This post is brought to you by Qatar Airways.

The award-winning airline celebrates its first anniversary at Penang International Airport with a surprise celebration and mystery upgrade.

Qatar Airways is pleased to celebrate its one-year anniversary of operating direct flights from Doha to Penang, Malaysia. On 7 February, the award-winning airline commemorated this milestone with a surprise celebration and a mystery upgrade for its passengers at Penang International Airport.

In conjunction with its one-year anniversary, six passengers travelling on flight QR851 were randomly selected and surprised with a Business Class ticket upgrade by Dato’ Muzammil bin Mohamad, Qatar Airways’ Country Manager of Malaysia and Brunei. Passengers were also treated to Qatar Airways exclusive merchandise including luggage tags and Godiva chocolates.

Passengers at Penang International Airport were serenaded by a three-piece band with Qatar Airways’ onboard music that was composed by legendary Qatari musician and songwriter Dana Al Fardan.

From ornate temples to tropical gardens, the sights and sounds of Penang reflect the city’s rich cultural heritage. Holidaymakers and business travellers alike will be enchanted by the state’s magnificent scenery. Penang, known as the gourmet capital of Malaysia, offers a host of culinary delights to please the palate.

Qatar Airways Country Manager of Malaysia and Brunei, Dato’ Muzammil Mohamad said: “We are happy to celebrate one year of flying to and from the gorgeous Penang. It is a world renowned exotic holiday destination for passengers wishing to experience Malaysia’s soft and sandy beaches and its breath-taking natural beauty. Malaysia itself attracts a sizeable number of business and leisure travellers seeking to enjoy the undiscovered treasures and cultural diversity of the country. We aim to introduce more visitors to Malaysia, and connect them from Malaysia to more than 160 destinations on our rapidly expanding global network.”

Qatar’s national carrier has been flying to Malaysia since 2001, when it first began services to the city of Kuala Lumpur. In 2018, Penang was added to the airline’s expanding network as the second destination, flying four times weekly.

Qatar Airways seamlessly connects passengers from Malaysia to more than 160 places across six continents via its award-winning Hamad International Airport. The airline has launched an array of exciting new destinations recently, including Mombasa, Kenya and Gothenburg, Sweden. The airline will add a number of exciting new destinations to its extensive route network in 2019, including Malta and Isfahan, Iran, to name just a few.

A multiple-award-winning airline, Qatar Airways was named ‘World’s Best Business Class’ by the 2018 World Airline Awards, managed by international air transport rating organisation Skytrax. It was also named ‘Best Business Class Seat’, ‘Best Airline in the Middle East’, and ‘World’s Best First Class Airline Lounge.’