Firefly: SZB-IPH, IPH-JHB

[Mushrif A 3]

July 14, 2007 17:31 PM

 

Govt Approves Firefly's Flights From Subang To Ipoh

 

 

IPOH, July 14 (Bernama) -- The government has approved the application of Firefly, a wholly owned subsidiary of Malaysia Airlines (MAS), to service the Senai-Ipoh and Subang-Ipoh air routes.

 

Announcing this today, Transport Minister Datuk Seri Chan Kong Choy said that Firefly will be using turbo prop aircraft which was suitable for the short flights ranging from two to two-and-half hours.

 

"Firefly is currently using the Fokker aircraft which made Penang a hub but it is acquiring ATR 72 from Italy and we are confident that with the aircraft, Firefly will be able to have more flights between Ipoh and Subang and Ipoh and Senai.

 

"The ministry hopes that Firefly will start operations as soon as they take delivery of the first batch of the aircraft," he told reporters after the launch of the International Skydive Visit Malaysia Year 2007 here today.

 

Firefly is expected to take receipt of the first batch of ATR 72 in September next year.

 

In June, MAS and ATR (Avion de Transport Regional) signed the agreement in Rome, Italy for the purchase of 20 ATR turbo prop 72-500s.

 

The contract worth US$360 million was for the purchase of each aircraft at US$18.3 million per unit.

 

Firefly flies twice a week [!!!! a "day" laah Mr. Bernama for the domestic towns!!] from Penang to Langkawi, Kota Baharu, Kuala Terengganu, Kuantan, Phuket and Koh Samui. It started the domestic operations on April 3, and its international operations 10 days later using two Fokker Friendship aircraft.

 

In June, the government allowed Firefly to operate from the Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport as its second hub after Penang. It was to facilitate flights from the airport to all its domestic destinations and also to Indonesia and Thailand.

 

On the project to expand the runway at the Sultan Azlan Shah airport here, Chan said a meeting will be held next week involving representatives from his ministry and the Ministry of Finance, the Economic Planning Unit, Malaysia Airport Holdings Bhd and the Perak State Government to come up with the working paper on the upgrading of the airport.

 

A proposal will be made to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi once the working paper is ready.

 

The proposal will cover not only the runway expansion but also other facilities such as the terminal and the Department of Civil Aviation tower building.

 

The state government and various parties especially from the tourism industry of Perak had in the past called for the upgrading of the Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport in order to facilitate the landing of larger aircraft. The transport ministry had also previously proposed making the airport a Low Cost Carrier hub in the northern region of the peninsular.

 

The state government meanwhile has expressed its readiness to spend RM40 million on the airport on the guarantee that flights both domestic and international will be operated from the airport.

 

-- BERNAMA

 

[Tamizi Hj Tamby 1]

Good for IPH,and also for FY too.