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Pieter C.

MASwings Set To Fly To BIMP-EAGA

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Among these first batch of BIMP-EAGA destinations, I think the rest should be sustainable; only KCH-BWN-KCH I am slightly in doubt though demand from both of the city's folks looks promising, the fares are not customer friendly at all; and a check at BI website also revealed that they do drop down the return fares for BKI-BWN-BKI for now, previously about 220 MYR for a return and now about 170 MYR for a return only...

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MASwings Expansion To BIMP-EAGA Will Not Harm Domestic Operations, Says Nor Mohamed

 

KOTA KINABALU, Feb 1 (Bernama) -- MASwings' move to fly to destinations in the Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East Asean Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) will not in any way affect its obligation to serve interior areas in Sabah and Sarawak, Minister in the Prime Miniser's Department Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop said Wednesday.

 

Instead, the airlines' expansion to the sub-region would result in more economic growth opportunities and new markets to the two states in diverse economic sectors, particularly in tourism, medical, education, agriculture, trade and investment, he said.

 

Previously, MASwings, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Malaysia Airlines (MAS)was only operating within Sabah and Sarawak.

 

"MASwings' business growth and a new market in BIMP-EAGA promises higher revenue to the airline besides contributing to MASwings' lower operational costs," he told a media conference to mark MASwings inaugural flight from Kota Kinabalu to Bandar Seri Begawan today at Kota Kinabalu International Airport.

 

Under proposed plans, MASwings is to start flying to Bandar Seri Begawan from Kota Kinabalu twice daily and from Kuching to Bandar Seri Begawan thrice weekly from today, he said.

 

It will operate one flight daily between Kuching and Pontianak (Indonesia) from Feb 6 and from Tawau to Tarakan (Indonesia) beginning Feb 13.

 

Nor Mohamed said MASWings was the first Malaysian aviation company to link the "designated points" under the memorandum of understanding signed on Jan 12, 2007 by the governments of Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines for air route expansion to the sub-region.

 

He said MASwings' extension to BIMP-EAGA not only provided the keenly-awaited air link within destinations in the sub-region but also fulfilled the corporate social responsibility requirement to forge mutual friendship and goodwill among the people in the BIMP-EAGA member countries.

 

"MASwings' flights to provinces under BIMP-EAGA will provide the impetus and serve as a catalyst for the provinces' socio-economic growth," he said.

 

Stressing that MASwings' decision to expand to BIMP-EAGA was something to be proud of, the minister urged the governments of member states to emulate the Malaysian Government's move to rope in the private sector to explore the potentials available at the growth triangle.

 

He urged the governments and the authorities under BIMP-EAGA to seriously consider giving incentives or discounts to help reduce MASwings' operational costs.

 

On landing rights and air routes to be awarded to Sabah Air following MAS' decision to discontinue flights to several international desitnations, Nor Mohamed said the Federal Government has not made any decision on the matter.

 

MAS stopped serving the Kota Kinabalu-Osaka sector on Jan 6 and Kota Kinabalu-Perth route Tuesday.

 

The national carrier has also shelved the Kota Kinabalu-Haneda sector from today and Kota Kinabalu-Seoul on Feb 21 as part of its rationalisation plan.

 

The Federal Government would ensure Sabah and Sarawak's interests are protected, particularly the tourism sector's growth, added the minister, who is in-charge of the Economic Planning Unit in the Prime Minister's Department.

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KUCHING: Air carrier MASwings plans to connect Sarawak and Sabah with Asian cities, like Hong Kong, Bangkok and Seoul, under its second phase of regional expansion.

 

Tourism Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg said the second phase expansion was now being negotiated but he could not reveal any details yet.

 

“Sarawak and Sabah have been given the say (by Federal Government) on policy direction and routes planning (for MASwings),” he told reporters here yesterday.

 

He said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak had endorsed Sarawak and Sabah’s suggestion that MASwings be made a regional operator instead of operating only rural air services in the two states.

 

“The Economic Planning Unit in the Prime Minister’s Department has given us a lot of support,” he added.

MASwings is a subsidiary of national carrier Malaysia Airline (MAS).

 

Johari said MASwings would connect more destinations in BIMP-EAGA (Brunei/Indonesia/Malaysia/Philippines — East Asean Growth Area) after launching Kuching-Pontianak flight last week.

 

The airline had connected Sarawak and Sabah with Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam.

 

MASwings chief executive officer Datuk Capt Mohd Nawawi Awang was reported as saying that the air carrier was looking seriously into connecting Sarawak with Balikpapan and Makassar in Kalimantan, Indonesia.

 

It also had plans to serve Davao, Zamboanga and Puerto Princessa in the Philippines.

 

MASwings now operates a fleet of 10 ATR72-500 aircraft, which can seat 72 passengers each.

 

Capt Mohd Nawawi had stated that MASwings was looking to add two more turboprop airplanes, and might need bigger aircraft.

 

Johari said the long-term plan was for MASwings to extend further its services to Australia.

 

He said his ministry’s top priority was to improve Sarawak’s air connectivity to boost the state tourism industry with more visitor arrivals.

 

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2012/2/15/sarawak/10737129&sec=sarawak

 

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

 

HKG / BKK / ICN on ATR72 anyone? ;)

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Johari said MASwings would connect more destinations in BIMP-EAGA (Brunei/Indonesia/Malaysia/Philippines — East Asean Growth Area) after launching Kuching-Pontianak flight last week.

 

The airline had connected Sarawak and Sabah with Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam.

 

MASwings chief executive officer Datuk Capt Mohd Nawawi Awang was reported as saying that the air carrier was looking seriously into connecting Sarawak with Balikpapan and Makassar in Kalimantan, Indonesia.

 

Makassar is not in Kalimantan. It is in Sulawesi, a totally different island. Linking Balikpapan in East Kalimantan with either KCH or BKI is long overdue. A lot of Malaysian companies and Malaysian expats operate/work there in timber, mining and oil palm industries. Silk Air and SIN got their business all these years.

 

We had MASwings' inaugural trip reports to BWN (by Rayner) and PNK (by Cikgu Kenneth). Hopefully someone would kind enough to cover the inaugural flight to Tarakan. Always wondering how does it looks like at the other side of Tawau.

 

401087_10150646840736141_13751341140_11212030_1460390514_n.jpg

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MASwings takeover talks still on

 

Posted on 12 April 2012 - 05:37am

 

KANG SIEW LI

 

PETALING JAYA (Aprl 12, 2012): The Sabah and Sarawak state governments are still in discussion with the federal government to buy a stake in MASwings Sdn Bhd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Malaysian Airline System Bhd (MAS), despite talk that the deal has been concluded.

"The talks are still preliminary and nothing has been finalised, including the size of the stake to be acquired," Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun told SunBizyesterday, in response to talk that the two state governments have already struck a deal to take over the airline under joint ownership with the federal government.

Sarawak Tourism Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Openg also said it was too early to comment.

When contacted, MAS' management denied involvement in the negotiations.

"This was not in the Business Plan (unveiled last December) and hence is a surprise. Our main shareholder Khazanah Nasional Bhd may have the answers, as this is not in the Business Plan," a MAS spokesman said via email.

A Khazanah spokesman said, however, the matter came under the purview of MAS, being the parent company of MASwings.

Apart from a golden share, the federal government via its investment arm Khazanah, currently holds a 49% stake in MAS. The Employees Provident Fund owns another 9%.

There's been speculation on MASwings' future since last year when MAS ceased Firefly's jet services from Kuala Lumpur to Kota Kinabalu and Kuching as part of a wider network rationalisation. Sources had told theSun then that the decision to end the Firefly service was taken poorly by the people in Sabah and Sarawak, prompting both state governments to lobby Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to acquire MASwings.

MASwings was identified by the Sabah and Sarawak governments as the most suitable replacement for Firefly's jet services due to its existing network which presently covers 42 routes with 22 destinations in the two states.

Last November, theSun reported Abang Johari as saying that the state may become a major shareholder of MASwings. He had said if all goes according to plan, MASwings will start operating as a regional airline by the middle of this year.

In February, Abang Johari had said the prime minister had endorsed Sabah and Sarawak's suggestion that MASwings be made a regional operator instead of operating only rural air services in the two states.

While it makes sense for the Sabah and Sarawak state governments to take a stake in MASwings, aviation analysts said a less than controlling stake would be "meaningless as it would only mean putting more money into the current MAS structure which is struggling to turn itself around".

"The government is already subsidising MASwings some RM150 million a year to operate the Rural Air Services (RAS) in Sabah and Sarawak, so what's the difference if the Sabah and Sarawak governments were to just hold a less than controlling stake in MASwings?

"Thus, the underlying principle of a joint-ownership agreement should be for the federal government to hold up to 49% in MASwings, while the Sabah and Sarawak governments hold a 51% stake. They must also separate the management of MASwings from MAS and allow the Sabah and Sarawak governments to grow MASwings themselves," said an analyst.

MASwings operates a fleet of 10 ATR 72-500s. It carried 1.27 million passengers in 2010, a 36% increase over 2009. Its seat factor rose to 60% from 53% despite the increase in capacity during the period under review.

 

 

SOURCE: http://www.thesundaily.my/news/347236

Edited by reezal

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Sarawak Wants MASwings To Fly Kuching-Pontianak-Yogyakarta Sector

April 13, 2012 17:34 PM friend.gif print.gif

KUCHING, April 13 (Bernama) -- Sarawak wants MASwings to fly an additional route on the Kuching-Pontianak-Yogyakarta sector to increase connectivity between the two destinations in the spirit of BIMP-EAGA, state Tourism and Housing Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg said Friday.

 

He made the proposal at the three-day Sarawak Yogyakarta East Asia Tourism Forum {EATOF} Business Collaboration Forum in Yogyakarta, which began on Wednesday, in which Malaysia was represented by Sarawak and Indonesia by Yogyakarta.

 

The synergy between Yogyakarta and Sarawak could tap bigger markets like China, Korea and Japan who are also members of EATOF, he said in a statement issued by his ministry here.

 

Abang Johari, who led a delegation of various industries under his ministry's initiative, also highlighted on the idea of integrating the tourism attractions in the two places, including joint-packages combining UNESCO world heritage sites in Yogyakarta, the Boranudur, and Sarawak Mulu Cave.

 

The mission would be made possible with airline linking Yogyakarta-Pontianak-Kuching through Batavia Air at present, he said.

 

-- BERNAMAhttp://aviation.bernama.com/news.php?id=658908&lang=en&cat=b

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PNK-JOG is currently being served by Batavia 3-4 times per week. I am not sure how MASwings could tap into this market, especially without the 5th freedom rights to carry passengers between the domestic Indonesian leg of PNK and JOG vv.

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I suspect the speech writers of these leaders/politicians AND/OR the journalists reporting on such events probably utilize some standard template in their work - hence you get the same stuff churned out time and again ! :)

Edited by BC Tam

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I guess better to make it to Jakarta or Bali!

 

AirAsia tried both routes before, and failed. Maybe MASwings can try again.

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PNK-JOG is currently being served by Batavia 3-4 times per week. I am not sure how MASwings could tap into this market, especially without the 5th freedom rights to carry passengers between the domestic Indonesian leg of PNK and JOG vv.

 

Fifth freedom is actually between two foreign countries, operated by an airline of a third country. What u mentioned is cabotage.

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Sandakan to Davao anyone??

 

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/davao/business/2012/04/18/2-airlines-open-more-regional-flights-year-216961

 

Just wondering how do they decide where to fly to these days... what sort of market research etc..... to me, the most probable international routes out of Sandakan are Singapore and HongKong... (if there is ever a push to really turn SDK into the 2nd international airport in the state).

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Sandakan to Davao anyone??

 

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/davao/business/2012/04/18/2-airlines-open-more-regional-flights-year-216961

 

Just wondering how do they decide where to fly to these days... what sort of market research etc..... to me, the most probable international routes out of Sandakan are Singapore and HongKong... (if there is ever a push to really turn SDK into the 2nd international airport in the state).

 

I dont think ATR72 can fly SDK-HKG or SIN for example. Even if possible, passengers would not want to sit for long hours in such a small plane.

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We had MASwings' inaugural trip reports to BWN (by Rayner) and PNK (by Cikgu Kenneth). Hopefully someone would kind enough to cover the inaugural flight to Tarakan. Always wondering how does it looks like at the other side of Tawau.

 

401087_10150646840736141_13751341140_11212030_1460390514_n.jpg

 

I can probably do TWU to Tarakan at some stage (hopefully next year). It won't be inaugural but at least we get to see what Tarakan looks like!?

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I dont think ATR72 can fly SDK-HKG or SIN for example. Even if possible, passengers would not want to sit for long hours in such a small plane.

 

I didn't mean to be Maswings only....it can be any airlines that want to start an international route out of Sandakan...if there is any.

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I didn't mean to be Maswings only....it can be any airlines that want to start an international route out of Sandakan...if there is any.

 

Oh, ok. :)

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MASwings Set To Fly Kota Kinabalu-Palawan Route By End October

 

KOTA KINABALU, May 9 (Bernama) -- Buoyed by the successful first phase of its direct international flights to Tarakan and Pontianak in Indonesia and Brunei Darulsalam, MASwings will embark on its second phase of international route expansion by end of October this year.

 

In announcing this, its chief executive officer Datuk Captain Nawawi Awang said the new MASwings' international air service would cover the routes of Kuching-Balikpapan (Indonesia), and Kota Kinabalu-Puerto Princesa, Palawan (Phillippines).

 

MASwings, a fully owned subsidiary of Malaysia Airlines, plans to operate the routes three times a week.

 

"We are still in the process of getting approval and clearance from the relevant authorities (in the Philippines), and if everything goes well, we are targetting to commence operations of the Kota Kinabalu-Puerto Princesa sector by end October.

 

"This is going to be our first service on the Philippines' shore. We in MASwings hope to become a bridge, in terms of air connectivity, for the people within the BIMP-EAGA (The Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines-East Asean Growth Area) member countries," he told reporters here Wednesday.

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KUCHING: MASwings Sdn Bhd (MASwings) aiming for further expansions in the Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia-the Philippines East Asean Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) region announced its phase two operation plan scheduled to commence in July this year.

 

Since February, MASwings has successfully taken off to Brunei, Pontianak and Tarakan.

 

“The response has been very encouraging so far with average load factors of between 60 per cent and 65 per cent, while at certain times, load factors between Tawau and Tarakan or Kuching and Pontianak had gone up to between 80 per cent and 90 per cent,” said MASwings chief executive officer Datuk Captain Mohd Nawawi Awang.

 

“With the encouraging response, we will be embarking on our phase two operations by July 1, with our current three times a week flight schedule from Tawau to Tarakan increasing further to daily services,” he added.

 

“Moving forward phase two operations would also see a new MASwings route from Kuching to Balikpapan (East Kalimantan) that would take off in October. “On top of that, we are also looking into other regions in BIMP-EAGA, especially the Philippines.”

 

“We are currently sorting out the clearence and required approvals from the Philippines government and hopefully, we will be able to enter Puerto Princesa (Palawan Island) by year end. This will be the drive going forward for MASwings in its effort to support the BIMP-EAGA initiatives,” Nawawi said.

 

He further pointed out that if the second phase expansion plan was successfully implemented, MASwings would be eyeing for bigger types of aircraft that would be able to go beyond the current ATR range. “Hopefully, by year end, we will be able to put in this request to our sister company,” he added.

 

The regional airline currently owns 10 units of ATR72-500s and four HDC-6 Twin Otters. MASwings would be adding another ATR72-500s in the next few months, acquiring it from its sister company, Firefly.

 

MASwings has also recently undergone its fleet renewal programme where it replaced the ageing Fokker 50 aircraft with the state-of-the-art ATR75-500 series aircraft. Nawawi pointed out that ATR was an environmentally friendly aircraft with less carbon emission and noise reduction.

 

The ATR is also configured to 68 seats in order to allow for more leg room and aisle space, different from any other similar category aircraft operation.

 

FY has extra planes to spare for MASwings?

 

Let's see what's next for the BIMP-EAGA expansion...

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So MASwings now already serving flights to Brunei,Indonesia,Malaysia and Philippines

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MASwings has also recently undergone its fleet renewal programme where it replaced the ageing Fokker 50 aircraft with the state-of-the-art ATR75-500 series aircraft

Very much depends on one's definition of 'recent' :)

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MASwings eyes jet operations by 2013

 

 

KOTA KINABALU - Regional carrier MASwings is looking at venturing into jet operations by 2013 if expansion of its operations remains on track.

The Malaysia Airlines (MAS) subsidiary that currently operates 10 ATR-72 turboprop aircraft is eyeing the southern Philippine city of Davao as well as Manado and Ujung Pandang in the Indonesian province of Sulawesi as among its future destinations.

For this, the airline would be requiring jets such as Boeing 737-400, currently being used by MAS.

MASwings chief executive officer Datuk Capt Mohd Nawawi Awang said the company was looking at acquiring one more ATR aircraft, possibly from MAS' subsidiary Firefly.

He said MASwings was optimistic about the prospects of its latest services between the city and Puerto Princessa in the southern Philippine island of Palawan and Kuching, and Balikpapan in Indonesia from October.

Nawawi said this optimism was based on the average load factor of 65 per cent for MASwings flights to regional destinations of Tarakan, Pontianak and Bandar Seri Begawan since early this year.

He said MASwings was also working with tourism authorities in Malaysia, Indonesia and the Phi­lippines for a special package for divers to Sabah, southern Philippines and Sulawesi.

SOURCE:http://news.asiaone.com/News/AsiaOne%2BNews/Malaysia/Story/A1Story20120510-344957.html

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Well MH will have lots of spare B734s as they retire them from the fleet. MASWings should be able to buy or lease them at low cost from PMB.

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