Penang is preparing for its first winter charter flight from Poland, a weekly service that starts on 5 November and runs until 25 March next year as the state moves to widen its European visitor base, NST reported.
The Warsaw-Penang service is operated by a travel agency and flown by LOT Polish Airlines, leaving Warsaw Chopin Airport every Thursday and arriving at Penang International Airport, according to Bernama. Nineteen flights are scheduled across the season, each carrying about 250 to 300 travellers.
“Penang’s first Poland winter charter flight is a stepping stone to unlock the European market,” said state Tourism and Creative Economy Committee chairman Wong Hon Wai.
The charter programme carries eight tourism packages built around Polish winter holidays, and travellers may pick any two. Stays run seven or 14 days, pairing city exploration with a beach holiday: a week through the island’s cultural heritage, then a week on its beaches.
Wong said diversifying Penang’s international tourist source markets would strengthen the resilience of the state’s tourism industry. “The new service will not only further strengthen Penang’s international air connectivity, but also open an important window for Penang’s tourism industry to expand into the European market,” he said.
On 1 October, Wong met representatives of the travel agency and the destination management company behind the charter project to finalise preparations for the inaugural service. The programmes will be led by local Penang tour guides, allowing visitors a deeper understanding of the state’s culture, history, natural attractions and way of life.
Winter charters, he added, are a practical way to connect Penang with long-haul markets because they answer seasonal travel demand and use holiday programmes already assembled by travel operators. Such flights are designed around specific demand, which makes them an entry point for opening new markets and cultivating new sources of visitors, he said.
A charter service is booked and paid for by a tour operator rather than sold seat by seat on a scheduled route, letting an airline open a seasonal destination before committing to a year-round flight. The operator carries the commercial risk, so the seats are sold inside holiday packages with accommodation and tours attached, which is why the Penang itineraries arrive as bundled programmes.
The state government will monitor market response and visitor demand and explore similar winter charter partnerships with tourism operators and airline partners in other European countries. Wong described the Poland service as a starting point and a positive exploration by Penang’s tourism industry to develop long-haul markets in Europe.
