Kuala Lampur, Dec. 30 -- Hainan Airlines Holding Company Limited will launch its scheduled Haikou-Kuching-Haikou direct flight beginning in March next year, following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the company and the Sarawak Tourism Board (STB) here today.

State Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said the proposal is for Hainan Airlines to operate two to three flights per week using B737-800 aircrafts, with 164 seats including eight business class seats.

"The airline now is on its final proposal stage of obtaining landing slots pending approval by the Civil Aviation Administration of both China and Malaysia," he said in his speech at the signing of the MoU.

"With the latest d...