KL, Singapore keen on opening up budget air routes

[Robert 0]

I pickup this up from yesterdays Star. To me it seems pathetic that they are against it.

 

The flight via JB takes as long as the bus, costs more and is very inconvienent.

 

What do you think think?

I would be interested in the thoughts of people from Johor

 

 

Johor against KL-Singapore budget airlines flights proposal

 

JOHOR BARU: The state government is against a proposal to let budget airlines such as AirAsia and Tiger Airways operate direct flights between Kuala Lumpur and Singapore.

 

State Tourism and Environment Committee chairman Freddie Long said the proposal, if approved by the Transport Ministry, would not only affect the tourism industry but also the state’s economy.

 

“According to Immigration Department records for last year, between 60% and 65% of the 16.7 million tourists to Malaysia entered through Johor.

 

“The KL-Singapore route is already operated by Malaysia Airlines and Singapore Airlines. If the low-cost carriers are also given the route, Johor will be bypassed,” Long said after the state executive council meeting here yesterday.

 

“SIA already has five air routes in our country, which is from Singapore to Kuching, Kota Kinabalu, Langkawi, Penang and the KL International Airport,” he added.

 

Long hoped the Federal Government would consider the state government’s views before making a decision.

 

He said the Federal Government had not agreed to let Singapore use the country’s air space for military purposes, and should also not allow the air space to be used for more commercial flights.

 

On Monday, Transport Minister Datuk Seri Chan Kong Choy said that although no decision was made by the Government yet, both he and his Singaporean counterpart Raymond Lim had agreed that further liberalisation would be beneficial.

 

A committee was also set up to look into the pros and cons of allowing budget airlines to ply the route and the report, which is expected to be ready in a few days, would be submitted to the Cabinet and also Singapore.

 

If approved, the liberalisation might prove to be a big blow to the Sultan Ismail airport in Senai here.

 

Senai Airport Terminal Services Sdn Bhd, operator of the airport, had allocated RM1bil to turn the airport into a key logistics hub in the region.

 

The company had to date spent RM7mil upgrading the passenger terminal building and the cargo complex for RM50mil.

 

 

 

 

 

[Seth K 3]

This is what happen from a bad long term plans. Johor eventually knows that someday somehow AK will go direct to SIN, Johor can't stop someone from getting more profit to advance. They have to figure something out, and AK fly to SIN will kill MH

[Sanjay Thaker 0]

This is what happen from a bad long term plans. Johor eventually knows that someday somehow AK will go direct to SIN, Johor can't stop someone from getting more profit to advance. They have to figure something out, and AK fly to SIN will kill MH

 

 

I beg to differ Seth. I dont think it will kill MH. Basically AK isnt really killing MH in any of the routes. They're juz taking up a small proportion of previously MH flying pax. The people who fly AK really are those who used to use the bus services before. In fact it has been noted that if AK flies across the causeway, the ones really affected would be the bus operators because AK's prices and services competes with the busses rather than a full frill airline. AK is doing a great job giving the oppurtunity to millions who never flown or dreamt or flying before a chance to now fly..contrarary to most people's believe, MH's pax load on routes that AK has started flying has only been reduced in a very small amount due to AK. No matter what happens, MH still has a pool of loyal customers who choose to fly MH only all the time on domestic routes let alone international ones due to their own reasons.

 

In addition, anyone visited the MH website recently? THe prices for their domestic flights is so much cheaper now if you book early....this is gonna really help them return to the game!

[Tony 1]

Sorry for my lazy before.

It's time for me to explain more about my viewpoint.

 

Well, With the high fuel price, although the company can do some hedging in the financial market for the oil, or even charging the surcharges for the fuel. However, if the market is going to be oversupply, competition will sure be occured, airlines will hard to get profit from the passenger flights service. Then they may have to cut the cabin service cost, increase, but meet the law regulations, the work hours of crew members. At last, the maintenance cost may also be lowered down since the company would like to remain in the market. Also, aircrafts may use for very very long period of time under poor suituation, so......

if it is possible for accident(s) to be seen?

 

I don't know if my points will really the case, but I really don't want to see such things gotta happen

Agree with the implications of cost-cutting, but not really on the viewpoint of safety.

 

Airlines, regardless of being low cost or full service, are constantly trying to reduce cost in all areas. There is something called "dollar safety" where an airline has to justify between safety and cost. The preliminary idea is such that in order to be in good economics terms, an airline must ensure that every dollar spent on safety is going to yield some sort of result or improvement. Spending more money on certain areas such as maintenance and safety is NOT going to guarantee an airline to be safe under any circumstance. An airline could spend $X million a year on safety, but that doesn't make it the safest airline in the world.

 

First, I would like to say sorry to you all that I do have bias on the flight safety issue.

Maybe I am over stressed about that. However, I am not stubborn to keep on saying...............More budget air routes/ airlines will go more accident.

Walter, well, yes.

You have waken me up. There are benchmark system for aircrafts, even for the crews.

However, accidents are always unpredictable.

no worries Sneeze! those are parts and parcels of learning anyways.

 

i have a question, is the safety benchmark for maintenance diffrent? i mean, maybe in Malaysia it might be lower in another country and is there such term that i'm using such as lower/higher benchmark or is there a special term for it?

Walter's right. The benchmark system is more commonly known as Standards. They are listed in a thick document named Standards And Recommended Procedures (SARPs) - various parts to it, e.g. airport, flight operations, maintenance etc. The document is issued by ICAO and all airlines registered in statutory States (countries which signed the Chicago Convention) must conform to the Standards set out by ICAO.

 

Civil Aviation Authorities (or their equivalent) of different countries may set higher-than-ICAO standards and codify them within the States' Regulations, but that is optional. And further down the hierarchy, airlines may set higher-than-CAA standards and apply them to the operational side of the business to ensure 'safer operations'.

 

Currently IATA has a safety audit known as IOSA - IATA Operational Safety Audit. It checks the compliance of operators (airlines) with regulations and world's best practice. Areas audited under the IOSA are Organisational (management), Cabin, Engineering (maintenance), Ground Handling, Security, Flight Operations, Despatch, and Cargo. The audit is valid for 2 years, which must be re-audited to keep recent. Audit reports are available to members of the industry.

 

For your interest, http://www.iata.org/ps/services/iosa/index.htm

 

And yes, accidents are unpredictable, but most of them are preventable.

 

I pickup this up from yesterdays Star. To me it seems pathetic that they are against it.

 

The flight via JB takes as long as the bus, costs more and is very inconvienent.

 

What do you think think?

I would be interested in the thoughts of people from Johor

It would impact JB's economies, but perhaps not to the extent of a wipe-out. But I guess KTM will have something to say about this announcement?

[BC Tam 2]

This attitude by the Johor authorities smack of the (for want of a better term) selfish mindset that sadly our nation suffers of. I believe they (Johor govt) is also against the KL-Sin high speed rail. Why try prevent others benefitting from lower travel costs and better convenience, just cause you have vested interest in status quo ?

 

Mind you, I'll probably have a different opinion though if I've got 'vested interests' in Johor !!