Penang: Penang International Airport's (PIA) flight operations remain normal despite the haze affecting Penang and other parts of Malaysia, with take-offs and landings so far continuing without disruption. Penang Tourism and Creative Economy Committee chairman Wong Hon Wai said airport management had informed the state government that the haze had not affected flight operations at the airport.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, the state government will continue to closely monitor the situation and maintain communication with the airport and airlines to respond to and minimize the impact of haze as well as unforeseen aviation incidents on visitors to Penang and the tourism industry. Wong Hon Wai's statement came after a meeting with newly appointed PIA senior airport manager Ahmad Fikri Samsudin, focusing on airport operations, capacity, future development, and the expansion of the international direct flight network.
Wong also noted there has been no large-scale stranding of Indonesian passengers at PIA following the cancellation of several Penang-Jakarta flights caused by volcanic ash from the eruption of Mount Anak Krakatau. He mentioned that affected airlines, including AirAsia, TransNusa, and Batik Air, had notified passengers of the cancellations through email, SMS, and other communication channels after volcanic ash disrupted operations at Jakarta's Soekarno-Hatta International Airport.
Mount Anak Krakatau erupted three times on Tuesday morning as Indonesian authorities continued to monitor its activity, which remains at Level III, or Siaga (Alert), the second-highest level in Indonesia's four-tier volcano alert system.
Meanwhile, Wong stated that the state government is preparing for two new international direct routes scheduled to begin in October. Hainan Airlines is set to launch a direct service between Haikou, Hainan, and Penang on Oct 11, while Batik Air will begin a direct service between Batam and Penang on Oct 18.
He noted that the Penang state government has been actively strengthening its international aviation network by promoting direct air links between Penang and major international cities. These efforts are gradually bearing fruit as international passenger numbers continue to grow. The airport recorded 2.64 million international passenger movements from January to July this year, compared to 2.38 million during the same period last year, representing an increase of 264,980 passenger movements, or 11.13 percent.