What is happening to the MH flights in East Malaysia?

[Josh T 0]

I'm trying to book flights between BKI and KCH in June next year. Last week there were about 6 or 7 flights per day between the 2 cities. I checked again last night and there's only 2 now. What on earth is going on?? Are they overhauling the flight schedules?

[Ikman Ikreza 0]

I'm trying to book flights between BKI and KCH in June next year. Last week there were about 6 or 7 flights per day between the 2 cities. I checked again last night and there's only 2 now. What on earth is going on?? Are they overhauling the flight schedules?

 

Maybe BKI and KCH routes soon goes to the new yet-to-be-named regional premium carrier

 

“However, the management did not say how many employees will be affected, although it was told that only 3,000 staff were needed for the airline’s short haul operations which include Firefly and the new yet-to-be-named regional premium carrier (that will be launched by mid-2012),” said Alias on Wednesday.

 

http://www.malaysianwings.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=16474&view=findpost&p=297957

[alberttky 0]

As expected, East Malaysia is the neglected part of the country.

[flee 5]

As expected, East Malaysia is the neglected part of the country.

But they still vote for BN! Are they masochists?

[Isaac 0]

But they still vote for BN! Are they masochists?

Many of these "they" are fake Malaysians.

[alberttky 0]

Many of these "they" are fake Malaysians.

 

Or brainwashed Malaysians.

[S V Choong 4]

Many of these "they" are fake Malaysians.

I wouldn't be surprised if my phantom voter have helped me to vote for BN

 

Real Sabahans voted for the PBS in the 1980s and we get screwed in the back side by series of blackouts and water shortages. Then came the real "Pendatangans" and one of their conditions for remaining in the East is to continously vote for BN. The rest is as good as you can guess.

[prosibu1 0]

Now i try to check again but there are 7 flights between Kl and KCH

[CH Teo 0]

Now i try to check again but there are 7 flights between Kl and KCH

 

I got being prompt with 2 options only, one MH flight and one MASwings flight...

[muhdlee 0]

But they still vote for BN! Are they masochists?

Can’t wait to see Tuan Guru Hj. Hadi as our next PM replacing this most corrupted government in the world’s history

[prosibu1 0]

I got being prompt with 2 options only, one MH flight and one MASwings flight...

opps... I tot you saying KL and KcH .... sorry ya

[Waiping 12]

Bring back Feri Malaysia.

[Victor A. 2]

Bring back Feri Malaysia.

 

time for new airline..BORNEO Airways & 1Borneo....

[BC Tam 2]

time for new airline.....

 

 

Sabah Air is ready to step in

Published on: Saturday, December 31, 2011

 

Kota Kinabalu: Sabah Air Aviation Sdn Bhd (Sabah Air) disclosed Friday that it is ready to serve domestic and regional routes and is in the process of applying for the necessary approvals.

 

Its Chairman, Datuk Yusoff Datuk Haji Mohd Kasim, said Sabah Air has been working internally on a comprehensive plan to start a Scheduled Flight Service dedicated to the State and the region over the last three months.

 

He said the plan is in its final stages of maturity, adding that once the Board gives an "authority to proceed", Sabah Air will officially apply for the relevant approvals from the Department of Civil Aviation and Transport Ministry.

 

"The fountainhead of the plan is a three-pronged strategy to fill the gap created, especially in the tourism sector in the immediate aftermath of incumbent service providers possibly pulling out of certain sectors," he said, in a statement.

 

This pullout is expected to produce a massive backlash on the State's economy in the short to medium term, he said, adding Sabah Air has the necessary solution to address the long-term issues of international connectivity for the continued benefit of the State and its economy.

 

"This at the same time bring the long isolated rural areas of the State into the mainstream; logistically and economically," he said.

 

He said Sabah Air is working in tandem with Warisan Harta Sdn Bhd's current thinking on this matter, that is to find a practical and profitable long term solution.

 

Elaborating on Sabah Air's strategy, Yusoff said Phase 1 would involve addressing the immediate issues faced by passengers who had booked air flights but are facing potential cancellations due to service providers pulling out of these sectors.

 

"Sabah Air is already in negotiations with potential Aircraft Lessors to fill the gap under the company's Air Operator's Certificate (AOC) - Charter on a Wet Lease Basis (Wet Lease means the company will lease aircraft along with crew, maintenance and insurance)," he said.

 

Sabah Air is also in discussions with relevant authorities in the State tourism sector, both government and operators, to get an accurate picture of the tourism sector, their travel timelines and other respective details such as local destinations, etc. The information will be put to effective use to solve the problem at the earliest.

 

Phase 2 will involve addressing the long term needs of the State in terms of connectivity to the relevant foreign destinations with a more permanent arrangement.

 

He said Sabah Air will be effectively moving up the value chain to form a full-fledged airline to serve the East Malaysia region, and eventually the Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia and Philippines-East Asean Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) and possibly beyond.

 

"The main focus will be to provide an efficient logistical support for passengers and cargo, and connect this region to rest of the world," he said.

 

Phase 3 will involve addressing the air connectivity issue for the rural interiors of Sabah, with a customised and localised cost effective solution and eventually duplicating the business model to other rural regions of East Malaysia.

 

He said current rural air service is only addressing major towns in Sabah, while the rest of the actual rural regions in the State are still without any scheduled air connectivity.

 

Sabah Air has developed a comprehensive plan to address this gap and bring these regions into the mainstream air connectivity pipeline, he said.

 

This phase will be implemented on the back of an "out-of-the-box" Sabah specific strategy that is already developed by the company, and will be further elucidated to the public in the coming weeks after the necessary internal processes and approvals are completed.

 

"At this stage we can only reveal that it is a direct impact plan for the Rural Economic Transformation; create a pipeline for them to participate in the mainstream industry, thereby improving their socio-economic status and in support of the State Government's programme to reduce the poverty incidence in the State," he said.

 

It will also provide the backbone for decentralisation of the economy in general and bring about an ideal platform for implementing the concept of universal employment opportunities, he said.

 

The said plan will be duplicated to other rural regions once the Sabah Phase is successfully implemented, he said, adding Sabah Air is confident of the feasibility of the plan and its ability to provide universal air connectivity for the State.

 

"Sabah Air has the necessary experience and ability to solve this rapidly developing problem while consolidating its plan and execute the long term practical solution for the State.

 

We are strong in our conviction that all this can be achieved while staying true to the principle of inclusive development for all Sabahans," he said.

 

In view of this fast developing scenario for Sabah, the company is confident to serve the State profitably when all relevant landing rights in Seoul, Haneda, Osaka and Perth (to and fro Kota Kinabalu) are given to it, which MAS is currently in the process of giving up.

 

"Sabah Air is prepared to take over these routes and is making the necessary arrangements for the same to be activated as soon as the go-ahead is given," he said.

 

from today's local paper

Edited December 31, 2011 by BC Tam

[Alif A. F. 0]

I am not surprised considering that DAP has been noisy about this issue (of Sabah Air not being proactive enough for regional routes) for the past weeks.

 

I take this positive news with a bit of caution (well...skepticism) because other previous attempt to make this sort of plan worked (remember SAEAGA airlines?)has failed. But, maybe the situation now is so different compared to those days.

[CH Teo 0]

 

Plans nicely drawn, Sarawak government also has one; as Borneo citizens, after so many dramas in flight frequencies cut this year, we can only hope that they are not only know how to talk, but really working on it, or else next time maybe got money also no seats to fly...

[Victor A. 2]

 

the problem with these sort of news is that, the airlines goes 'kaput' even before it starts flying. remember the news on a few airlines which springs up in Perak, Malacca a few months ago? they even had a launching ceremony only to go under without even flying a single flight.

 

both sabah & s'wak had to get someone who's a season player in the airline industry if they're serious about forming an alternative airline to serve the people in both states. forming an airline company is no monkey business or else more wastage of public fund is going to occur.

[flee 5]

The main problem is lack of sustained demand. Airlines need pax to keep flying - so although some people are clamouring for the flights, airlines are finding it difficult to make money on the services as loads and yields cannot sustain the airlines long term.

[BC Tam 2]

The main problem is lack of sustained demand. Airlines need pax to keep flying - so although some people are clamouring for the flights, airlines are finding it difficult to make money on the services as loads and yields cannot sustain the airlines long term.

Totally agree !

I suspect there will be lots of these brave talk for time being

But when it comes down to actually putting money down, you'll find lots of excuses and technicalities creeping up - these sort of things are the bottomless pit into which good money gets poured in. Unfortunately I don't see Sabah state coffers being able to afford it, much less sustain

[Alif A. F. 0]

The main problem is lack of sustained demand. Airlines need pax to keep flying - so although some people are clamouring for the flights, airlines are finding it difficult to make money on the services as loads and yields cannot sustain the airlines long term.

 

That means, not only the new airline has to work with relevant parties(both public and private sectors), but they must build-up their branding and put to work their marketing strategy quickly.

[Josh T 0]

Well, I'm annoyed by the changes. I'm planning on flying from Sandakan to Kuching and the current timetable means MH is only offering 1 flight to KCH at 7:45pm (MH385) and the 2 possible connecting flights from SDK means either a 6 hour transit or a 40 minute one!

[Timothy 1]

What East Malaysia needs is a proper Pan-Borneo "Highway". With most major airports being half an hour from the city centre (KCH, BTU, MYY etc) there is little impetus to fly since the period one even leaves the house till he/she steps into the plane will have taken nearly more than an hour. 30 minutes travelling to airport, 10 minutes check in + security check, 30 minutes in departure lounge .. .then 30 minute flight BTU-MYY and another 30 minutes just traveling from destination airport.

 

So a total traveling time of 2 hour 10 minutes by "air" ... while driving takes 2 hours 20 minutes

 

Even for longer distances such as BTU-KCH , if a couple more bridges were built the distance could be cut to about 400Km by road instead of the current 600+km.

[alberttky 0]

What East Malaysia needs is a proper Pan-Borneo "Highway". With most major airports being half an hour from the city centre (KCH, BTU, MYY etc) there is little impetus to fly since the period one even leaves the house till he/she steps into the plane will have taken nearly more than an hour. 30 minutes travelling to airport, 10 minutes check in + security check, 30 minutes in departure lounge .. .then 30 minute flight BTU-MYY and another 30 minutes just traveling from destination airport.

 

 

Sigh... only if the Sarawak government got the brains to do something like this...

[KC Sim 2]

Sabah and Sarawak were very actively promoting inbound tourism in the 1990s and early 2000s in longhaul markets, especially Europe.

 

I recall that many of us in the industry would ogle at the beautiful tourism posters produced by the Sarawak Tourism Board and wish we had that kind of creativity. And I know for a fact that these posters were very much sought after by industry admirers - both as a collector's item as well as an inspiration to be drawn from when making future marketing collaterals.

 

Many of Europe's visitors wanting to go to Sabah and Sarawak would consider Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok and Singapore as the hub for that final flight into East Malaysia. Sabah Air will have to provide links from both Kuching and Kota Kinabalu to these three cities if it is to be of any use to the tourism industry. There are of course the resident of these three cities who could also be enticed to visit East Malaysia ... not to forget other markets such as Hong Kong, Japan, China, Taiwan and South Korea. And fares too have to be realistic and Sabah Air will do well to sign some form of pro-rate and interline agreements with international airlines to allow for through-fares from Europe/Australia/USA to East Malaysia.

 

Sabah Air is now in a position to attain a more lasting solution to East Malaysia's problems. For too long, there is no airline domiciled in East Malaysia and the states' connectivity and tourism fate have always been in the hands of those based elsewhere - and who will have no qualms pulling out whenever they hit a soft patch or if there is somewhere more profitable to fly to. Sabah Air (or any airline based in East Malaysia) will have little choice in these circumstances but to stay put and ride through it.

 

Wishing Sabah Air success.

 

KC Sim

[Waiping 12]

Somehow I think the effort to push Sabah Air into the picture is just another knee jerk response to the MH-AK merger as politicians try to "entertain" fears from the local public. The way I look at it Sabah Air existed decades ago but was being cast aside as SAEAGA, FAX, MH, FY, AK all play apart in a dramatic local aviation scene. There was never any mention of Sabah Air until only very recently after so many long years. Why they were not brought up during the difficult period when FAX was running the RAS with poorly maintained F50s? Why there was not mention when MH almost immediately cut frequency after the Labuan airport was improved? Even now Sandakan business still lamenting the lack of flights to and fro Sandakan. These places may not be able to command 2 full A320s per day but they could really do with better connections to other places like BKI and KUL. Politicians don't need to worry because they travel on our expenses, and expensive airfare is the last thing they will worry about.

 

Remember, election is just around the corner and the all we can see is more digging up a fine road and relay it poorly.