All Things FireFly

[BC Tam 2]

It begs the question whether their plan to have FY do all domestic routes (excepting a few 'essential' ones that apparently only MH can fully fulfil) is still intact - for sure what that is scheduled now cannot be what was envisioned 🙂

Then there is the proposed BKI hub ..... haiyah 😁

 

Dunno lah, is FY jet operations meant to be at all ? Remember, this is their second go at it. The first attempt was swept aside upon the MH/AK 'merger' - leading to the couple of insects being abandoned at KUL for years thereafter I recall 🙄

Edited May 4 by BC Tam

[jahur 0]

There is just so many things wrong with FY for east msia ops made worse with them just having 1 aircraft based in BKI.
1. Many locals are not aware there is such an airline especially in places like Miri, Tawau, Sandakan and Lahad Datu. Simple marketing like state newspaper ads are not being done. Firefly is relying on Facebook and Instagram and maybe some roadshow when most of the locals there are not bothered to use those. Head into any kopitiam in sandakan they'll only recognize Airasia and MAS nothing else.
2. Timeslot FY schedules is undesirable by locals. Only reason people may take is the tinsy tiny sales given or very small amount are casual people who do not mind the timing.
3. Them taking over MH's schedule but then putting it at an even worse timing than before just irks the regular flyers back then.

These issues combined you have very low loads onboard consistently with little to no marketing actually reaching folks. Then when loads are low as an LCC it will just outright cancel back to back and combining them. This is just going to deter people from ever considering flying with them.

Parent company also has not allocated sufficient funds for *s#1t happens* scenario like the Max delivery timeline being a total run off. The moment the 1st delay has occurred that effects any transfer of aircraft there's no point to argue with lessors for cheap deals anymore and to get whatever 737ng there is out there and stop waiting for MH to give some.

[Robert 0]

On 5/3/2024 at 4:29 PM, prosibu1 said:

Is it just load issue for FY reducing so many flights recently?

BKI - TWU - 7x weekly to 3x weekly

BKI - SDK - 7x weekly to 3x weekly

BKI - KCH - 9x weekly to 6x weekly

BKI - MYY - 2x weekly to canceled

KCH - MYY - 7x weekly to 3x weekly

PEN - SIN -  14x weekly to 1 weekly

PEN - JHB - 21x weekly to 8 weekly

is there a source for this?

[Pall 0]

15 hours ago, jahur said:

There is just so many things wrong with FY for east msia ops made worse with them just having 1 aircraft based in BKI.
1. Many locals are not aware there is such an airline especially in places like Miri, Tawau, Sandakan and Lahad Datu. Simple marketing like state newspaper ads are not being done. Firefly is relying on Facebook and Instagram and maybe some roadshow when most of the locals there are not bothered to use those. Head into any kopitiam in sandakan they'll only recognize Airasia and MAS nothing else.
2. Timeslot FY schedules is undesirable by locals. Only reason people may take is the tinsy tiny sales given or very small amount are casual people who do not mind the timing.
3. Them taking over MH's schedule but then putting it at an even worse timing than before just irks the regular flyers back then.

These issues combined you have very low loads onboard consistently with little to no marketing actually reaching folks. Then when loads are low as an LCC it will just outright cancel back to back and combining them. This is just going to deter people from ever considering flying with them.

Parent company also has not allocated sufficient funds for *s#1t happens* scenario like the Max delivery timeline being a total run off. The moment the 1st delay has occurred that effects any transfer of aircraft there's no point to argue with lessors for cheap deals anymore and to get whatever 737ng there is out there and stop waiting for MH to give some.

They are more familiar with MASwings compared to FY.

Edited May 5 by Pall

[Alif A. F. 0]

8 hours ago, Pall said:

They are more familiar with MASwings compared to FY.

Could have just repaint those jets in MASWings colour scheme 😁...

[JuliusWong 0]

5 hours ago, Alif A. F. said:

Could have just repaint those jets in MASWings colour scheme 😁...

Hahaha, but according to the staff at the recent MATTA Fair, Maswings is planning to buy or lease their own aircraft once the takeover is completed. They are quite keen on COMAC 919 and ARJ 21, did a personalised tour when both were in SZB few months ago. Not sure how serious they are. LOL!

[Pall 0]

9 hours ago, JuliusWong said:

Hahaha, but according to the staff at the recent MATTA Fair, Maswings is planning to buy or lease their own aircraft once the takeover is completed. They are quite keen on COMAC 919 and ARJ 21, did a personalised tour when both were in SZB few months ago. Not sure how serious they are. LOL!

It wont be Maswings anymore when it happens. The branding will cease and becomes wholly owned by Sarawak state govt. 

[JuliusWong 0]

35 minutes ago, Pall said:

It wont be Maswings anymore when it happens. The branding will cease and becomes wholly owned by Sarawak state govt. 

Yes, they will have a new name when the takeover is completed. For discussion sake now, we will use 'maswings'. On a side note, MAG has proposed itself to 20% stake in the new company to manage the transition and doing operation and engineering support for the new entity. Sarawak gomen said "No, we want 100% control!". Oh well, I hope Sarawak gomen knows what they are doing.

[Craig 0]

10 hours ago, JuliusWong said:

They are quite keen on COMAC 919 and ARJ 21, did a personalised tour when both were in SZB few months ago. Not sure how serious they are. LOL!

Are those planes certified to fly in Malaysia?

[JuliusWong 0]

Just now, Craig said:

Are those planes certified to fly in Malaysia?

ARJ 21 I think so since TransNusa flew it into JHB previously. I am not sure about COMAC 919, but I am sure China CAAC and Malaysia CAAM can work something out. Or Sarawak may even set up their own aviation authority. SAAM?

[JuliusWong 0]

On 5/3/2024 at 4:29 PM, prosibu1 said:

Is it just load issue for FY reducing so many flights recently?

BKI - TWU - 7x weekly to 3x weekly

BKI - SDK - 7x weekly to 3x weekly

BKI - KCH - 9x weekly to 6x weekly

BKI - MYY - 2x weekly to canceled

KCH - MYY - 7x weekly to 3x weekly

PEN - SIN -  14x weekly to 1 weekly

PEN - JHB - 21x weekly to 8 weekly

if they are short of aircraft to provide service for their current network and the new SZB operation, wouldn't it be wiser to postpone their plan for the latter until such date that they have enough aircraft? There are a lot of used B737NG in the market, the only issue now is whether MAG is willing to spend the money and wise enough to make a fast move. We understand that you (especially the CFO) needs to keep tab on your spending to avoid another bailout or asking for loan from Khazanah Nasional, but such a drastic cut in the frequency is really a s#1t job that create so much inconvenience to the travelling public. Firefly has been building up their branding, and has quite decent followers now, and now all it takes is one seriously incompetent management to screw it up again. And some wonders why Sarawak gomen wants to take over Maswings and build their own airline, after all these years of messy operations by MAG, not forgetting last time by FAX.