Firefly terminate certain route from Penang & leased B734 from MAS

[M. Sofian H. 0]

Firefly airlines will terminate the route from Penang to Kuantan, Kuala Terengganu and Kota bharu started 29 March 2009. This plane

will be use to operate new route from SZB to Kuantan, Alor Star & Phuket. My friend from MAS Penang told me, MAS will reduce the

domestic operation and that route will be taken over by Firefly and Subang will be major hub. In 2009 all airlines while facing

crisis demand deficiency. Therefore MAS has implemented wise move by creating Firefly and further can compete with AirAsia

 

One more thing, i heard FY will get one B734 from MAS to operate route to Singapore. FY already get green light from government.

Can FY operate with B734 from SZB to SIN?

[Hon Kit 3]

I doubt FY can operate B734 from SZB. IF they were to let them operate B734 from SZB , uncle Tony will come and bising to let AK base in SZB.

[Ashmil Abd Ghani 0]

Emm I in principle not agree at all IF FY allow to operate SZB-SIN sector..The government should stick on their policy, SZB for turboprop schedule flight operation ONLY..IF MOT allow FY operate B734 from SZB, then new "fighting arena" will open between MH/FY and AK..

 

If FY wish to compete with AK on SIN sector, please test your branding (FY) at LCCT first..Then I believe their parent company from MTB will feel some hit also..IF not, be proud as turboprop operator from SZB to SIN..

 

Bit sad also to hear that FY no longer make PEN as their hub and terminate KBR,TGG and KUA from PEN.. I feel so sorry to Penang folks can't travel by air to east coast soon and vice versa.. Hope FY will resume these destination soon once economic growth back to normal..

[Fairul 0]

few things to ponder..

turboprop to fly from SZB..then jet fly from KUL? ....then it wont be integrated ..right? or am I missing something here?

turboprop to fly from SZB..then jet fly from SZB too.....more drama...

[jani 0]

They should take the leased 738 instead since the interior is so bad.

[reyneo 0]

ATR72s on SZB-SIN will be a HIT! Heck, They could probably operate a flight every hour and most of the flights would be 100% full. Makes the SG-KL route much shorter once you minus the super long journey from KLIA to the city.

 

The 734s would probably not be allowed at SZB, and if the M'sia Govt decided to magically wave its wand and said "SZB shall be only for Turbo-props and the B737". AK will ask QZ to return some of their old 737s and operate 6x daily SIN-SZB flights, leaving maybe only one or two KUL ones for connections...

 

Oh and we're forgetting something. Even if the M'sia govt allows SZB-SIN flights by FY, the Singapore Govt still has to approve them, (regardless of what the Asean Opensky says...), and if Firefly is the only airline allowed to operate this route (which I believe will take a significant chunk of SIN-KUL pax away), the SG govt would never allow it as this would give FY a huge monopoly.

 

And Sofian, its not that im questioning you or your source, but since there isn't any official announcements, this would be still classified as a rumor. While I wouldn't say that MAS leasing a 734 to FY is not possible, I would have thought it'd be for its PEN hub, which according to you, will be dissolved. I do agree that the lease would actually be a very good idea (In fact, I feel that MAS should transfer all domestic and lower-yielding regional routes to FY, with an LCC operating model to let MH concentrate on offering the premium routes. Think of it like the Qantas & Jetstar relationship, Not SQ and Tiger one) but SZB is a problem and if FY decides to relocate to KUL, then it would loose its competitive advantage over everyone else operating from far away KUL.

[Juergen Witte 0]

Oh and we're forgetting something. Even if the M'sia govt allows SZB-SIN flights by FY, the Singapore Govt still has to approve them, (regardless of what the Asean Opensky says...), and if Firefly is the only airline allowed to operate this route (which I believe will take a significant chunk of SIN-KUL pax away), the SG govt would never allow it as this would give FY a huge monopoly.

 

... and here´s the =@

Since there´s no singaporean airline with turboprop equipment they (the possible singaporean carrier for SIN/XSP - SZB service) might insist on operating jets to SZB ...

So, there´s trouble ahead regarding permission for flights between SZB and SIN/XSP by a malaysian airline !!!

I can hardly imagine any potential singaporean airline aquiring turboprops just to be able to serve the SZB-market ...

 

Actally I´m trying to imagine how relaxed TF will lean back in his chair watching both sides (SG and MY goverments) fighting for a solution that saves both faces !!!

... and gives him the chance to get his jets into SZB without having to fight seriously for it

 

 

We will see ... !

But i don´t see FY operating any jet out of SZB soon !

Btw.: In my opinion the AT7 would be perfect for the route - economy wise (considering the distance)

 

[Mushrif A 3]

One more thing, i heard FY will get one B734 from MAS to operate route to Singapore. FY already get green light from government.

Can FY operate with B734 from SZB to SIN?

 

ARe you just speculating the 734 on the SZB-SIN service? Instead, can it be the PEN-SIN service?

 

[Jessnor Arif 1]

If I am not mistaken, I have read an article that the Singapore flights for FY is not from SIN (changi) but from XSP (Seletar). XSP to SIN might become SZB to KUL in future..

Edited March 2, 2009 by Jessnor Arif

[reyneo 0]

XSP is extremely inaccessible! It is served by only one public bus service (103M) which has very erratic frequencies, and especially in the afternoon can sometimes have 2 hours between each bus arriving. Also, there aren't any taxis queuing there, so first, you would have to book a cab (+$$) and then you'd also have to pay for the airport surcharge (+$$$$$), not very budget friendly if you ask me. Not to mention that it is actually further away from the city than Changi is! It makes absolutely no sense to open up XSP especially since the SG govt has explicitly said that it wants commercial flights to hub at Changi for easy connections. I'd much rather see FY in Changi Budget Terminal (since it cant use aerobridges anyway).

[Juergen Witte 0]

XSP is extremely inaccessible! It is served by only one public bus service (103M) which has very erratic frequencies, and especially in the afternoon can sometimes have 2 hours between each bus arriving. Also, there aren't any taxis queuing there, so first, you would have to book a cab (+$$) and then you'd also have to pay for the airport surcharge (+$$$$$), not very budget friendly if you ask me. Not to mention that it is actually further away from the city than Changi is! It makes absolutely no sense to open up XSP especially since the SG govt has explicitly said that it wants commercial flights to hub at Changi for easy connections. I'd much rather see FY in Changi Budget Terminal (since it cant use aerobridges anyway).

 

You´re correct regarding accessability ...

(I´ve flown into XSP on Berjaya Air from Tioman ... )

But when passenger numbers rise significantly (and they certainly will with a SZB-XSP service) i suspect the bus schedule would be adjusted to demand.

At the moment there´s no need for a more frequent bus since the usual people flying into/out of XSP use taxi or limousine as ground transport. (the bus is probably aimed to those working at the airport only)

 

Regarding distance to the city: As always it depends where you want to go.

 

I´m not sure that the SG government will block scheduled flights into XSP if these are clearly not for connecting traffic (e.g. that already applies for the Berjaya flights)

Still, if they insist on FY flying into SIN, FY would certainly go to the Budget Terminal.

[Hoe Jyh 0]

I agree about the point where distance is relative. Seletar is actually quite close to many residential estates in the north and northeastern part of Singapore. For example, I live about 5km from Seletar airport and would only take 30mins by public transport to the airport, and about the same time if I choose to cycle. This is as compared to a minimum of 1hr by bus to Changi Airport.

 

A few years ago (before the Budget Terminal was born), the Singapore government actually had a serious study to examine the feasibility of allowing budget carriers to operate from Seletar. It was reported in the papers that the main problem was not the inaccessibility of the airport, but rather the short runway length which may pose some safety concerns for a fully loaded B737/A320.

 

Currently, the runway at Seletar airport is undergoing extension works as part of the project to develop the Seletar Aerospace Park. The road network in the vicinity has been realigned and is quite messy at the moment, so I don't really think that approval might be give to operate from XSP in the very near future should FY decide to come. However, it might be a different situation once the works are completed. For example, some of the single lane roads had already been widened to dual lane carriageways to cope with the increased traffic.

[Mushrif A 3]

For the record, Pelangi Air (remember that "hibiscus" airline?) flew into/ from XSP some years ago. I believe it was to Tioman and maybe KUA too (Or was that MI from SIN?).

[Alan B. 5]

For the record, Pelangi Air (remember that "hibiscus" airline?) flew into/ from XSP some years ago. I believe it was to Tioman and maybe KUA too (Or was that MI from SIN?).

 

Pelangi operated IPOH/MELAKA/SELETAR. SIN/KUA was served by both MH and MI for a very short period. Infact there was once a MH flight that operated SIN/KUA/KBR and was short lived as there was no load.

 

According to my source in FY there are NO plans to operate B737. There are plans for IPH/SIN/IPH and SZB/SIN/SZB when additional ac arrive. I understand that Changi is the prefered airport and not Seletar for FY.