KA increase flight to BKI

[Alif A. F. 0]

20% HIKE IN TOURIST ARRIVALS FROM CHINA, HK

 

P2a

Kah Kiat (right) and Patrick holding a replica of the Dragonair Airbus plane at the announcement yesterday

10th March, 2007

 

KOTA KINABALU: The state is expecting a 20 per cent rise in the influx of tourists from Hong Kong and China this year, thanks to Dragonair increasing the frequency of flights between Hong Kong and Kota Kinabalu from the current four flights per week to daily flights starting April 2.

 

Last year alone, Sabah received more than 60,000 tourists from Hong Kong and China, said Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Tan Sri Chong Kah Kiat after the airline’s announcement of their daily flight service to the State capital yesterday.

 

“With the introduction of the daily flights, I believe we can easily increase the tourist arrivals from Hong Kong and China by about 20 percent…the airline will also be operating here with their airbus services, which means more seats for passengers,” he said.

 

Kah Kiat expressed his optimism about the new development, saying that this would create more opportunities for them to promote Sabah to Americans and Europeans who are in Hong Kong.

 

“As Hong Kong is an international hub, I believe we can now do more to lure the Americans, Europeans and other international travellers into Sabah,” he said. “The airline flies to about 23 destinations in China, so it would be easy for them to bring the Chinese tourists to Sabah.” In his speech earlier, Kah Kiat emphatically said that he believed Dragonair would not regret its decision to operate the daily Hong Kong–Kota Kinabalu–Hong Kong flights.

“Good things lie ahead for Dragonair for taking this plunge,” he said. “Sabah is going to be the destination for the world. Sabahans are by nature hospitable, passionate and proactive.” He further added that the State Government, Tourism Board and tour operators will extend their fullest support to the airline. Meanwhile, Cathay Pacific Airways Southeast Asia general manager Patrick Yeung said that the introduction of the new daily flights would improve the city’s connectivity with the rest of the world.

 

“There will be less hassle in connection: from Hong Kong, passengers can travel to other parts of the world – to Europe, the US (United States of America) and so on,” he said.

 

In terms of helping the state to promote tourism, Patrick said that the airline can only provide accessibility but it is up to the players in the tourism industry in the State to lure the tourists to come.

 

“We are but a part of the tourism players. We are only the pioneer in preparing the seats (for passengers), but the other players, the hotels, the tour agents and the government must equally play their role to promote the State,” he said.

[Keith T 2]

When KA joins oneworld later this year - BKI comes online as a new oneworld explorer city! This is in addition to being connected to the CX/KA network via HKG daily.

 

Info about the ow explorer fare here:

http://www.oneworld.com/ow/air-travel-opti...the-world-fares

 

Will definitely go a long way in connecting BKI with the rest of the world and increase tourist numbers to BKI.

Edited March 10, 2007 by Keith T

[BC Tam 2]

DE here reported the route will be serviced by 'widebodies' - are we to expect KA's A333's here on daily basis then ?! If so,

[S V Choong 4]

When KA joins oneworld later this year - BKI comes online as a new oneworld explorer city! This is in addition to being connected to the CX/KA network via HKG daily.

 

Info about the ow explorer fare here:

http://www.oneworld.com/ow/air-travel-opti...the-world-fares

 

Will definitely go a long way in connecting BKI with the rest of the world and increase tourist numbers to BKI. smile.gif

 

Guess that still won't bring you to BKI as you are now a full fledge Star Alliance member eh?

 

Nevertheless this will be more useful for me who travels back home time to time.

Edited March 10, 2007 by S V Choong

[Keith T 2]

Guess that still won't bring you to BKI as you are now a full fledge Star Alliance member eh?

 

Nevertheless this will be more useful for me who travels back home time to time.

 

Have you seen my signature?

 

[long story]

[Pieter C. 5]

So KA is going to daily: how about MH ? This was code-share with KA (before), and they will remain the same frequency-wise ?

[S V Choong 4]

Whenever I tried to book on the MH/KA code share flight MH9060/KA060 or MH9061/KA061 they wouldn't allow me. I think nowdays MH and KA has pretty much went on their own. MAS flights to HKG from BKI has become MH382 and MH384.

[BC Tam 2]

Pieter,

Just looked up schedule on KA's site (MH's online timetable next to useless unfortunately !) Appears MH will be retaining daily flights too, so BKI-HKG vv will go double daily

Good to see there will be the option of an afternoon KA flight ex-HKG to BKI soon. Always a tough choice having to decide whether to wake up at some unworldly hour for the 8am KA flights or take the afternoon MH flight (to sample the difference mah !)

 

Hey SV,

KA's site still list MH382 and 384 as code shares. One of them continue on to KCH, albeit by MH alone. The new extra 3x weeklies by KA look like KA own flights though, don't show up on MH's timetable at all.

Edited March 11, 2007 by BC Tam

[Seth K 3]

Dun rely on MH website, it gets really annoying sumtimes <_>

Wow, great for BKI, and the spotters of course, who knows, CX will come to BKI someday What's the price offer for this route?

Edited March 11, 2007 by Seth K

[BC Tam 2]

..... who knows, CX will come to BKI someday .....

Somehow I don't see this happening anytime soon, not with the category of pax one mostly sees coming off the flights. My guess is the yields wouldn't interest CX one bit, probably reason why they were so ready to pass up the route to KA years ago (that was before they owned KA mind you) Probably same reason why SQ never reinstated SIN-BKI (and SIN-KCH) but got MI to do the job instead.

Good news for all the seafood restaurants in KK !!

[Daniel Ng 0]

CX only flies to 2 destinations in Malaysia, namely KUL and PEN.

Wonder how the airline is doing in terms of load and yields in both these destinations.

Good news for BKI....busiest airport in the whole of Borneo.

[Keith T 2]

CX only flies to 2 destinations in Malaysia, namely KUL and PEN.

Wonder how the airline is doing in terms of load and yields in both these destinations.

 

They have 3 dailies to KUL. And a daily flight to PEN that has only recently been reinstated as a direct flight in its own right. Sounds like they're enjoying decent yields. The flights to KUL are also joint services with MH, as well as being codeshared by oneworld partners AA and BA - that could help push up loads and yields.

Edited March 11, 2007 by Keith T

[Samuel Chy 0]

horrayyyyyy.... can spot it easily... and please often send in their special livery.......

 

anyway, hopefully KE also, but not at night. of course, CX also one of my wishlist...***think too much***

 

Edited March 11, 2007 by Samuel Chy