beach, Leong dismissed the claims, stressing that the destination remained a top choice during promotional campaigns in European countries and had never been neglected. "During the Malaysia International Tourism Expo Pahang last year, the gala dinner was held in Cherating. The destination is always featured in our campaigns, included in our brochures and promoted on social media. "I recently visited Cherating with the Kuantan City Council and Motac (Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry) to assess the area at night. We have agreed to upgrade the infrastructure, including installing more street lighting and resurfacing roads. We consistently prioritise all tourism destinations," she added.
Source: NST
