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British Airways Returned to Kuala Lumpur from 27 May 2015 and with B787-9 from 5 December 2015

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Comeback of 3 legacy carriers to KLIA may trigger the 2 airlines to fly into KL

By B.K. SIDHU
bksidhu@thestar.com.my

 

PETALING JAYA: Three legacy carriers are making a comeback to the KL
International Airport (KLIA) over the next two months with one returning
after three decades to tap into the pent up demand for air services.

 

And their comeback could also trigger the return of two more airlines - British Airways (BA) and Qantas.

 

The three legacy carriers are Air France, which is returning after 30
years, Turkish Airlines and Philippines Airlines (PAL), both coming back
after a 10-year absence.

 

Those in the know claimed that BA officials were in Kuala Lumpur recently to check out the facilities and were in talks with Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) officials.

 

What transpired was not clear, but they said that BA had been exploring, and
they did not discount a return sooner, if not, by 2015.

 

“It could be this or next year, if not 2015. It is waiting for some of its
existing arrangements with other airlines to lapse before flying into
KLIA,” said a source.

 

Both BA and Qantas pulled out of KLIA in 2000.

 

The growth in Asean is forcing most of these legacy carriers to re-look at
their Asian strategy as some markets are registering double-digit
passenger traffic growth.

 

A lot of pent up demand in Malaysia is being served as airlines put in more capacity, so the return now would make more sense than previously as the justification that transit traffic is necessary is more evident now than previously, said the source.

 

Last year, KLIA handed 39.9 million passengers and this
year the numbers are expected to reach nearly 45 million. In total, the
airport company which manages 39 airports handled 67.2 million
passengers last year compared with Changi's 52.1 million.

 

Asia-Pacific airlines saw a 5.2% growth rate last year even though in some markets the growth was in double digit.

 

BA's once deep partner Qantas is now a competitor, aligned with Emirates,
and the Australian authorities yesterday gave their nod to the alliance.
Qantas is also establishing a Jetstar franchise on Cathay Pacific's
home turf in Hong Kong.

 

According to CAPA Centre for Aviation, BA and Cathay are united by a common enemy not the first occasion this reasoning has spawned an alliance but also other factors. BA has lost
its Australian network access and Cathay fits in; meanwhile Cathay will
be receptive to feed to sustain its positioning after China Southern and
Singapore Airlines made large capacity increases in Australia.

 

Alliances are evolving, and this partnership will surely change or go extinct as
BA becomes more familiar with new oneworld members Malaysia Airlines (MAS) and Qatar Airways, with whom it will have more in common than it does with Cathay, CAPA added.

 

Qantas on its own, with the marriage with Emirates, has changed its timings
for its Asian flights since it no longer needs to time them with the BA
arrivals, but the latter will continue to fly into Singapore and onto
Sydney.

 

Air France saw the demand for air travel growing, hence
its return to Malaysia. The KL-Paris route is currently only served by
MAS and 90% of the passengers travelling on the flights are not Asians
and that is a factor that perhaps had excited Air France to return. It
will begin plying the route on April 23. This will be followed by the
Turkish Airlines flight from Istanbul to KL on April 25.

 

Turkish Airways is already saying it hopes for load on the route will average
80% with its three weekly flights and currently the only direct
connectivity is served by MAS.

 

From June 17, Turkish Airlines will add an additional flight to make it four weekly flights. PAL will
start with four weekly flights to KLIA from May 1.

 

Currently, some 56 airlines fly into KLIA, Malaysia's main gateway and before the
year is out there would be more than 60 going by the number of airlines
that have plans to fly into KLIA.

 

India's Spicejet and Indigo are also keen, and Jet Airways which pulled out less than a year ago, may also return. The main routes - New Delhi and Mumbai - are currently only
served by MAS.

 

Source : http://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2013/3/28/business/12898717&sec=business

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BA can start by code-sharing with MH on the KUL-LHR route.

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If you recall the reason for BA quitting KUL in 2001 or 2002, it was because they were pressured by QF to focus and allign their operations to SIN to fill in their(QF) planes (or something along those lines). Seems like QF was unfaithful to BA eventually and led to their bitter relationship they have now, which is only for the next few days. :clapping:

 

Perhaps BA should code share with MH as suggested by Josh and then cooperate with MH to complement each other on the KUL-LHR-KUL route.

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The Journalist of the above article has been writing about the return of BA and QF for the past umpteen years! I honestly do believe that now, there is a higher chance of BA returning to KUL, but it still heavily depends on the European situation. Also, they are probably waiting for not only additional aircraft but the best-suited aircraft - probably the 787-9 when it eventually flies! Until then, the 77W's they operate are being deployed on higher prospecting routes in the short-medium term.

 

QF on the other hand is apparently destroying it's international network in favor of a cosy 'alliance' relationship with Emirates - which, I dare say is cleverly disguised as a first step (owing to learning from its past mistakes (utter stuff-ups) in dealing with its equity ownership) to a more long-term equity ownership of Qantas by Emirates as well as the sharing of present and future order-books - possibly will see QF operating 77W types very soon! :acute: :pardon:

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BA9 LHR-BKK 2205-1520hr, BA10 BKK-LHR 0020-0625hr

 

Currently BA have a 744 idling at BKK for over 8 hours, BA could tag KUL to BKK like LH if they wish.

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..... BA could tag KUL to BKK like LH if they wish.

 

 

CGK will be tagged onto BA9.

I think I heard something go pooooof !! :lol:

Edited by BC Tam

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BA9 LHR-BKK 2205-1520hr, BA10 BKK-LHR 0020-0625hr

 

Currently BA have a 744 idling at BKK for over 8 hours, BA could tag KUL to BKK like LH if they wish.

BA will change its schedule for its BKK flight this winter. Early afternoon departure ex-LHR for an early morning arrival and then mid morning departure ex-BKK. Similar to say KLM's schedule.

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web.jpg

by Prem Kumar Panjamorthy


PETALING JAYA: British Airways (BA) and Qantas Airways is in active discussion with Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) for a possible comeback to Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) after a decade on optimism of the local economy and enhancing their Asean connectivity.


These airlines left during the financial crisis mainly due to low load factor.


It would probably take two years at the least for BA to decide, according to MAHB general manager (marketing) Mohamed Sallauddin Mat Sah.


It was previously reported that BA and Qantas would wait for the Asean Open Skies Policy in 2015, before making any expansion move in the region.


Few other legacy comeback airlines currently operating in KLIA are Air France (returning after 30 years), Turkish Airlines, Philippines Airlines and Lufthansa German Airlines.


“What is pertinent right now is that BA has recognised the importance of the Malaysian market,” Mohamed Sallauddin told reporters after three legacy carriers have made a comeback to KLIA,” he said on the sidelines of Lufthansa’s media meet to announce the airline’s promotional fares from Kuala Lumpur to Frankfurt yesterday.


German airline, Lufthansa, announced the new five times a week non-stop direct flights from Kuala Lumpur to its hub in Frankfurt by the first quarter of 2014.


“Now with Lufthansa German Airlines announcing nonstop flights to Kuala Lumpur, it has helped MAHB’s bid into getting BA back.


“Therefore, we have actually made a good impression to the BA team. So, sooner or later, we wish they could resume flights to Kuala Lumpur,” he said.


Meanwhile, Lufthansa GM for Malaysia Paurus Nekoo said the flights which will operate from March 30 next year, is part of its current service extensions and flight schedule measures within South- East Asia, where the German airline will increase its seat capacity.


“We are targeting 100% load factor. We are very confident as our connectivity and destinations are the best anyone could get in the whole European region,” he said, adding that currently the airline’s KL-Bangkok- Frankfurt flight is running close to 90% load factor.


The German airline has also introduced promotional fares starting from as low as RM2,888 for economy class, to over 50 destinations in the Europe. The special rates are open for sales until Dec 8, 2013.



Edited by flee

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Meanwhile, Lufthansa GM for Malaysia Paurus Nekoo said the flights which will operate from March 30 next year, is part of its current service extensions and flight schedule measures within South- East Asia, where the German airline will increase its seat capacity.
“We are targeting 100% load factor. We are very confident as our connectivity and destinations are the best anyone could get in the whole European region,” he said, adding that currently the airline’s KL-Bangkok- Frankfurt flight is running close to 90% load factor.

 

 

Lufthansa did not recently re-introduced flights to KUL - they will re-introduce nonstop flights to KUL. They have been flying to KUL for almost the past 10 years.

 

And the GM targets 100% LF?! I want to fly LH - chances of VDB/IDB is going to be really high! :p EU has some really nice comp. for VDB/IDB. ;)

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All I wish for Christmas is BA to return to KUL.

 

How's BA price compared to MH? While randomly checking on the flight from KUL to JFK, MH could charge up to 5K ++ MYR on the round trip while AA charge only 1.5K USD, no a single cent increased after the codeshare agreement with MH.

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BA Y class is very poor, MH is a far better product

 

Still can't forget their cold burger on ex-KUL L-1011-500 Tristar and noise in aft cabin was deafening.

Edited by KK Lee

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I was quite young when I last went on a Tristar and other then feeling that it was huge I cant remember a noise issue

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True dat true dat.

Still, I hope BA will return to KUL sometime soon. QF never really was interested in KUL so I don't expect much.

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How about attracting carriers closer to home - Asiana or ANA? ANA is going to fly twice a day to CGK and KUL is not even in their radar (at least not publicly)!

 

Malaysia was did not even receive new HND daytime slots - Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore, Vietnam and the Philippines all received a pair of daytime slot!

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If both BA and QF could justify making a return to KUL using their own metal, they would have done so. No need for all the courting from MAHB.

 

For the foreseeable future, a code-share with MAS is as close as we'll ever get in seeing BA and QF back in KUL.

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