Published Friday, 23 November, 2007 at 03:00 PM
Minister for Tourism, Regional Development and Industry
The Honourable Desley Boyle
Extra flights to start between Malaysia and Brisbane
ASIA: Malaysia Airlines will add an extra two direct flights a week between Kuala Lumpur and Brisbane.
Tourism Minister Desley Boyle announced the boost today following discussions with the airlines executives in Kuala Lumpur this week.
“We welcome the extra flights, which will bring about an additional 450 seats a week into Queensland during the key summer period,” Ms Boyle said.
“This represents an economic bonus of $3 million to the State.
“It’s also an opportunity for increased business and expansion of international education between Queensland and Malaysia,” she said.
The offshore hub at Kuala Lumpur has been an important collection and distribution point for Queensland traffic – particularly the long-haul UK and European markets – for many years.
Discussions were also held about possible flights into Cairns.
Ms Boyle said Malaysian Airlines was fondly remembered in Cairns from its association there in the early 90s.
The new flights are in addition to Malaysia Airline’s current commitment of seven flights per week operating between Kuala Lumpur and Brisbane via Sydney.
The current daily service is operated with a Boeing 747-400 aircraft, providing 2500 seats per week to Queensland.
The new flights, which will operate non-stop between Brisbane and Kuala Lumpur, will run for 10 weeks between December 10 and February 14 utilising an A330 aircraft with 227 seats of business and economy.
In the year to June 2007, Queensland hosted 28,400 Malaysian visitors who spent $48 million in the state. More than three in four Malaysian visitors coming to Queensland are in the state purely for leisure purposes.
The new Kuala Lumpur-Brisbane services will operate on Mondays and Wednesdays (departing at 11pm and arriving in Brisbane at 9.10am the following day). The Brisbane-Kuala Lumpur services will operate on Tuesdays and Thursdays (departing at 11am and arriving in Kuala Lumpur at 5.10pm local time).
The additional Malaysian flights follows a bumper week for airline announcements in Queensland with:
• Emirates Airlines announcing an additional non-stop daily service to and from Brisbane from next October, and
• China Eastern Airlines this week launching two flights per week between Shanghai and Brisbane until February 20 next year.
Ends
Media contact: 3224 2004
22 November 2007
Tourism Minister Desley Boyle announced the boost today following discussions with the airlines executives in Kuala Lumpur this week.
“We welcome the extra flights, which will bring about an additional 450 seats a week into Queensland during the key summer period,” Ms Boyle said.
“This represents an economic bonus of $3 million to the State.
“It’s also an opportunity for increased business and expansion of international education between Queensland and Malaysia,” she said.
The offshore hub at Kuala Lumpur has been an important collection and distribution point for Queensland traffic – particularly the long-haul UK and European markets – for many years.
Discussions were also held about possible flights into Cairns.
Ms Boyle said Malaysian Airlines was fondly remembered in Cairns from its association there in the early 90s.
The new flights are in addition to Malaysia Airline’s current commitment of seven flights per week operating between Kuala Lumpur and Brisbane via Sydney.
The current daily service is operated with a Boeing 747-400 aircraft, providing 2500 seats per week to Queensland.
The new flights, which will operate non-stop between Brisbane and Kuala Lumpur, will run for 10 weeks between December 10 and February 14 utilising an A330 aircraft with 227 seats of business and economy.
In the year to June 2007, Queensland hosted 28,400 Malaysian visitors who spent $48 million in the state. More than three in four Malaysian visitors coming to Queensland are in the state purely for leisure purposes.
The new Kuala Lumpur-Brisbane services will operate on Mondays and Wednesdays (departing at 11pm and arriving in Brisbane at 9.10am the following day). The Brisbane-Kuala Lumpur services will operate on Tuesdays and Thursdays (departing at 11am and arriving in Kuala Lumpur at 5.10pm local time).
The additional Malaysian flights follows a bumper week for airline announcements in Queensland with:
• Emirates Airlines announcing an additional non-stop daily service to and from Brisbane from next October, and
• China Eastern Airlines this week launching two flights per week between Shanghai and Brisbane until February 20 next year.
Ends
Media contact: 3224 2004
22 November 2007