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TAWAU: Tawau Airport welcomed its first charter flight from Hong Kong operated by Greater Bay Airlines (GBA) on Tuesday (Jan 20), with the aircraft receiving a water salute upon landing.

The flight arrived at 8pm carrying 131 passengers. It is Tawau’s first charter this month and strengthens regional connectivity, following previous charter services by Loong Air from Shenzhen and AirAsia from Shanghai in December 2025, along with scheduled flights by Juneyao Airlines from Shanghai.

On site to welcome the passengers were Tawau Municipal Council President Joseph Pang; Senior Deputy CEO of Sabah Tourism Board Tay Shu Lan; Deputy Director of Tourism Malaysia (Sabah) Khairul Amir Anuar; Tawau Airport Head of Operations Rosaimey Asmari; and Vice President of Chinese Chamber of Commerce Tawau, William Tan.

State Minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment Datuk Jafry Bin Ariffin said the additional flight marks a strong start to Visit Malaysia Year 2026 and contributes toward the target of 4 million tourist arrivals to Sabah.

“Hong Kong travellers now have a direct gateway to Tawau’s natural attractions, including Tawau Hills Park, world-class seafood, and the islands of Semporna. It offers a perfect blend of adventure, relaxation, and support for local products.

“This charter flight is an opportunity to test market interest and could lead to permanent scheduled flights. I encourage Tawau tourism players to create travel packages tailored for this market to give guests the best experience in the district,” he added. Greater Bay Airlines will operate twice a week, on Tuesdays and Saturdays.

Since January 1, Sabah has also been served by two other airlines connecting Kota Kinabalu and Hong Kong: Hong Kong Express (five times weekly) and AirAsia (daily).