Banda Aceh-Penang route

JAKARTA (JP): Private airline company Sabang-Merauke Air Charter (SMAC) has operated a new daily direct flight between Aceh's capital Banda Aceh and Malaysia's city of Penang since Jan. 1, Antara reported yesterday.

A senior official at the Aceh provincial office, Razali Yusuf, said the memorandum of understanding of the route was signed by PT Duta Seulawah Megah, the operator of SMAC, and Malaysia's Ultimate Way Sdn. Bhd. in Penang Wednesday.

Razali said the Seulawah 02 -- a Fokker-27 aircraft which would fly the route -- would be the second flight servicing the Banda Aceh-Penang route.

Malaysian private airline Pelangi Air had been servicing the route twice a week, he added.

"I hope the additional flight will boost tourist arrivals to Aceh and will improve economic cooperation between the two neighboring countries," he said.

He said the Seulawah 02 would also fly from Banda Aceh to Thailand three times a week starting sometime in the near future. (gis)