Direct daily flights to Penang

Chennai: Tourists and businessmen planning a visit to Penang can now bypass Kuala Lumpur as IndiGo Airlines is launching a direct daily flight to the Malaysian state from Chennai. The maiden flight will take off on Dec 26.An Airbus 320 with a 186-passenger capacity will depart at 2.15am from Chennai and land in Penang at 8.30am (Penang local time). The return flight will depart at 9.30am (Penang local time) and land in Chennai at 10.35am. A sum of 10,000 has been fixed as a one-way promotional fare.Ashwin Gunasekaran, CEO of Penang Convention and Exhibition Bureau (PCEB), said PCEB was particular about launching a flight service to Chennai, even as IndiGo offered different routes. He said flyers could get a visa on arrival. The visits are visa-free till Dec 31, which might be extended.IndiGo senior manager Srinivasan said that the airline hd linked the Penang flight with other flights operating from the Middle East, Delhi and Kolkata. "Flyers from other cities can book flights to Penang as a connecting flight from Chennai," Srinivasan added.