khairuddin abu hanifah

I read in The Star Online today - Two firms are planning to start a new airline with Sultan Abdul Halim Airport in Kepala Batas here as its hub. Bumi Aviation Sdn Bhd and Neptune Air Sdn Bhd are behind the new low-cost carrier, which has yet to be named, and plan to start with return flights to Langkawi, Kota Baru, Medan, Acheh and Phuket. http://www.thestar.com.my/Business/Business-News/2014/06/13/New-lowcost-airline-plan-Bumi-Aviation-and-Neptune-Air-intend-to-make-Kedah-airport-as-hub/

Quite interesting to read an article from YB Wee Choo Keong website today. He is a former Member of Parliament for Wangsa Maju, giving out the reasons why AirAsia refuse to relocate to KLIA2:http://weechookeong.com/2014/06/05/now-everone-can-see-airasia-caught-lying/

Coming soon: Medan – Terengganu by You wings https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1426852390923962&set=pcb.1426854414257093&type=1&theater

MAS HAS ENOUGH TO SURVIVE ANOTHER YEAR, KHAZANAH CHIEF SAYS – KUALA LUMPUR, June 10 ― Malaysia Airlines (MAS) has enough capital to survive the year but long-term options are being considered to help the loss-making flag carrier stay afloat beyond the 12 months, Khazanah Nasional Berhad said today. See more at: http://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/mas-has-enough-to-survive-another-year-khazanah-chief-says#sthash.Ue9LjO4g.dpuf

The question is: will Khazanah Nasional Malaysia willingly to let go their 100% shares in Penerbangan Malaysia Berhad and 69.37% in Malaysia Airlines? And who are the people representing Khazanah Nasional Malaysia in Malaysia Airlines? Until a good strategic exit and take over plans is in place and revealed then the situation will never changed. http://www.khazanah.com.my/docs/30Apr2014_investment_structure.pdf

Quite interesting .... the 28th May 2014 event is a full of surprise when I read the following link: http://malaysiaairlinesfamilies.wordpress.com/2014/05/18/the-con-jobs-by-airasias-tony-fernandez-to-steal-mas-mro/

Latest news on Flying Fox on their fb: Flying Fox Airways has changed its name! https://www.facebook.com/flyingfoxairways/photos/a.163030853898094.1073741826.161834960684350/236018673265978/?type=1&theater https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1416041088671759&set=a.1416041728671695.1073741828.1416012565341278&type=1&theater

I think Mr Van Straten is right. They don't have an AOC. I believe Flying Fox Airways is using Sri Wijaya Air's AOC as they're flying out of Medan to Ipoh vice versa. They too are using Sri Wijaya's aircraft and Registration. All bookings are made through Sri Wijaya Air's website. Even till now the Flying Fox Airways website: www.flyingfox.com.my is still under construction. NOTAM stated that heavy aircrafts prohibited from 29th Nov till 31th Dec 2013 (estimated). They should able to fly in after that. Surprisingly heavyweight Russian - IL-76 (50 tonne) aircraft was allowed to land in IPH before that. Refer link: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=213632722118484&set=a.197783013703455.1073741828.115021711979586&type=1&theater and https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=129765450505212&set=a.197783013703455.1073741828.115021711979586&type=1&theater

I believe the new extended runaway has not been tested for heavier aircraft than ATR 72-600 since the construction was completed. That is why take off and landings was not commissioned to 737-4 or heavier aircraft.

Latest news on Flying Fox on their fb: ANNOUNCEMENT: Flying Fox Airways has received notice that Sultan Azlan Shah Airport needs to undergo immediate maintenance on the runway. Due to this situation we are unable to operate our Boeing 737-400 planes in and out of Ipoh until the maintenance has been completed. Although it is unfortunate, Flying Fox Airways will currently close flights in and out of Sultan Azlan Shah Airport temporarily until JUNE 2014. Link: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=182022848665561&set=a.163030853898094.1073741826.161834960684350&type=1&theater

Latest from Flying Fox Airways! BOOKING IS NOW OPEN!! Flying Fox Airways, proud operator of Sriwijaya Air is ready to launch its IPOH-MEDAN route on 13th December. Flights will commence on Mondays and Fridays. Book now at http://www.sriwijayaair.co.id/ https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=178072119060634&set=a.163030853898094.1073741826.161834960684350&type=1&theater Return ticket from Ipoh to Medan is RM800 inclusive of taxes and fees, 20kg luggage and light refreshments.

Hi. I'm formerly resident of Langkawi but now residing in PJ. I'll be in Langkawi from 23rd Mac until 31st Mac. Hopefully to meet other members of MWings group during LIMA'13. May I suggest we have a 'teh tarik' session at Nasi Kandar Tomato Restaurant near Pantai Chenang? It's just about 10 minutes drive from the Langkawi airport.Or probably in a restaurant in the airport. Those who need some assistance in term of last minute accomodations or transportion may contact me. I might be able to help. My e-mail address: khairuddin_airmalaysia@yahoo.com. See u all in Langkawi! Cheers!

I guess what that guy meant is 'Batavia Air promotes Sarawak health/medical tourism to the Indonesian in Kalimantan'. 'Medical Tourism' is more appropriate word than 'sick people'.

With the exception of Lion Air, other LCCs in Indonesia should start considering a merger among them for sustainability and profitability.

Posted on February 1, 2013 by Tom Allet Garuda Indonesia, the national airline for Indonesia, has announced that it has chosen Gatwick to operate direct flights between London and Jakarta. This will make Gatwick the only UK airport to connect passengers directly to the largest economy in South East Asia. From the fourth quarter of 2013, business and leisure passengers will be able to fly direct between Indonesia and the UK six times per week. Garuda Indonesia will operate Boeing 777-300 Extended Range aircraft capable of carrying over 300 passengers. The UK is now one of the largest markets to Indonesia with 160,000 people currently travelling to the region on business and leisure (source: Based on 2011 MIDT data). Gatwick’s Chief Executive Stewart Wingate said: “We are delighted that Garuda Indonesia has chosen Gatwick to operate this vital direct route. Despite being a crucial high growth business market for the UK, Indonesia has been underserved with no direct routes to the region from the UK – until now. Jakarta is also a major hub airport for South East Asia, giving UK passengers even more access and choice to the region. “Whilst the UK is one of the best connected countries in the world, we do need more direct links to key markets such as Indonesia. At Gatwick, we’re playing our part by investing in the airport and, with our airlines, opening new routes to growing economies such as China, Russia, Turkey, Vietnam and now Indonesia. We look forward to welcoming Garuda Indonesia later this year.” Garuda Indonesia’s President and CEO, Emirsyah Satar, said that the new Jakarta-London direct flight will complement the existing Jakarta – Abu Dhabi – Amsterdam route, as part of the airline’s Quantum Leap 2011-2015 programme to develop the international network and become a ‘global player’. “This flight will be more convenient since it will be serving passengers - non-stop – from Jakarta to London with the brand new B777-300ER, which will be equipped with Wi-Fi and a chef on board for First Class passengers. “We chose Gatwick, London as the UK airport because of its convenience and good network and accessibility options into Europe and beyond,” Mr Satar added. Garuda Indonesia has also expanded its flight network to Europe through codeshare agreements with other international airlines, including Etihad Airways, which enables passengers to fly into seven major cities across Europe. Source: http://www.airportsinternational.com/2013/02/garuda-announces-gatwick-link/12063?goback=.gde_84160_member_210199376

By RAQUEL MARIA DILLON | Associated Press – TUSTIN, Calif. (AP) — The massive blimp-like aircraft flies but just barely, hovering only a dozen feet off a military hangar floor during flight testing south of Los Angeles. Still, the fact that the hulking 230-foot-long Aeroscraft could fly for just a few minutes represents a step forward in aviation, according to the engineers who developed it. The Department of Defense and NASA have invested $35 million in the prototype because of its potential to one day carry more cargo than any other aircraft to disaster zones and forward military bases. "I realized that I put a little dot in the line of aviation history. A little dot for something that has never been demonstrated before, now it's feasible," said flight control engineer Munir Jojo-Verge. The airship is undergoing testing this month at Marine Corps Air Station in Tustin, and must go through several more rounds of flight testing before it could be used in a disaster zone or anywhere else. The first major flight test took place Jan. 3. The biggest challenge for engineers is making sure the airship will be able to withstand high winds and other extreme weather conditions, Jojo-Verge said. "Their vulnerability is their large size," said aviation expert and former Navy test pilot Pete Field. "There's a lot of surface area so wind affects it tremendously." Worldwide Aeros, the company that developed the aircraft, said it also must secure more funding for the next round of flight tests, but is hopeful the Defense Department and others will step in again as investors. The company says the cargo airship's potential to carry more cargo more efficiently than ever before would provide the U.S. military with an advantage on the battlefield and greater capacity to save more lives during natural disasters. The lighter-than-air vehicle is not a blimp because it has a rigid structure made out of ultra-light carbon fiber and aluminum underneath its high-tech Mylar skin. Inside, balloons hold the helium that gives the vehicle lift. Unlike hydrogen, the gas used in the Hindenburg airship that crashed in 1937, helium is not flammable. The airship functions like a submarine, releasing air to rise and taking in air to descend, said Aeros mechanical engineer Tim Kenny. It can take off vertically, like a helicopter, then change its buoyancy to become heavier than air for landing and unloading. "It allows the vehicle to set down on the ground. And then when we want to become lighter than air, we release that air and then the vehicle floats and we can allow it to take off," Kenny said. In the early 1930s, the Navy operated two airships — the Macon and the Akron — as flying aircraft carriers that could launch and retrieve biplanes. Both were lost to thunderstorms. If the design team can make the Aeroscraft steady and maneuverable, it would be the ultimate logistics and transport vehicle, carrying tanks, equipment and supplies to bases around the world, Field said. "I don't think there's much doubt about whether it's going to work or not. It's physics," he said. "In the right atmospheric conditions, it would be ideal." The project has set abuzz the old hangars at the Marine Corps Air Station in Tustin. The structures were built to hold blimps during World War II. Now workers zip around in cherry-pickers, and the airship's silvery surface shines against the warm tones of the aging wood of the walls. "You could take this vehicle and go to destinations that have been destroyed, where there's no ports, no runways, stuff like that. This vehicle could go in there, offload the cargo even if there's no infrastructure, no landing site for it to land on, this vehicle can unload its whole payload," said Kenny. The prototype isn't intended to carry cargo, though a similar-sized craft could haul about 30 tons. Aeros wants to build a full-size 450-foot-long vehicle that can carry 66 tons of payload. Source and video: http://news.yahoo.com/high-tech-cargo-airship-being-built-california-100513071--finance.html

Maswings Foray Into Balikpapan Hailed By Newmond Tibin KOTA KINABALU, Jan 30 (Bernama) -- The BIMP-EAGA Malaysia Business Council has applauded the Indonesian and Malaysian government's for giving approval to Maswings to fly into Balikpapan, East Kalimantan (Indonesia) from Kota Kinabalu and Kuching. The flights will begin on Feb 1 this year. Its Chairman Datuk Roselan Johar Mohamed said: "For businessmen, doing business within their own country is not enough. We must go beyond our common borders. "Maswings has opened up new doors to new territories which were previously difficult to reach. "Both governments had promised to facilitate business opportunities and this approval is to be applauded by all concerned. "Maswings has gone further by introducing a promotional return fare of only RM372 from Kota Kinabalu to Balikpapan." He told Bernama, here that Maswings will fly thrice weekly to Balikpapan on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays. Roselan said with the opening of this route, travel to other airports of Indonesian Kalimantan has been made easier, faster and cheaper. "Balikpapan is the hub for Kalimantan and we can make our flight transfers now with ease," he added. -- BERNAMA

By Victoria Moores | January 29, 2013 Air France is uniting its three regional airlines—Brit Air, Regional and Airlinair—under a new brand name: HOP! HOP! will launch on Mar. 31, operating 98 aircraft ranging from 48 to 100 seats. It will serve 136 domestic and regional destinations, representing 530 daily flights. It will employ more than 3,000 staff to be led by CEO Lionel Guerin. Under the new structure, HOP! will sit alongside mainline hub operation Air France and leisure arm Transavia France. The new regional airline will perform all Air France’s point-to-point flights from Paris-Orly, domestic operations and some flights into Paris Charles de Gaulle on behalf of Air France. “With Transform 2015, the entire company is being reorganized around the customer. The launch of HOP! is a part of this,” said Air France CEO Alexandre de Juniac. “Our new regional airline will be a real asset to better serve all customer segments, in France and in Europe.” The regional revamp forms part of Air France’s plan to turnaround its short and medium-haul operations from a “substantial deficit.” Air France said, “The name ‘HOP!’ evokes rapidity and the ease with which travelers can get from point A to B. Synonymous with agility, HOP! illustrates its capacity to bounce back and adapt to customers’ needs.” Air France’s Irish regional subsidiary CityJet is excluded from the French regional revamp and has already outlined plans to seek external investors. Source: ATW

Top aerial display teams for Lima By Rajvinder Singh | Malay Mail PETALING JAYA: The Indonesian Air Force aerial display team are set to mesmerise the public during the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace show (Lima13) from March 26 to 30. The team, known as the Jupiter aerobatic team, will be using six KT-1B Wong Bee aircraft during the aerial display. The organisers have also invited the Red Arrows from the Royal Air Force and the Blue Angles from the United States Navy. In the line-up at the static display at the Mashuri International Exhibition Centre will be a total of 75 aircraft, including state-of-the-art Rafale, Typhoon and F-18F jets, which are in running for the Royal Malaysian Air Force plan to purchase multi-role combat aircaft. Also on show will be the AH-64 Apache attack helicopter from the Singapore Air Force. Malindo airlines, a jointventure between Nadi and PT Lion Group which is expected to take to the skies some time this year, will also take part. A newcomer to the show at Awana Porto Malai for the static display of naval and commercial ships is the Royal Thai Navy's HTMS Phuket and Singapore Navy's RSS Steadfast. The Korean, Indonesian, the Philippines and Indian navies have yet to announce which of their warships will be coming to Lima13. The US Navy has confirmed that the Arleigh Burke class destroyer USS Chung Hoon will be at the show. One of the attraction of the show will be the Royal Malaysian Navy's fast assault craft (CB90) which can also be used to transport troops. Also on show will be RMN's two-masted sail training ship KLD Tunas Samudera. Source: http://my.news.yahoo.com/top-aerial-display-teams-lima-051100564.html

BANGKOK, Jan 25 (Bernama) - The Ministry of Transport is planning to build a new airport and redevelop five others as part of preparations for the establishment of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Community (AC) by 2015. Department of Civil Aviation director-general Voradej Harnprasert said more than 3 billion baht (about US$100.33 million) will be spent developing the airports in provincial areas to facilitate travel to Asean member countries, Thai News Agency (TNA) reported. A new airport will be built in Betong district in southern Yala province due for completion in 2015, and refurbishment work will be carried out at the Mae Sot Airport in Tak province along with the Nakhon Ratchasima, Ubon Ratchathani, Udon Thani and Narathiwat Airport. Voradej said the airport projects will support the government's objective of turning Thailand into a regional transport hub in future. The civil aviation chief added Thailand's liberal aviation negotiations with nine other Asean countries have been successful, and that he expects all member states to liberalise their air transport without limiting flight destinations and services before the formation of the AC. Deputy Transport Minister General Prin Suwannathat said that in light of Asean members such as Indonesia, the Philippines and Laos improving their air transport standards in the lead-up to the AC, Thailand should revise its air transport regulations to be in line with those of its neighbours. -- BERNAMA

NTSB chairman expresses serious concern about 787’s safety By Aaron Karp | January 24, 2013 he Japan Airlines Boeing 787 lithium ion battery that caught fire in Boston Jan. 7 experienced “a thermal runaway” and “short circuits,” the US National Transportation Safety Board(NTSB) reported. NTSB chairman Deborah Hersman, briefing reporters in Washington DC on Thursday, said no cause for the fire has been determined, and indicated NTSB may still need some time to find the root cause. She described thermal runaway as “uncontrolled chemical reactions” within the battery’s cells. The battery is used to start the aircraft’s auxiliary power unit (APU). “The APU battery was spilling molten electrolytes,” she said. Hersman expressed serious concern about the JAL 787 fire and what she characterized as the All Nippon Airways 787“smoke event” that occurred Jan. 16. The ANA incident, which led to an emergency landing, is also linked to a damaged lithium ion battery. Having two battery failures causing fire and/or smoke aboard a new aircraft type within such a short period “is an unprecedented event. We are very concerned,” she commented. “This is a very serious air safety concern.” Hersman said, “The expectation in aviation is never to experience a fire aboard an aircraft … The significance of these two events cannot be overstated … These events should not happen as far as the design of the aircraft. There are multiple systems that are in place to prevent [a battery failure from escalating to a serious event]. Those systems did not work.” She emphasized that FAA, not NTSB, will decide if and when to lift the worldwide grounding of Dreamliners. But she indicated NTSB’s investigation into the JAL 787 fire may take some time. “We have to understand why this battery failure resulted in a fire when there were so many protections designed into the system,” she said. “There’s a lot more work to do … We are conducting a forensic investigation … It is really very hard at this point to tell how long the investigation will take. What I can tell you is that we have all hands on deck … This is not something we’re expecting will be resolved overnight … We are prepared to do the methodical work that gets to the root cause of this. We have not yet identified the sequence of events that initiated the short circuits or the thermal runaway.” Source: ATW

By Linda Blachly | January 24, 2013 Republic Airways Holdings has ordered 47 Embraer E-175s, plus 47 options. If all options are exercised, the value of the order could reach $4 billion at list prices, according to Embraer. Delivery is scheduled to begin in mid-year. The new aircraft will be operated by Republic Airlines, a Republic subsidiary, under the American Eagle brand in the American Airlines’ regional network. Because American’s parent company is operating under Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, the deal is subject to court approval, which is expected to occur in the first quarter. The 76-seat E-175s will be configured in a dual-class layout. Source: ATW

United Airlines incurs big 2012 net loss; has confidence in 787 By Aaron Karp | January 24, 2013 United Airlines parent United Continental Holdings (UCH) incurred a 2012 net loss of $763 million on heavy interest expenses and merger-related costs. The net deficit was improved over a $977 net loss in 2011. The company was profitable on an operating basis, posting $39 million in operating income, but that was down 97.9% year-over-year. “2012 was the toughest year of our merger integration” with the former Continental Airlines, UCH chairman, president and CEO Jeff Smisek told analysts and reporters. The carrier’s six Boeing 787s remain grounded after FAA’s emergency directive last week, but Smisek said the airline continues “to have confidence” in the aircraft and expects to take delivery of two more 787s this year. He added that neither Boeing nor FAA has provided guidance on when the grounding may be lifted. “The aircraft is a terrific aircraft … and I have no doubt customers will flock back to it once we get it back up in the air,” Smisek said. “Once this particular issue is solved, it’s solved. It’s just a matter of how much time it takes.” He conceded United suffered from a poor operational and revenue performance in 2012, but said it has turned the corner and expects more reliable operations in 2013. He added United has achieved an 84% on-time domestic arrival rate so far in 2013; the carrier sunk to a below-80% on-time performance in the middle part of 2012. “We are significantly better today than we were last summer,” he said. UCH will reduce its management and administrative staff by 6% starting next month, Smisek said, noting the move is necessary because the company is “absolutely not satisfied” with last year’s performance. The staff will be reduced by around 600 employees. United plans to cut capacity 0.5% year-over-year in 2013 in response to what it expects to be sluggish global economic growth. The company’s 2012 revenue was flat year-over-year at $37.15 billion while expenses rose 5.2% to 37.11 billion. Mainline traffic decreased 1.3% to 179.42 billion RPMs on a 1.4% cut in capacity to 216.33 billion ASMs. Load factor was down 0.1 point to 82.9%. Passenger yield increased just 0.6% to 14.38 cents. Source: ATW

The topic - 10 most dangerous airlines is quite vague. If you are the owner of these airlines, are you going to accept that your airline is dangerous? You are scaring the s#1t of the loyal customers to these airlines. A better topic should be - 10 Most Disastrous Airlines Incidents. An incidents happened because of so many reasons. It could be a pilot/human or instrument error, or bad weather. So it's not justify to just blaming the airlines.

Flydubai inaugurated flights from Dubai to Malé Maldives Flydubai inaugurated flights from Dubai (DXB) to Malé (MLE) on 19 January. The low-cost carrier now serves the Maldives with five-weekly frequencies using its fleet of 737-800s, competing with Emirates’ twice-daily 777-operated services. Flydubai’s CEO, Ghaith Al Ghaith said: “As the first low-cost carrier from the UAE to fly to the Maldives, we are making this island paradise even more accessible to travellers across our network”. The 3,000-kilometre route to the Maldivian capital became the airline’s 51st destination served from the Middle-Eastern mega hub. Source: http://www.anna.aero/2013/01/23/new-airline-routes-launched-15-21-january-2013/?utm_source=anna.aero+newsletter&utm_campaign=d8b0bf2c7d-anna_nl_230113&utm_medium=email