New airline gives more options to get to Medan from Ipoh

Miniature airliners: The air stewardesses displaying models of the airline’s Boeing 737- 400 aircraft during the launch at Impiana Hotel.

THOSE travelling to Indonesia will have another airline to choose from when Flying Fox Airways starts its Ipoh - Medan flights next month.

The new airline in partnership with Sriwijaya Air, a leading airline company in Indonesia, will be offering flights from the Sultan Azlan Shah airport to the Kuala Namu airport on Mondays and Fridays starting Nov 8.

Flying Fox Airways chief executive officer Daniel Lee said the Ipoh - Medan route marked only the beginning of the airline’s plans of establishing Ipoh as a checkout point and transit hub to international destinations.

“We will be increasing the frequency of flights to Medan and introducing an Ipoh - Medan - Dhaka route in December and are looking into setting up a flight to China in the near future.

“We will operate very closely with the Kuala Namu airport, which will function as our transit hub while our main base remains at the Sultan Azlan Shah Airport,” he said during the airline’s official launch here, recently.

Lee, who is an Ipoh-born, said the airline’s slogan Flying Just Got Easier reflected its aim of providing hassle-free, affordable and convenient air travel for locals, tourists and businessmen in Perak right at their doorstep.

For the past 10 years, the most dynamic air travel growth has been centred on the Asia and Pacific regions, where air travel access is boosted by fast-growing trade and investment.

“In partnering with Perak Tourism, we can contribute by opening up the state to even greater potential and putting Ipoh on the international map,” he said.

Perak Tourism and Culture Committee chairman Nolee Ashilin Mohd Radzi officiated at the launch and witnessed the signing of memorandum of understandings with its business partners.

In her speech read out by Perak Economic Planning Unit (Upen) director Datuk Abu Bakar Said, she said the launch was a monumental occasion for the state as the airline was the first to be based here.

Positive move: Lee and Nolee Ashilin unveiling a plaque to officiate the launch of Flying Fox Airways.

“The state government’s vision of turning Perak into a top player in the skies is coming closer to reality through this.

“I am positive that we will see increased international trade and investments following the airline’s launch, as well as a larger influx of visitors to our tourist destinations such as Lumut, Pangkor Island, Gua Tempurung and Kek Look Tong cave temple,” she said.

The airline will be using Boeing 737-400 aircraft that can accommodate 152 passengers and is expected to launch its website by the end of this month.

Source: The Star | 16 Oct. 2013