MALAYSIA AIRLINES TO START THREE WEEKLY FLIGHTS FROM PERTH TO KOTA KINABALU

By Neville D'Cruz

MELBOURNE, Sept 14 (Bernama) -- Malaysia Airlines will introduce three
weekly non-stop flights from Perth to Kota Kinabalu, the capital of the east
Malaysian state of Sabah, from Jan 15 next year, complementing the 10 non-stop
flights from Perth to Kuala Lumpur.

Flights will depart Perth at 12.40am on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday and
arrive in Kota Kinabalu at 6.15am.

From Kota Kinabalu, flights will depart at 6pm every Tuesday, Thursday and
Saturday and arrive in Perth at 11.35pm.

Sydney-based Malaysia Airlines regional vice president, Australia and New
Zealand, Ignatius Ong, said Sabah was a treasure trove of beautiful islands,
lush tropical rainforests, exuberant cultures and exotic wildlife.

"With just over five hours flight time from Perth to Kota Kinabalu, we
believe that this new non-stop service will perform well," Ong said in a
statement.

"Furthermore, the setting up of Kota Kinabalu as our eastern hub will enable
better flight schedules, connectivity and save travel time as customers would
not need to stop over at Kuala Lumpur," he said.

The eastern hub will be developed over three stages from Nov 15 to June
3, with Malaysia Airlines adding new international destinations and frequencies
to complement the currently served foreign cities from Kota Kinabalu.

By June 2011, Kota Kinabalu will have the following international flights:
daily flights to Taipei and Hong Kong, four weekly to Kaohsiung and Seoul, three
weekly to Haneda and twice weekly services to Osaka.

Other new international destinations in the planning include cities in China
and Indonesia.

Ong said customers departing Kota Kinabalu would be among the first to
experience Malaysia Airlines' new B737-800 aircraft.

"With the new aircraft, our customers will enjoy latest generation seats,
roomier interior, better ambience, higher ceilings and mood lighting," he said.

"There will also be an inflight entertainment system offering audio and
video on demand on every business and economy class seat," he added.

Flight schedules from Kota Kinabalu and vice-versa will also be synchronised
with Malaysia Airlines subsidiary MASwings to offer customers with better
connectivity into the interiors of Sabah.
-- BERNAMA