JuliusWong

Intra-AirAsia Group fleet movement: A320-214 MSN 4964 HS-ABY Thai Air Asia ferried 01 June 2023 DMK-CGK prior transfer to Indonesia AirAsia ex 9M-AQK A320-216 MSN 6702 JA01DJ AirAsia ferried 03 June 2023 KUL-SZB ex F-WWBV Source: https://www.skyliner-aviation.de/regdb.main?LC=nav4&page=1

Malaysia’s MYAirline eyes new routes, fleet growth https://www.flightglobal.com/airlines/malaysias-myairline-eyes-new-routes-fleet-growth/153429.article (behind paywall) MYAirline’s stand at Malaysia’s LIMA show. Source: Greg Waldron/FlightGlobal Malaysian low-cost start-up MYAirline is enjoying strong load factors as it contemplates new international routes and fleet growth. The airline, which started operations in December 2022, is on the verge of taking its eighth leased Airbus A320, according to chief executive Rayner Teo. Teo adds that the carrier also has imminent plans to launch services to Singapore from its hub at KLIA2 - the second terminal of Kuala Lumpur International Airport. Teo spoke with FlightGlobal at the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace exhibition, where the airline has a promotional stand. Load factors at the LCC average around 92%, and were as high as 96% during MYAirline’s first month of operations. On the carrier’s finances, Teo notes that the company is privately owned, and the cash situation is comfortable. “Up to now, there are no issues on that front,” says Teo. “But as we go forward we will definitely be exploring other methods of bringing in cash and funding. But that is at a later stage.” Teo also shed light on the company’s plans to start operations to both of Bangkok’s International Airports, Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang from late June. Within a month of commencing Bangkok services, MYAirline will operate two flights daily to each of the airports. He says that some customers have preferences about which Bangkok airport they fly too. The move to cover two Bangkok airports also has a strategic rationale: securing valuable slots before Chinese travel to Thailand returns to the levels seen before he coronavirus pandemic. “Getting a slot is not so difficult, but it’s [difficult] to get the slot that you want,” he says. In addition to Singapore, other new international routes are likely to be Jakarta, Phuket, Ho Chi Minh City, and Da Nang. Regarding fleet, Teo says that MYAirline aims to have 50 aircraft within three years. This is more ambitious than Teo’s stated plan in late 2022, when he told FlightGlobal that the aim was to have 50 aircraft in five years. The carrier is talking to Airbus, Boeing, and Embraer about its future fleet plans, with growth likely to come from a mix of orders and leases. He is adverse to having a mixed fleet, but acknowledges that depending on future fleet decisions, it is possible that a mixed fleet may be necessary for a time.

Malaysia's MYAirline details int'l network plan https://www.ch-aviation.com/portal/news/127597-malaysias-myairline-details-intl-network-plan MYAirline (Z9, Kuala Lumpur International) will begin international operations on June 28, 2023, with daily roundtrips between Kuala Lumpur International and Bangkok Suvarnabhumi, and Kuala Lumpur - Bangkok Don Mueang using A320-200 equipment. The launch of international services follows the carrier starting domestic flights in early December 2022. By mid-August, MYAirline plans to operate twice daily roundtrips on both routes into Bangkok. The carrier will take on AirAsia, Batik Air Malaysia, and Thai AirAsia on the Kuala Lumpur - Bangkok Don Mueang route, where AirAsia offers a commanding 65.65% of all seats available on the sector. On the Kuala Lumpur - Bangkok Suvarnabhumi route, MYAirline will compete with Thai AirAsia, Thai Airways International, AirAsia X, and Malaysia Airlines. While more airlines fly on the sector into Bangkok Suvarnabhumi, there are approximately 50% less seats available on a weekly basis compared to the Kuala Lumpur - Bangkok Don Mueang route. MYAirline recently secured approval from the Malaysian Aviation Commission (MAVCOM) to operate seven roundtrips a week between Kuala Lumpur and Phuket which comes into effect immediately. In March, the carrier was also granted approval to fly 14 roundtrips a week between Kuala Lumpur and Singapore Changi. MYAirline has MAVCOM approval to operate across 24 domestic routes. Ahead of its international launch, the airline is flying on nine of those routes.

MYAirline inks six MoUs worth RM2.7bil at LIMA ‘23 https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/business/2023/05/25/myairline-ink-six-mous-worth-rm2-7bil-at-lima-23/ PETALING JAYA: MYAirline Sdn Bhd has signed six memoranda of understanding (MoU) amounting to RM2.7 billion at the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace exhibition (LIMA ‘23) today. The amount, the largest so far at LIMA ‘23, entails the extension of the airline’s existing Airbus A320 comprehensive component support programme with SIA Engineering Company. The MoU includes wheel and brake services that will cover pooling, as well as repair and overhaul of wheels and brakes for the MYAirline fleet. The carrier has also secured leasing agreements with several renowned aircraft lessors – including Aircastle, Avolon, Genesis, and SMBC Aviation Capital – resulting in a total of 17 aircraft by the end of 2023, valued at a total of US$450 million (RM2.1 billion) Additionally, the airline also announced a groundbreaking joint venture with Menzies Aviation that will establish MYMenzies as one of the largest ground-handling service providers in Malaysia. No wonder I saw a new company with the name MYMenzies in last month MAVCOMM approval list.

New addition for MYAirlines: A320-214 MSN 2968 9M-DAJ MyAirline delivery 24-25may23 TLL-CAI-SHJ-KUL, OE-reg ex OE-IZV Source: https://www.skyliner-aviation.de/regdb.main?LC=nav4&page=1

First AirAsia X KUL-BKK-KUL flight, D77170/7171 landed today. https://www.facebook.com/BangkokFlightServices/posts/pfbid02ULLmcZM72PMa1Hor3YioLZNNxNviCU3Dh9hgMcDayRpAN4ixythrxrmaarzEvp1Pl Will be fun to see Batik Air does the same. Hahaha!

Batik Air to start KL-Tashkent flights by year-end, says top Lion Group executive https://www.nst.com.my/business/2023/05/913192/batik-air-start-kl-tashkent-flights-year-end-says-top-lion-group-executive KUALA LUMPUR: Batik Air Malaysia, an airline subsidiary of Indonesia's Lion Group, is planning to start direct flights from Kuala Lumpur to Tashkent, Uzbekistan by the end of this year. Lion Group group strategic director Datuk Chandran Rama Muthy said Batik Air was looking to operate three times weekly flights between Malaysia and Uzbekistan with the first flight most likely commencing either in November or December this year.

Malaysia regional carrier SKS Airways commits to ten E195-E2s https://www.flightglobal.com/airlines/malaysia-regional-carrier-sks-airways-commits-to-ten-e195-e2s/153441.article Malaysian regional operator SKS Airways has committed to taking 10 Embraer E195-E2 regional jets from lessor Azorra, making it the type’s first operator in Southeast Asia. The commitment, announced during the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace (LIMA) exhibition, will see the first E195-E2 delivered to SKS from 2024. The regional jets, which are configured to seat 136 passengers, will be based at Kuala Lumpur’s Subang international airport.

Airbus A220 for new airline in Sarawak? Abg Jo makes history by boarding Langkawi-bound Airbus fuelled with S’wak-made SAF https://www.theborneopost.com/2023/05/22/abg-jo-makes-history-by-boarding-langkawi-bound-airbus-fuelled-with-swak-made-saf/ KUCHING (May 22): Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg today made history when he boarded a Latvian airBaltic Airbus A220-300 – the first aircraft to be fuelled up with Sarawak-made algae sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). The plane transited at the Kuching International Airport from Bangkok and is Langkawi-bound as Abang Johari sets off to attend the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition (LIMA 2023). The aircraft departed the Kuching International Airport at 2pm and the flight to Langkawi took two hours. With him on board, Abang Johari fulfilled his promise to be one of the first passengers to travel in a plane using Sarawak’s algae SAF. A mistake here though: “The aircraft was provided by Airbus because none of them (Malaysian airline companies) have this particular model. This is the first time that an Airbus A220 has touched down in Southeast Asia – that is why we collaborated with Airbus for the SAF,” he said." Encik, A220 visited Malaysia back in 2019, and it has been to South East Asia at least twice in 2019.

I really really can't understand why Malaysians, especially those from Sabah and Sarawak like to buy their ticket last min. You would have known the PH dates way earlier, the public holiday calendar is published at least a year ahead, you should have booked your air ticket way ahead. For those who say: "Kenot dpt leave how?!!" You book your air ticket first, work out with your boss and colleagues on how to manage the work when you are away, best bring your laptop with you if your company provides you with one. Those air ticket issue is not something new, not a rocket science to plan ahead and book ahead. You can't have the cake and eat it at the same time.

Do you mean MAHB wants to make a extensive makeover? KUL is lesser important port for many airlines, not surprised they closed down their lounges in Malaysia. There were hardly any uptick in their KUL load or frequency except during occasional holiday. The exceptional maybe is EK. CX used to run 4x daily flight now only 2x, heavy loss for the past three years due to heavy lockdown, conversing cash and a more-Chinese centric management took over, SQ SilverKris lounge was small and unable to handle the crowd as their due to their close flight timing (7-9x daily depending on which day) also many Star Alliance pax, TG- heavy loss, bankruptcy, only 2x per day and their contract was terminated/not renewed in Aug 2020. EK despite flying B77W and A380 flight into KUL, may be concentrating their limited resources elsewhere where ROI is higher. Short of equipment and crew now like any other airlines now. I believe the closure is mutual agreement between MAHB and the airlines during the covid lockdown, but with so many lots especially at Mezzanine Floor at Satellite A, I sure hope MAHB has some good ideas how to fill them up again.

This is the most unfortunate aspect of cost cutting and outsourcing within the aviation industry. Almost every airlines are now cost cutting to bare bone, closing their own lounges and outsourced to third party. Even Singapore Airlines closed its own SilverKris Lounge at KUL, even though they have many premium customers here in Malaysia. Plaza Premium Group (PPG) is now one of the biggest beneficiary of such cost-cutting exercise. In next few months, PPG will be launching several new brands in Malaysia and the region. Moving forward, I think we will only see airline branded/owned lounges in major Asian cities: SIN/HND/NRT/PVG/PKX/HKG. The rest, will be just outsourced.

If the load pattern is the same for past pandemic, why OD would want to kill the golden goose? Really baffled us........They have enough airframes, some are still in storage. They have 12 before the pandemic, now down to nine, with four in storage, five in operation. Perhaps lack of crew??

I think they use the airframe for either Kuantan or Alor Setar flight, possibly? Also I highly doubt the PNG-MKZ load is sustainable [Pax could fly cheaper into KUL and then the hospital van or bus to Melaka]. MKZ-PKU yes may have some pax, again I doubt it is full all year long. MKZ and PNG are both medical destinations for PKU residents.

Batik Air Malaysia ATR operation has been pretty small post-pandemic, are they going to scale down further? There are several Batik Air Malaysia ATR 72s still in storage at SZB, parked at the end of the runway. Not sure if they are reactivated. However you are correct, Batik Air Malaysia is now shying away from domestic price war both the West and the East. Using TPE and DPS as scissor hubs for their East Asia and Australia/NZ routes. And of course they are mounting more flight into South Asia countries than MH and AirAsia Group put together. Very sharp eyes! No, it is a typo. The CEO confirmed on my comment posted on his IG, they will retain its original AirAsia X configuration [12Y+ 365 Y= 377] as they urgently need to press them into service in this quarter. Same goes to those ex-GA B737-800NGs they recently added. Once the peak is over, they will be pulled out from service for reconfiguration.