GEORGE TOWN: Batik Air will introduce two new international routes connecting Medan and Singapore directly to Penang starting Dec 8, further boosting regional tourism and air connectivity.
Penang State Executive Councillor for tourism and creative economy Wong Hon Wai said the announcement followed a recent meeting between the Penang state government and Batik Air during which the airline’s expansion plans and potential partnerships were discussed.
In addition to international routes, Wong revealed that Batik Air plans to expand its domestic network in 2026 by introducing direct services linking Kota Kinabalu-Penang and Kuching-Penang next year.
“During the session, I also shared insights on Penang’s tourism growth prospects and outlined potential areas of collaboration to enhance Penang’s air connectivity, and shortly after the discussion, Batik Air delivered encouraging news to the Penang state government.
“Beginning Dec 8, the airline will launch two new direct routes, Medan-Penang and Singapore-Penang, further enriching Penang’s international flight network,” he said in a statement, Friday.
Wong said according to Batik Air’s latest schedule, the Medan-Penang route will operate daily with seven flights per week.
The flight will depart from Penang International Airport at 5.45 pm and arrive at Kualanamu International Airport at 5:45pm (Medan time), and the return flight will depart Medan at 6.45 pm (Medan time) and land in Penang at 8.40pm.
He said similarly, the Singapore-Penang route will also operate daily with seven weekly flights.
The aircraft will depart from Penang at 8.20am and arrive at Singapore Changi Airport at 9.45am, while the return flight will leave Singapore at 3.20 pm and arrive in Penang at 4.45pm.
On top of that, he said, Batik Air is expected to begin a new charter service between Kunming, China, and Penang by the end of October 2025, further enhancing ties with Southwest China.