Qatar Airways begins flights to and from Penang

GEORGE TOWN: Qatar Airways commenced its maiden Penang-bound flight, which took off from Doha at 2.30am (Doha Time).
Flight QR850 touched down at Penang International Airport at about 2.35pm, and was welcomed with a rainshower shot from two water cannons to signify the inaugural flight's arrival.
Present were Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, Deputy Chief Minister 1, Datuk Mohd Rashid Hasnon, Qatar Airways Chief Commercial Officer Ehab Amin, Qatar Ambassador Essa Mohamad Al-Manai and Malaysian Ambassador to Qatar Datuk Ahmad Fadil Shamsudin.
Also present were the South East Asia Vice-president of Qatar Airways, Jared Lee, Malaysian Airport Berhad managing director, Datuk Badlisham Ghazali and Penang state excos.
Qatar Airways, reputably one of the world's top airlines, will launch flights from the airport in Bayan Lepas to Hammad International Airport in Doha every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.
It is the airline's second domestic destination after KLIA, which they began flying in and out of in 2001.
Presently, Doha is known as a Middle East aviation hub with connections to Europe and America, especially for passengers who opt to fly across the Indian Ocean rather than over the Pacific Ocean.
Qatar Airways will be spreading its wings to another 25 destinations by next year as part of its ambitious global expansion drive, said Jared Lee.
The airline currently manages a growing fleet of some 200 wide–bodied aircraft, that it flies to 150 international business and leisure destinations worldwide.