Zhang Yu

JeniZhang13@163.com

MALAYSIA Airlines will launch a new daily direct route between Shenzhen and Kuala Lumpur starting July 2, a move that underscores the airline’s continued commitment to the Chinese market and highlights the strategic importance of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) in its global expansion strategy.

The airline unveiled the upcoming service during a trade seminar in Shenzhen on Tuesdasy, attended by more than 70 partners and corporate clients from across southern China.

Shenzhen marks the airline’s third GBA destination, joining its existing services to Guangzhou and Hong Kong. With this addition, Malaysia Airlines will offer up to four daily departures from the region to Kuala Lumpur.

Dersenish Aresandiran, chief commercial officer of airline business at Malaysia Aviation Group, said Shenzhen is an ideal fit for the airline’s premium and corporate focus, given its status as a global business hub and home to China’s leading technology giants.

The new route is expected to bolster economic ties between the GBA and Southeast Asia. Corporate travelers will also be able to make use of the airline’s MHcorporate program for enhanced benefits.

From Kuala Lumpur, Shenzhen travelers can connect to international destinations such as Penang, Bangkok, Singapore, Jakarta, Kathmandu, London, Sydney, and Auckland.

The new service comes as foreign arrivals through Shenzhen’s airport continue to rise. China has been expanding its visa-free policies and international route network. Official data show that in the first quarter of this year, the Shenzhen airport recorded more than 1.75 million passenger crossings, a nearly 12% year-on-year increase and a record high for the period.

In addition to the Shenzhen launch, Malaysia Airlines will begin daily service from Changsha on July 8 and has resumed daily flights from Chengdu since Jan. 9. The airline will operate up to 74 weekly flights across nine gateways in China, including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Xiamen, Hong Kong, and Taipei, within this year.