GEORGE TOWN, Dec 23 — Budget airlines AirAsia has experienced a surge in domestic flight bookings after Malaysia’s state borders reopened, its regional commercial head Tan Mai Yin said today.

She said the flight bookings are mostly for travel around peninsula Malaysia, adding that AirAsia’s daily flight loads are now healthy.

“We have increased daily flights between Kuala Lumpur and Penang to four times a day,” she said in a joint press conference with tourism and creative economy committee chairman Yeoh Soon Hin here.

AirAsia also introduced a Penang-Kota Baru route yesterday, with three weekly flights available.  

It will be launching a Penang-Sibu route in January 2021.

Tan said AirAsia has also increased its flights to other destinations from Penang such as Johor Baru (JB) and Langkawi.

“We now have 25 weekly flights for Penang-JB compared to 10 weekly before this,” she said.

She said the Penang-Langkawi flights have also increased from seven weekly to 25 weekly.

The Penang-Kuala Lumpur flights are now about 35 weekly compared to 10 weekly previously.

As an added measure to further boost the domestic tourism industry, AirAsia is collaborating with Penang Global Tourism to offer special promotion packages to travellers.

Tan said the promotional packages, SNAP by AirAsia.com, will feature flights and hotel combos involving 25 hotels in Penang.

“We have three-days-two-nights stays in three to four star hotels and flights from as low as RM49 per person,” she said.

There are also affordable deals from RM179 per person for a three-days, two-night package for a more luxurious stay at four to five star hotels.

Hotels in the RM49 per person promotional packages included Brown Hotel, Mei Hotel Penang and Sunway Seberang Jaya while the RM179 per person packages included hotels such as The Prestige Hotel Penang, Golden Sands by Shangri-La and Hard Rock Penang.

The campaign is from December 24 to 27 and valid for a travel period of between January 4 and March 31 next year.

AirAsia is also offering Penang Eat + Play (PLUS) packages that have over 15 offers and up to 59 per cent discounts for food, attractions and transportation.

The flash sale for PLUS is from December 24 to 31 and travellers can book the bundle at a special discounted rate of RM49 using the promo code “AAPENANG”.

Earlier, Yeoh said the collaboration is a way to revive the tourism industry and in support of the Cuti-Cuti Malaysia initiative.

“We are observing a positive rebound on tourism activities and we are working towards accelerating the recovery of tourism, supporting jobs and the economy, and increasing tourism receipts,” he said.

He said partnerships with key travel players like AirAsia will help the state to offer more diverse travel and tourism products.