It was greeted with a water shower upon landing and the arrival of passengers was greeted warmly by Transport Minister Dato Sri Lee Kim Shin.

In a survey, The Borneo Post spoke to some Sibu folk who welcomed the direct flights to Singapore due to its convenience.

Betty Lau, 71, said the direct route to Singapore was convenient for those who had to commute to Singapore to visit their children there.

“I feel very grateful for the direct flight from Sibu to Singapore because it saves me a lot of time as I often visit my son who works in Singapore.

“This direct flight only takes about 1 hour 45 minutes if there are no delays – this is very pleasing to us as passengers because we can reach our destination faster than before, where we had to transit first,” she said.

For June Shau, 30, the direct route saves time as it takes less than two hours.

“I feel very happy with this direct flight because it saves me a lot of time compared to when we had to transit in Kuala Lumpur before reaching Sibu.

“This takes a long time because the flight time back to Sibu is sometimes not on time due to weather factors,” she said, adding that she hopes more direct flights will be made to other destinations.

Meanwhile, Ocean Lim Shian Hai, 32, said the direct flights makes it easier for those working abroad to return home.

“For those who work abroad like Singapore, we will often return to our hometown when it’s festival period. With the availability of direct flights, it is much easier for those of us working outside Malaysia to return to our hometown.

“The flight also does not take long, less than two hours. I think it’s a short and quicker time for us to reach home without having to transit anywhere,” he said.

He also echoed June’s sentiments for more direct flights to be implemented.