The Johor government has received an application from Citilink, an Indonesian low-cost airline, to operate four air routes from the republic to the Senai International Airport, the state assembly

was told today.

State Tourism Committee, Cooperatives and Consumerism Committee chairperson Tee Siew Kiong said the routes were Bandung-Johor Baru, Surabaya-Johor Baru, Denpasar-Johor Baru and Medan-Johor Baru.

“The round-trip flights only could attract more tourists to the state as they will make the Senai Airport a major tourist gateway to Johor and Malaysia and turn Johor Baru into a major aviation hub in southern Malaysia,” he said when replying to a question from M Asojan (BN-Gambir).

Tee said the state government and the Johor Tourism Department would discuss the request with the Transport Ministry, Department of Aviation, Senai Airport Terminal Services, Malaysia Airlines, and Johor Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (Matta).

Apart from Citilink, he said the Johor government had held talks with Indonesia AirAsia to operate from the Senai International Airport and was awaiting a response from the aviation authorities.

He said the state government had also held meetings with other airlines, including All Nippon Airways, Korea Air and Cebu-Philippine Airlines on the possibility of providing charter services for tourists.

- Bernama