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Firefly Confident Of Getting Singapore Route

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Date: 26 May 2009

 

 

Dear Sir / Madam,

 

Firefly, Malaysia’s community airline and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Malaysia Airlines, would like to take your kind attention for the event: Announcement of Firefly’s latest international routes to Singapore.

 

In regards with the above, a Press Conference on the above-said announcement will be held. The details of the program are as listed below:

 

Date : 28 May 2009 (Thursday)

Time : 03:00pm until 04:30pm

Venue : SkyPark Subang Terminal,

Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport, Subang, Selangor

 

Program:

03:00pm – Arrival of guests and members of the media

03:30pm – Welcome speech

03:40pm – Speech by Mr. Eddy Leong, Managing Director of Firefly

04:00pm – Press Conference / Refreshment served

04:30pm – Refreshment

 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Your editorial representative and photographer are cordially invited to cover the event. For more information, please call Firefly’s Herman Mizar Azmi of the Communications Department at

Tel: +603-7840 4690

Mobile: +6012-363 6767

Fax: +603-7846 6461

Email: - herman.mizarazmi@malaysiaairlines.com

 

** Laptops with Wi-Fi connection will be on-standby should your editorial representative needs to send in the news after the event.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

 

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Excellent! More coverage for my favourite airline :)

 

I am actually looking for the best option for my flight to SIN.

Timing is right (Singapore GReat Sale is going on!) or not so right (The first H1N1 case) in Singapore. Depending on how I see it :)

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I managed to get some info from FY website.

 

SIN-IPH (effective 12 July)

 

FY3546 SIN (1450) - IPH (1610) Mon, Wed, Fri & Sun

FY3547 IPH (1645) - SIN (1805) Mon, Wed, Fri & Sun

 

SIN-TGG (effective 14 July)

 

FY3556 SIN (1710) - TGG (1830) Tue, Thu & Sat

FY3557 TGG(1525) - SIN (1630) Tue, Thu & Sat

 

SIN-KUA (effective 22 July)

 

FY3572 SIN (1650) - KUA (1750) Mon, Wed, Fri & Sun

FY3573 KUA (1530) - SIN (1630) Mon, Wed, Fri & Sun

 

SIN-MKZ (effective 1 Sept)

 

FY3565 SIN (1445) - MKZ (1545) Tue, Thu & Sat

FY3566 MKZ (1610) - SIN (1710) Tue, Thu & Sat

 

 

- in my point of view, SIN-IPH will success based on cultural background.

- SIN-MKZ might not be successful based on the location and accessibility of MKZ. Perhaps many Singaporean love to drive their cars during weekend to Melaka and its take less than 4 hours to get there.

- KUA is good place for MICE destinations

- TGG is seasonal...

 

July will be the busy month for FY. I like FY new routes very much. This is 'truly community' routes!!

 

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I was scheduled to travel on FY to KUA tommorrow morning but they cancelled it and put us on various flights out to KUA from SZB. The reason given was because some "special dignitary" or VIP wants to use the runway hence the cancellation of flights for tommorrow, Saturday and Sunday. Obviously this is not FY's fault !!!!

 

 

 

:rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

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Just out of curiosity how long does it take to fly from SIN - MKZ?

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Just out of curiosity how long does it take to fly from SIN - MKZ?

 

Sorry my bad. One hour? Another for check in now I'm not sure this would work.

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I am not sure how successful SIN-MKZ will be. It takes only 2 hours for me to get there by car (Tuas - Ayer Keroh). Not to mention Bk Berendam Airport is situated damn far from the town proper. Sometimes I drive to Melaka for dinner and back to Singapore on the same evening!

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Finally Ali Rustam Melaka International Airport put to use for international flights.

 

No flights from PEN ??

 

Well there is Riau Airlines. Pekanbaru - Melaka flights, that's an international flight. I guess it's competing against the Melaka - Dumai ferry service. MKZ - SIN would be competing against buses and cars, tougher battle. Especially since Singaporean drivers love to test out their vehicles on our expressways, where else are they supposed to do it AYE, PIE, East Coast Parkway? :p .

 

I think PEN flights might work.

 

I am not sure how successful SIN-MKZ will be. It takes only 2 hours for me to get there by car (Tuas - Ayer Keroh). Not to mention Bk Berendam Airport is situated damn far from the town proper. Sometimes I drive to Melaka for dinner and back to Singapore on the same evening!

 

I disagree, Batu Berendam and town is not that far, 15mins driving if you know which roads to take. Not far, from the scale of things in Malaysia, I think PEN is further to George towrtn and also many other airpos, need I mention our 70+ kms from KLIA to KL. One thing MKZ does not have going for it is a convenient form of public transport to town. It might be faster to drive from SG than arrive in MKZ and wait for a bus to town, but that's a reflection on public transport more than anything else. Going through customs & immigration and having to arrive early for a flight adds on so much time, is it really worth it for FY to do SIN from MKZ? Is this something that's been thought out?

 

Why? Why do Singaporeans love Melaka so much? I just don't get it.

 

 

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I was scheduled to travel on FY to KUA tommorrow morning but they cancelled it and put us on various flights out to KUA from SZB. The reason given was because some "special dignitary" or VIP wants to use the runway hence the cancellation of flights for tommorrow, Saturday and Sunday. Obviously this is not FY's fault !!!!

 

 

 

:rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

 

Interesting - I was eyeing the same flights too, and thus had to switch to MH from KUL.

 

I wondered if that reason is really valid as (1) MH flights are OK to KUA; (2) there will be no more scheduled morning flights to KUA on FY from 1Jun.

 

Maybe, the real reason was bad loads and the dropping of the morning flights from Monday?

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FY should start with PEN-MKZ first, to see how MKZ is working.

If it fails, SIN route might be fail as well.

Melaka Raya (bus terminal) have an extensive inland access throughout the Peninsular and Singapore.

For me, SIN-MKZ is a totally disastrous and 'politics' has made the routes come into existence. <_<

I believe FY have no plan to start this route but they were asked to do so.

 

 

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May 28, 2009 21:14 PM

 

Firefly To Operate More Routes To Singapore

 

KUALA LUMPUR, May 28 (Bernama) -- Firefly, which will begin its first flight to Singapore on July 1, has also received approval to operate the Kota Baharu-Singapore, Alor Setar-Singapore and Kerteh-Singapore routes.

 

Managing director Eddy Leong said the community airline is expected to operate the new routes by end of this year.

 

"We are in the summer season now, next will be the winter season. So when the season changes, we will introduce the new routes," Leong said.

 

"But of course this has to match with our delivery of new aircraft. Some of them may have to be pushed to next year," he told reporters at the announcement of the new Subang-Singapore route Thursday.

 

The four times daily flight will be followed by the Ipoh-Singapore flight which will begin on July 12, Kuala Terengganu-Singapore on July 14, Kuantan-Singapore on July 22, and Melaka-Singapore on Sept 1.

 

The new routes will complete the airline's "One Destination, Four Countries" promotion involving Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and Singapore, pairing countries together to co-support tourism, Leong said.

 

With fares as low as RM88, Singapore will be an important hub for the airline to tap its target markets, he said.

 

Leong said the airline, which planned to have 10 units of ATR72-500 this year, has delayed the delivery of three aircraft to next year due to the current economic climate.

 

Currently, it has six aircraft and is expected to receive one more next month, he said.

 

Leong said despite the current economic climate, domestic operations remained profitable while regional routes were getting seasonal demand but still sustainable.

 

"Maybe on weekends demand is very high and weekdays are not so good, and this is reflection of the economy," he said.

 

The airline currently flies to 16 destinations, of which seven are international and nine are local.

 

-- BERNAMA

 

http://bernama.com/bernama/v5/news_lite.php?id=414351

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I thought Johor Bharu - Singapore. :p

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Why? Why do Singaporeans love Melaka so much? I just don't get it.

You don't understand... Coming from Singapore, they have basically wiped out places like Chinatown / Arab Street / Joo Chiat into some Stepford looking show village for tourists to take photos of. Melaka offers us the opportunity to experience an olden charm which we Singaporeans are so yearning for. Perhaps the younger generation won't know what I mean but people of my age will surely miss the crumbling walls and the dirty drains of Chinatown while you are slurping down a bowl of hot steaming dumpling noodles. Melaka is what Singapore was like perhaps 10-20 years ago.

 

Yes, we are a deprived bunch of people down here.

 

BUT that being said, Melaka is steadily becoming very expensive and I have seen the changes sweep through the town especially within the last 3-4 years. Alas, the modernisation of Melaka has begun. New malls, renovated facades, chic bistros taking the place of quirky kopitiams etc.... Even the Peranakan makan places I have seen the prices rise by as much as RM8 for their dishes. So perhaps soon Melaka will be just another "show village" like what has become of the Chinatown in Singpapore.

 

My Malaysian friends will NEVER understand why we drive to Melaka for dinner. "You crazy or what?! One more hour you can go to KL already!".... But this is us, bursting out of the claustrophobic confines of our tiny little island for a breather.

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"You crazy or what?! One more hour you can go to KL already!"

 

haha nice one. Personally I think the seafood in Melaka is quite super. I forgot the name of the place. Sotong goreng tepung.. Oh man!

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You don't understand... Coming from Singapore, they have basically wiped out places like Chinatown / Arab Street / Joo Chiat into some Stepford looking show village for tourists to take photos of. Melaka offers us the opportunity to experience an olden charm which we Singaporeans are so yearning for. Perhaps the younger generation won't know what I mean but people of my age will surely miss the crumbling walls and the dirty drains of Chinatown while you are slurping down a bowl of hot steaming dumpling noodles. Melaka is what Singapore was like perhaps 10-20 years ago.

 

Yes, we are a deprived bunch of people down here.

 

BUT that being said, Melaka is steadily becoming very expensive and I have seen the changes sweep through the town especially within the last 3-4 years. Alas, the modernisation of Melaka has begun. New malls, renovated facades, chic bistros taking the place of quirky kopitiams etc.... Even the Peranakan makan places I have seen the prices rise by as much as RM8 for their dishes. So perhaps soon Melaka will be just another "show village" like what has become of the Chinatown in Singpapore.

 

My Malaysian friends will NEVER understand why we drive to Melaka for dinner. "You crazy or what?! One more hour you can go to KL already!".... But this is us, bursting out of the claustrophobic confines of our tiny little island for a breather.

I know what you mean Ryan and I share your grief. This is attributed to trend following or westernising (aka modernising) our society in a great speed and in a blindly manner.

 

If Melaka gets a bit too expensive and a bit westernised, there is another city up North you can perhaps retreat to - Penang.

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Firefly To Operate More Routes To Singapore

 

KUALA LUMPUR, May 28 (Bernama) -- Firefly, which will begin its first flight to Singapore on July 1, has also received approval to operate the Kota Baharu-Singapore, Alor Setar-Singapore and Kerteh-Singapore routes.

 

Managing director Eddy Leong said the community airline is expected to operate the new routes by end of this year.

 

The four times daily flight will be followed by the Ipoh-Singapore flight which will begin on July 12, Kuala Terengganu-Singapore on July 14, Kuantan-Singapore on July 22, and Melaka-Singapore on Sept 1.

Ultimately, with the inclusion of KBR, AOR and KTE, all airports in Peninsula Malaysia will have a direct link to SIN. This is the power of liberalisation, although traffic from KUL will be affected but traffic from all other secondary airports in Malaysia will raise with the help of SIN. Who would have thought that sleepy (almost dead) airports like IPH, KUA and MKZ, all of which situated in a rather close promiximity to KUL have received a new lease of life with the FY's service to SIN. It will be interesting to see how well these routes will perform soon and I hope the folks at MAHB can concentrate on how to counter this development from KUL - FAST!!!

 

On the SIN-MKZ route, I don't think FY is 'directed' to fly the route from a certain someone. I agree with the comment about cultural background being an important factor, as both Singapore and Malacca (together with Penang) were the former British Crown Colonies during their occupation in Tanah Melayu/Malaya prior to 1957. I think the FY service to Malacca would be appealing to the Singaporeans and also the transit tourists from Singapore because although well connected by road and bus service, Malacca is somehow being missed out on the rail line (there is a station in Malacca - Batang Melaka but it is almost located in Negeri Sembilan as opposed to Malacca proper), which resulted in the state being bypassed by tourists who travel to Malaysia by train from Singapore, which from my reading I believe the number s quite high.

 

Malacca has a GREAT tourism product, it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a premier medical tourism destination in Malaysia. So there are a lot to sell and I hope the State Government can make the best out of it. I have my fair share of life in Malacca during my teenage years, so I am rooting for this service to succeed. *fingers crossed*

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If Melaka gets a bit too expensive and a bit westernised, there is another city up North you can perhaps retreat to - Penang.

Darling, Penang is at best a 10 hr drive from Spore, a bit too far to pop by for dinner and drive back laaaah. The gist of the comments earlier on was about the viability of the SIN-MKZ route because it is much easier to drive up in 2 hrs for a meal and back. LOL!

 

Yes I agree, for me as a "budak" Peranakan, Penang is my last foothold on the rapidly vanishing culture of my forefathers. Even the language will die with the passing of my grandmother as my parents are hardly living examples of people who can speak Peranakan. My last visit to Gurney Drive was somehow less than stellar and prices werent exactly cheap for Malaysian standards because they too have been bastardised by the tourists $$$. I was somehow happier at Esplanade eating my Mee Goreng melayu.

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FY3565 SIN (1445) - MKZ (1545) Tue, Thu & Sat

FY3566 MKZ (1610) - SIN (1710) Tue, Thu & Sat

3D2N spotting trip :rofl:

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Ahh so it's nostalgia, I thought Melaka's development was strongly catered to and influenced by Singaporeans, I was told of this one case of a little pre-war shop near Jonker that was bought by a Singaporean, he didn't just gut it down but demolished it to make way for some new cafe or something, heard the state took legal action against this enterprising and history wrecking Singaporean. Ironic how nostalgic Singaporeans can also bring the demise of their own nostalgia through the might of your SGD.

 

About the food, my mom's a Melakan, she says food was better back in the day when she was growing up, it's gone downhill recently. Penang is the last bastion of good food, well that's coming from my Dad who is a Penangite, hence i guess there's a bias. IMO Food in Singapore isn't all that bad, the 2 shops opposite Masjid Sultan, forgot their names, make wonderful Murtabak, beats any Murtabak that I've been able to find in Malaysia. Also don't worry, I doubt Melaka wouldn't even become anything close to what happened to your Chinatown, simply because we don't have an easy SGD100mil around that the Singapore Gahmen spent some decades back to create your artificiality by "revitalizing" or as I would say "remove the character" of Chinatown. :) Anyway, as a Malaysian, it's a nice change to see a cleaner, less livelier, less lived in, well painted buildings as found in the Chinatown and all the other heritage areas of Singapore.

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SIN-MKZ (effective 1 Sept)

 

FY3565 SIN (1445) - MKZ (1545) Tue, Thu & Sat

FY3566 MKZ (1610) - SIN (1710) Tue, Thu & Sat

 

 

Not that Malaysia has a huge population or poor road, FY schedule doesn’t appear to be in competition with express bus, without transit pax, doubt FY MKZ/SIN cab be sustained. Don’t understand why FY is experimenting with these ‘community’ routes while proven business model on feeder airline exists.

 

:drinks:

 

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Ryan,

 

maybe you can try Senai-Penang flights in the evenings if you are very desperate to go up North..hehe.. 2hr flight time frm Johor. :rolleyes:

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IMO Food in Singapore isn't all that bad, the 2 shops opposite Masjid Sultan, forgot their names, make wonderful Murtabak, beats any Murtabak that I've been able to find in Malaysia.

You referring to Restoran Zam Zam opposite Masjid Sultan?

 

 

Ryan,

 

maybe you can try Senai-Penang flights in the evenings if you are very desperate to go up North..hehe.. 2hr flight time frm Johor. :rolleyes:

Yes I like my drives up north... But KL's the limit dude.

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