MAS Increases Seating Capacity On KL-Manila Route

[Seng Lim 0]

Seems like MAS is taking action to kick Cebu Pacific out of the market.............

 

MAS Increases Seating Capacity On KL-Manila Route

November 27, 2006 14:47 PM From Ravichandran D. J. Paul

 

MANILA, Nov 27 (Bernama) -- Anticipating higher traffic growth due to the favourable economic climate in the Philippines and the allure of Visit Malaysia Year 2007 (VMY07), Malaysia Airlines (MAS) has enhanced the seating capacity on the Kuala Lumpur-Manila route with additional 468 seats from Nov 1.

 

While retaining the nine frequencies per week, the higher seating capacity is achieved by upgrading from four Airbus and five Boeing 737s flights to seven Airbus and two Boeing 737s.

 

MAS area manager for the Philippines, Goh Meng Kheng, said the Airbus 330 with a seating capacity of 297 is being utilised for the Kuala Lumpur-Manila direct flights and the Boeing 737 with 139 seating capacity via Kota Kinabalu.

 

The services to another leading destination in the Philippines, Cebu, directly and via Kota Kinabalu using the Boeing 737 has been doubled from two per week respectively effective Nov 1.

 

The load factor for the Kuala Lumpur-Manila route is 70 percent while the Kuala Lumpur-Cebu route is 50 percent with the services on both routes being operated under the code-sharing arrangement with the country's national carrier, PNA

 

Apart from the better economic conditions that are bound to encourage more Filipinos to travel, Goh said the efforts to promote Malaysia as a leading MICE (meeting, international conference and exhibition) destination under VMY07 will help draw more visitors from the Philippines, especially from its well-established insurance and medical sector.

 

On AirAsia's presence in the Philippines, Goh said no doubt that the low-cost carrier will compete with MAS, but the bigger picture is that both carriers are catering for different market segments and final destinations, and are in fact complementing each other.

 

Currently, AirAsia has seven weekly flight to the Clark's Air Base and another Philippine no-frills carrier, Cebu Pacific, is set to take off in the Manila-Kuala Lumpur route in December.

 

-- BERNAMA

[Pieter C. 5]

country's national carrier, PNA

 

Thought that was PAL

 

[Seth K 3]

Gud biz, but 70% on 330 and incresing some x-tra capacity with 737/330 doesn't sound any relevant But again, MH don't really have competition on this route

Anyway, if they want to upgrade, they should just go with 777, cuz I'm flying to MNL next month Never get tire flying T7!!!

[KK Lee 5]

 

To replace 734 with 333 or 332 on KUL/MNL sector is long overdue. Actually, MH could have a better load if it provide a more convenient connection to and from Middle East, where there are ten of thousands Philippino are working.