Ken K. Kour

hmmm.. there are some that are doubting lion air's capability to fund and operate these aircraft, due to the volatile situation in indonesia.. but cant wait to see these in KLIA!

as imran has stated... dont do it... just consider your actions, for all actions have a consequence, and while you can never be blamed if someone does needlessly get hurt or even die because of your selfish actions, you will have to answer to god, and to your concience.. So dont do it... if you feel the need to take a safety card, consult the flight stewards/stewardess, and if they say 'yes', at least you know that it will be replaced, and everone can fly safely... ----------------- @ T Azahan, i believe you can buy them from Temptations inflight shopping, i believe i saw it there somewhere.. ill check when i fly AKL-KUL next saturday.

Corporate clients take to private aircraft July 5 2006 TO MOST travellers, flying on scheduled commercial flights is no longer a pleasurable experience but a necessary evil that one has to endure to get from one destination to another. Flight delays, lost luggage, cramped seating and tight airport security are some of the infamous problems associated with commercial flights. Where business is concerned, these hassles can also lead to reduced productivity. An executive who is waiting eight hours at the airport for a connecting flight is not contributing to the company's bottom line. What is the alternative? For those who can afford it, the answer is chartered air services, be it in the form of private jets, light aircraft or helicopters. Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) director-general Datuk Kok Soo Chon says Malaysia's general aviation sector, which includes air charter services, has experienced a tremendous quantum leap over the last two years. This can be seen from the increased numbers of air service permits (ASPs) given to companies to carry out general aviation activities. Compared to only 16 ASPs two years ago, the total number of permits issued so far has gone up to 20. Another 11 approved applications and 17 new applications are being processed. "The increasing numbers of ASPs indicate a strong growth in demand for general aviation services. Maintaining and operating aircraft is costly. I don't think companies would simply commit themselves to this if they don't think that it would be a viable business," he said. Kok attributed the growth in this sector largely to the increasing economic activities taking place in the country. For example, more activities such as oil exploration and project site visits have created a surge in demand for charter helicopter services. "As society becomes more affluent, naturally there will be demand for more personalised services like this. Companies are willing to pay extra for the flexibility in determining their own flight schedules and destinations. "From a business point of view, charter services would help companies save time and this, in turn, will translate into higher productivity and cost savings," he added. Large corporations such as YTL group and Naza Holdings have already subscribed to this service not only to fly senior managers and executives, but also to take clients and media representatives to view their project sites. Weststar Aviation Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of Weststar Holdings, is one operator that has frequent dealings with corporate clients. One of its biggest customers is utility company Tenaga Nasional Bhd. A spokesperson for Weststar Aviation said Tenaga Nasional engages its services almost every weekend, either to transport its VIPs or to check power lines across the country. Systematic Aviation Services Sdn Bhd chief executive officer Ismail Asha'ari, meanwhile, said demand for charter services at the moment is still largely driven by corporate and business usage. This is mainly because travelling via charter is more expensive compared to commercial flights. A return Kuala Lumpur-Langkawi trip on a 10-passenger aircraft may cost somewhere around RM5,000 (or RM500 per passenger) - costlier compared to what AirAsia is charging. "For normal travellers, the price tag may seem a bit hefty. However, one must realise that the convenience and comfort that comes with the service is priceless. "There is definitely room for improvement to encourage more leisure travellers to switch to this particular service. Maybe travel agents and other relevant players could play a more aggressive role in helping to create the awareness," he added. The growing use of aerial services for purposes other than transportation has also contributed to the growth of this business. Surendra Singham, managing director of Aerohawk Air Sdn Bhd - formerly known as Skytolet - said his business was more focused on advertising and marketing. Initially, under Skytolet, the company operated a sky banner for ntv7. Now its helicopter charter services are primarily used by Astro for its daily traffic reports as well as to fly radio DJs to attend functions. "As you can see, the main focus of our business here is more on marketing and advertising, and not so much on transporting people. "The demand for this sort of services is growing. Business people are getting more creative on how to market their services and products. However, the problem at this moment is that demand exceeds supply," he added. Entrepreneur Tengku Mohd Firman Tengku Farris, who runs a 40ha horse ranch in Gurun, Kedah, admits to having subscribed to charter services to market his equine-park business. He said the company engaged the services of an aviation company to capture an aerial video of the ranch. "The ranch is huge. Some clients may not have time to spare to tour the whole area. I think the best solution for this type of clients is to present them with an aerial video clip of our entire ranch. "In business one has to be creative. You need to use whatever tools available to effectively market your product and services. You just can't be conventional," he added. ________________________________________ Copyright © The New Straits Times Press (Malaysia) Berhad, Balai Berita 31, Jalan Riong, 59100 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. ________________________________________ What Are Your Views on Travelling?

Idris: MAS on the right track By Firdaus Abdullah firdy@nstp.com.my July 6 2006 MALAYSIA Airlines (MAS) has in fact turned around and made a profit, although a small one, just six months after Idris Jala was appointed managing director. The national carrier, which was losing an average of RM 1 billion annually, is being successfully turned around with strong support and commitment from its staff. "In January our loss was RM184 million, in February it was a RM143million loss but in March we made a profit of RM7 million. "The future looks good, all the seeds of recovery have been planted into our business and we are beginning to see clear improvements. We are improving the profitability of the so-called unprofitable routes by boosting yield and productivity," Idris said in Kuching yesterday. "I would say that there are very positive signs of recovery. It is still a long road; it is a marathon and not a sprint. We have to work a lot harder. Today we are on the right track and there are clear signs within the business that the staff are working hard," he told a news conference after a one-day working visit. Idris said with good staff cooperation and a clear focus, the targets spelt out in the airline's Business Turnaround Plan could be achieved. "I have no doubt that as long as we keep doing what we have started to do and increase the momentum we should be able to fulfil what we have put in our Business Turnaround Plan. Within the next three years we will turn this business to profitabily and emerge as a winner in the aviation sector in the region," he said. Idris, a prominent corporate figure in Sarawak before he was roped in by MAS, was bombarded with a host of questions pertaining to the national carrier's recent decisions. Top among the issues were the domestic route separation plan and why MAS would not be operating the rural air services after August 1. Below are excerpts from the question-and-answer session. Q:How is the route separation plan at the moment? A: The Government decided to restructure the domestic aviation sector into the concept called trunk and non-trunk. Under the Government's definition MAS would fly only to the trunk routes. There are 19 trunk routes identified, the other non-trunk routes will be flown by Air Asia and Fly Asia Xpress (FAX) and the handing over will be on August 1. Q: The 99 non-trunk routes, was it part of your Business Turnaround Plan? A: The Business Turnaround Plan is the one we announced on February 28 and it did not have the concept of trunk and non-trunk, but this was the decision of the Government to restructure the aviation sector using the concept of trunk and non-trunk. We respect the Government's decision and abide by the Government's decision and we have to work with the Government to arrive at a workable solution on the basis of the trunk and non-trunk routes, so in the discussion with the Government they identified the 19 routes as trunk whereas AirAsia can fly to all the routes, by the way. It was not in our plan. Q:MAS cannot do what AirAsia is intending to do? A: Our plan was put exactly in the document (Business Turnaround Plan) The documents spells out what we wanted to do. In that document we told the Government "we take over all the routes, we take full responsibility over the profits and loss of all the routes". We needed the opportunity to have a free hand at restructuring the business and to determine where we fly and the schedules. Essentially the Government had made its decision and it wanted to create two national champions. The way that the Government envisaged is to split the routes into trunk and non-trunk. The Government allowed us to fly the trunk routes and AirAsia will fly the trunk and the non-trunk ... that is the Government's decision and we respect the Government's decision. Q:Status of the Mutual Separation Scheme (MSS)? A: We have about 12,800 staff now. More than 4,200 applied for the MSS and we are finalising the outcome. By this Friday we should be able to inform the staff that we have mutually agreed to let go under the scheme. Under the WAU agreement between MAS and PNB, there is a clause that when the asset unbundling agreement is terminated we will get a compensation for that and we will use that money to fund the MSS costs. The compensation that we shoud received from the termination of the agreement is RM650 million, we also have up to about RM200 million from asset write-off which we could claim from the Government through PNB and Khazanah Nasional. The RM650 million is not an amount directly paid by the Goverment for the MSS but rather to compensate for terminating the WAU agreement. Q:Could a tourist flying from London to, say, Alor Star do it directly in a single ticket? A: If you look at our current operations, we have the interlining capabilities. To interline we have to be a member of IATA and you need to have multilateral interlining traffic agreement with all the major carriers. We have more than 20 airlines that are doing bilateral with MAS. So, a passenger could book a single ticket all the way from London to all the destinations in the country. It is a seamless transfer between the routes in our current arrangement, but with regard to interlining capability of AirAsia and FAX ... I think it is only fair to ask them the question. Q:When you were appointed MAS managing director, the rural folks in Sarawak were happy but they are very upset with MAS because they have been abandoned, and their privileges taken away. A: Let me make it quite clear, quite explicit. It is not the intention of Malaysia Airlines to abandon those "non-trunk" routes. It is not our stated policy, not our stand to not fly the rural air service. We always maintain our view, if you look in our plan, we offered to continue to fly all those routes but the Government wanted to create two national champions. Q:Is it a workable plan? A: I think there is a way to find how this can work, and in my view if AirAsia was to ensure that proper interlining, proper connectivity, it should be able to work. I think there is scope for both airlines to become indeed national champions as the Government has put forward in its objectives. Q:How would you describe the morale of MAS staff now? A: Right now we are going through very difficult times, obviously when we restructure, but the way we are going through this ... we are not making anybody redundant through force. Staff are really working hard to get results. I'm convinced that as results flow in things will really get better for MAS. Q: How has your six months on the job been? A: It is a very exciting period. I have worked very hard for the last six months. I'm privileged to work with really good people in Malaysia Airlines, many committed staff and we are all working together to make a difference in this company

Seth, you seen that advertisement too issit? hahahahhaa if they install that we can pretend to have turbulence too, while getting a work out

MAS likely to beat 2007 profit target KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia Airlines Bhd may surpass its RM50mil profit forecast next year by boosting ticket sales, cutting jobs and selling assets. “There’s cautious optimism,†the airline will exceed the 2007 profit target announced in February following a narrower- than-expected loss in the first quarter, the carrier’s managing director Idris Jala said in interview. Malaysia Airlines, which last year posted its biggest loss since at least 1990, is cutting 8,000 jobs in five years, revamping routes, and selling assets to return the company to profit amid rising fuel prices. “Trying to turn around an airline at this point is a very difficult task,†as every carrier suffers from higher fuel prices, said Kelvin Miranda, at Asian Asset Management in Kuala Lumpur. ... (pointing out the obvious...) Record oil prices and competition from airlines including its closest rival AirAsia Bhd., contributed to Malaysia Airline’s RM1.26bil loss in 2005. The airline, 80% owned by the government, has said it expects to meet its goal of narrowing losses this year to RM620mil.[/b] It aims to book a record RM500mil profit in 2008 by focusing on overseas flights. “There are clearly seeds of recovery in our company,†Jala said at the June 27 interview, without giving a new profit target for 2007. “The monthly trend is improving.†The airline’s loss in the three months ended March 31 was a smaller-than-expected RM321mil. In the four months after the recovery plan was unveiled, Jala got 4,200 employees to accept a voluntary separation scheme, cutting the airline’s workforce by about 18%. It had 22,835 workers on its payroll at the end of last year. To help pay for the job cuts, the airline will receive RM850mil from the government, Jala said. It will also save about RM300mil next year from the route revamp. “We’ve done quite a massive network review†and have reduced “quite a lot of the bleeding routes,†Jala said. Jala said he is planning to boost the number of code- sharing arrangement the company has to help increase revenue. The airline, he said, was currently in talks for a code-sharing agreement with Alitalia SpA, aiming to add flights to Southern Europe, Jala said. Malaysia Airlines will work this year on “improving our cash position, next year we’re focused quite heavily on the profit,†Jala said. “The third year is when we will talk a lot more about growth.†– Bloomberg Copyright © 1995-2006 Star Publications (Malaysia) Bhd (Co No 10894-D) Managed by I.Star. __________________________________________________________ Good news it seems So the MD's schedule for the next 3 years has been made clear 2006 - Improve Cash Position 2007 - Improve Yields and Profit 2008 - Growth so perhaps the entry of the Airbus A380 in 2008 is not such a bad thing, and it goes well with Idris Jala's statement for growth in 2008, so perhaps then we will see more flights, and the reopening of previous routes such as Manchester to parallel the growth of the airline. Seems like the Turnaround plan has been going well, and all the best to Idris Jala, for all the flak he might be getting, hes doing a good job! I'd like to hear your thoughts on this matter, from the Staffs view, etc etc

Selamat Hari Jadi! big big thank you to all those here that kept this great site going with your contributions! :D :D :D :D

wow.... GREAT JOB! amazing video!

awesome pics bro.. definately agree with what you said about the malaysian museum! hahaha... keep them coming

But if you read the discussion currently on going at Airliners.net, there seem to be alot of other theories out there, most of which seem to point to other faults and not that of the AC!

Its the Low Frequency/Ultra Low Frequency/High Frequency/Ultra High Frequency Radio antenna i think... radzi could clarify this? i know its a radio antenna and thats about it.. hahah..

thats a BUFF alright!! (For those that know what it means.. hahahhaha..) :D

Already saw two of them in remote stands at the sattelite today.. dunno if they were just waiting for flights or is part of this groudning..

amazing shots!! shes such a pretty bird.. :D thanks for taking the time to share! much appreciated

so what has happened to this? seems to be dead in the water..

Forget the 777-200LR.. go for the 787-8/9/10 by the time those birds roll out it will be late 2008 (For the -8 model) which will be about the time for MH's return to profitability, which will be the perfect time to have newer, efficient aircraft.

KUL - SIN was at the MTB Gate H10 for my flight to singapore on the 9th, and the other singapore flights operated by MH seemed to be over there aswell..

can i say none? so sad to see anything go..

hmmm... how about the GSA's? Changi has the new trucks (catering ones) that can reach the second deck of the 380.. Does KUL have those yet?

True KK Lee, but then again, so much of the duty free is over at the satellite, those operators would be complaining to MAB... and theres a limited capacity for Widebodies over at the MTB.. although moving things over there would be good... baggage would be out alot faster.. but its all a fine balancing act over there...

AKL-TWU (for me and SV Choong) TWU airport can handle a 330 cant it? haha.. i remember that was part of the hype when they built it

the 744Combi is a good choice for Ethiopian i think... capacity of a 767, payload of a DC-8? something like.. correct me if im wrong.. any news on which planes are leaving the MH fleet as part of the rationalisation (step backwards...) program..

Yeah, when my dad (hes my dad btw ) moved to Tawau from West Malaysia back then... Tawau had what.. 1 main street or something like that? hahah.. and how its grown... but yes... very very small world.. i met imran because he heard of me through a friend in his school that used to be in mine, and we met on AeroM, and now M-Wings.. beat that... hahahahhah sadly my bro imran is serving his 1 month ban.. got another 29 days to go i think

I love that shot emperor!! amazing!! wish i had pro camera like that

Yep... full Teo Chiew by ancestry.. cant speak a word of it though not my fault local school didnt let us speak 'fang yuan' (dialect) haha, yes, those were quite a few years ago.. should be coming up onto 10 years? and to answer your question, i am related with Datuk Kour Nam Ngum from Tawau... how do you know him? hehe small world isnt it.. i will add photos of the Korean B744 when i get back to singapore.. (to get this topic back on track)