Local airline, Firefly Sdn Bhd on Monday launched its maiden flight from Sultan Ismail Airport, Senai in Johor to Sultan Azlan Shah Airport (LTSAS), here.

State Tourism, Arts and Culture Committee chairman, Datuk Nolee Ashilin Mohammed Radzi said it was the second route after the Changi International Airport, Singapore-LTSAS route began in 2009.

"The latest, Firefly flights from Johor Baharu to Ipoh are available four times a week on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday and takes about one hour and 25 minutes to reach Ipoh at 11.45am."

According to her, the state government was targeting five million tourists to visit Perak with the flights.

"The service will also support the efforts of the Tourism and Culture Ministry to meet its target of 28 million tourists under the Visit Malaysia Year 2014 campaign."

Earlier, Nolee, Perak Tourism Malaysia director Ibrahim Seddiqi Talib and Firefly senior officers received the arrival of 64 passengers onboard flight FY2252.

During the promotional period, a one-way ticket on the JB-Ipoh flight costs RM59 and the tickets are only valid for travels up to Oct 24, 2015.

After the promotion, tickets will be sold at below RM400.

The JB-Ipoh flight departs Senai at 10.20am and arrives in Ipoh at 11.45am while the flight from Ipoh to JB is at 12.05pm and scheduled to arrive at 1.30pm.