KUCHING: Batik Air has launched a new direct flight service between Kuching and Guangzhou, China, marking a significant step forward in regional aviation connectivity.
According to a press statement released on Tuesday (Mar 17), the year-round service operates twice weekly, with flights departing every Tuesday and Saturday and return flights from Guangzhou to Kuching on Wednesdays and Sundays.
Flight OD 662 departs Kuching at 10.20pm, arriving in Guangzhou at 2.20am the following day, while the return service, OD 663, departs Guangzhou at 3.20am and lands in Kuching at 7.20am.
Each aircraft is configured with 12 business class seats and 146 economy seats. The inaugural flight departed last night with a full load of 159 passengers.
The launch ceremony was held at Vivacity Megamall and was officiated by Deputy Minister of Transport (Riverine and Marine) Datuk Henry Harry Jinep and Consul General of the People’s Republic of China in Kuching Xing Weiping.
The new route eliminates the need for transit connections between the two cities, reducing travel time for both leisure and business passengers.
Guangzhou, a major economic and cultural hub in Southern China, serves as a gateway to the wider southern Chinese region, while Kuching continues to grow as an international tourism and business destination in Borneo.
Officials expect the route to stimulate trade, boost inbound tourism, and strengthen people-to-people ties between Malaysia and China.
