KOTA KINABALU: A Firefly chartered flight from China’s Nanjing with 157 passengers on board landed safely in Tawau, marking the first international flight to the east coast Sabah district.

       The flight touched down at 5.55am yesterday at the Tawau airport, about 60km away from Sabah’s famed diving haven of Semporna.

       Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Christina Liew said the new chartered flight route was made possible by Firefly that worked closely with the Sabah Tourism Board and Tourism Malaysia.

       She said Firefly will operate the chartered flights three times a week, scheduled to arrive in Tawau every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday with a 540-seat capacity per week until the end of March.

       “We warmly welcome our Chinese friends and look forward to showcasing the unique cultural and natural treasures of Sabah.

       “The launch of direct flights from Nanjing to Tawau is a testament to the growing appeal of our region as a tourist destination.

       “I am excited that this new route will contribute to the growth and development of Tawau as a prominent international destination,” she said in a statement yesterday.

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       Currently, Liew said Sabah receives 42 weekly scheduled flights from Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Hangzhou and Wuhan to Kota Kinabalu with a 7,520-seat capacity per week.

       The passengers were welcomed by Sri Pelancongan Sabah Sdn Bhd chairman Ken Pan, who represented Liew, at the ceremony.

       China-based tourists keen to travel to the east coast of Sabah can book their flights through various online travel agencies such as Ly.com, Ctrip, Qunar and Fliggy.