Batik Air now flies to Penang from the Subang SkyPark. — Sin Chew
After 22 years, the Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport – or Subang SkyPark – in Selangor finally welcomed the first narrow-body jets back to its premises, during an event last week. The jet in question is the Boeing 737 aircraft, operated by local airline Batik Air.
The company also celebrated its return to the Subang Skypark, where in 2013, Batik Air – then operating as Malindo Air – started its first flight services with just two aircraft and two routes: Penang and Kota Baru in Kelantan.
Its new Boeing 737 fleet replaces its ATR service, which ended in February. The aircraft has dual-class cabins for Economy and Business Classes. Batik Air CEO Datuk Chandran Rama Muthy revealed in a statement that the airline is the only one at the moment that offers Business Class services from Subang.
“Passengers can enjoy comfort without compromising on value, making our airline the perfect choice for both business and leisure travel,” he said.
In a press release, director-general of Tourism Malaysia Manoharan Periasamy said that Subang SkyPark plays a pivotal role as a city airport, one that is expected to boost intercity travel among domestic and international tourists.
“We are excited about the potential increase in the tourism industry with this new connectivity,” he stated.
Manoharan also hopes for additional flights to be gradually added to the Subang Skypark schedule, including international routes.
Batik Air is currently flying to Penang from Subang SkyPark three times weekly, but daily services to the island state will begin on Aug 15. Upcoming routes include Kota Baru (Kelantan), Kota Kinabalu (Sabah) and Kuching (Sarawak).
Meanwhile, the airline earlier unveiled four new Indonesian destinations: Lombok, Surabaya, Pekanbaru and Padang. Flight services to the first two cities have already begun, while flights to Pekanbaru and Padang will commence on Aug 10.
All flights will be from the Kuala Lumpur International Airport Terminal 1.
With the new additions, Batik Air now flies to eight cities/regions in Indonesia.
Chandran said in a statement: “Expanding our network not only meets the growing demand for travel but also supports economic growth by facilitating smoother business transactions and partnerships.”
For more information, visit the Batik Air website (batikair.com).
