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Firefly Setting Up New Hub in Senai (JHB)

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Firefly Revises Passengers Target To 3.5 Million This Year

 

PETALING JAYA, Feb 22 (Bernama) -- Fly Firefly Sdn Bhd, a unit of Malaysia Airlines revised its passengers target to 3.5 million this year from an earlier target of three million passengers with the launch of its Southern hub in Senai, Johor.

 

FireFly Managing Director Datuk Eddy Leong said the new hub would operate in May with two fleet of Boeing 737-400 aircraft instead of its 737-800 aircraft.

 

"It costs us three-and-a-half time less to operate 737-400. Once the hub proves its success, then we will think of bringing in 800 aircraft," he told reporters here Tuesday.

 

The budget airline is confident the numerous commercial and tourism activities expected to generate in Johor Bahru via the Iskandar Malaysia development would be able to positively contribute to its economic growth.

 

The new plan follows the community airline's first jet aircraft flights last month, operated with Boeing 737-800s.

 

Currently Firefly leases the 737-400 aircrafts from the open market on a short-term lease of less than five years, he said adding that to switch to the 737-800 aircrafts, it would likely take two to three years to do so.

 

"Eventually when the Iskandar region development progresses there will be increase in in-bound arrivals of business and leisure travellers.

 

"The economic boost will create natural traffic," he explained.

 

The community airline today announced the second phase of its expansion programmes with the launch of its Southern hub in Johor and Eastern hub in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah.

 

This phase will be accompanied with the introduction of new sectors and additional frequencies on the Sabah and Sarawak routes, which started operating in January this year.

 

Leong said Firefly would also base a 737-800 at Kota Kinabalu and would increase flights between Kuala Lumpur and Kota Kinabalu to six times daily from May 15. Currently it flies three times daily.

 

FireFly is also eyeing international routes from the new hub, Senai and expects to commence flights to Jakarta, Surabaya and Bandung in the third quarter of this year.

 

Bangkok will follow in the fourth quarter, Leong added.

 

The new hub brings FireFly's total hub infrastructures to five with its existing hubs at Subang Skypark, KL International Airport and Penang.

 

Asked when the airline is looking into acquiring any new aircrafts, he said most likely the slot would be available in the year 2012.

 

He, however reiterated that the lease market was very attractive as it was very safe.

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Firefly Revises Passengers Target To 3.5 Million This Year

 

PETALING JAYA, Feb 22 (Bernama) -- Fly Firefly Sdn Bhd, a unit of Malaysia Airlines revised its passengers target to 3.5 million this year from an earlier target of three million passengers with the launch of its Southern hub in Senai, Johor.

 

FireFly Managing Director Datuk Eddy Leong said the new hub would operate in May with two fleet of Boeing 737-400 aircraft instead of its 737-800 aircraft.

 

"It costs us three-and-a-half time less to operate 737-400. Once the hub proves its success, then we will think of bringing in 800 aircraft," he told reporters here Tuesday.

 

The budget airline is confident the numerous commercial and tourism activities expected to generate in Johor Bahru via the Iskandar Malaysia development would be able to positively contribute to its economic growth.

 

The new plan follows the community airline's first jet aircraft flights last month, operated with Boeing 737-800s.

 

Currently Firefly leases the 737-400 aircrafts from the open market on a short-term lease of less than five years, he said adding that to switch to the 737-800 aircrafts, it would likely take two to three years to do so.

 

"Eventually when the Iskandar region development progresses there will be increase in in-bound arrivals of business and leisure travellers.

 

"The economic boost will create natural traffic," he explained.

 

The community airline today announced the second phase of its expansion programmes with the launch of its Southern hub in Johor and Eastern hub in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah.

 

This phase will be accompanied with the introduction of new sectors and additional frequencies on the Sabah and Sarawak routes, which started operating in January this year.

 

Leong said Firefly would also base a 737-800 at Kota Kinabalu and would increase flights between Kuala Lumpur and Kota Kinabalu to six times daily from May 15. Currently it flies three times daily.

 

FireFly is also eyeing international routes from the new hub, Senai and expects to commence flights to Jakarta, Surabaya and Bandung in the third quarter of this year.

 

Bangkok will follow in the fourth quarter, Leong added.

 

The new hub brings FireFly's total hub infrastructures to five with its existing hubs at Subang Skypark, KL International Airport and Penang.

 

Asked when the airline is looking into acquiring any new aircrafts, he said most likely the slot would be available in the year 2012.

 

He, however reiterated that the lease market was very attractive as it was very safe.

 

did the reporter quote correctly or is Datuk Eddy Leong being very optimistic..

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did the reporter quote correctly or is Datuk Eddy Leong being very optimistic..

I think he meant 737-800 aircraft. :)

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Looks like 9M-FZA will be stationed at JHB,as according to the FY timetable,flights from JHB hub will be operated by B734.

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JOHOR BAHARU, May 7 (Bernama)-- International flights are to resume from the Senai Airport here after a lapse of almost a year.

 

Firefly Sdn Bhd, the low cost carrier, has confirmed that it will introduce it's maiden flight to the Indonesian cities of Surabaya and Bandung on Aug 12 and Aug 16 respectively.

 

It will also fly to Bangkok, at the end of the year.

 

The Senai Airport used to be the southern hub of budget airline AirAsia's international operations, with flights to Macau, Bangkok and Jakarta until it halted the services in the middle of last year.

 

Sriwijaya, the Indonesia-based airline, also operated a flight to Surabaya from Senai but stopped doing so in August last year.

 

Since then, the Senai Airport has only catered to domestic flights but with Firefly's latest confirmation, the Johor state government's efforts to turn it into an international destination, is picking up pace.

 

The Johor Tourism Department Director, Dr Shaari Mohd Nooh said that Firefly, a subsidiary of Malaysia Airlines, is serious in wanting to make the Senai Airport its southern hub.

 

"Firefly will have two planes for the international flights and a set of crew permanently stationed here," he added.

 

He was speaking after launching the Johor Travel Fair 2011 at the Sutera Mall here on Friday.

 

Shaari also said that China Airlines is interested in flying to Senai from the southern city of Guangzhou and is now in talks with the Malaysian Department of Civil Aviation for landing rights.

 

"Many Chinese citizens apply for visas at the Malaysian Consulate in Guangzhou. So, it's natural, that they want to fly out from Guangzhou airport.

 

"Having more international flights into Senai Airport will only increase tourist arrivals into Johor," he added.

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Shaari also said that China Airlines is interested in flying to Senai from the southern city of Guangzhou and is now in talks with the Malaysian Department of Civil Aviation for landing rights.

 

Oh dear, don't think the China Authority would allow a Taiwan airline flying out Mainland passengers....HAHAHA! Must be China Southern, not likely Air Chaina even...after all CZ is doing very well in PEN...

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Oh dear, don't think the China Authority would allow a Taiwan airline flying out Mainland passengers....HAHAHA! Must be China Southern, not likely Air Chaina even...after all CZ is doing very well in PEN...

Yes. Guangzhou is CZ's home base.

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Firefly Aims To Fly Some One Million Passengers By May 2012 From Its Southern Hub

 

JOHOR BAHARU, May 19 (Bernama) -- Firefly, a unit of Malaysia Airlines (MAS), aims to fly some one million passengers from its southern hub by May next year, its Managing Director Datuk Eddy Leong said.

 

To date, Firefly has flown 3.6 million passengers and is targeting to fly five million passengers by the end of this year.

 

"We are pleased to report that Firefly's passenger load out of our southern hub today averages 70 per cent," he told reporters after the commencement of Firefly's services from Johor Baharu to Kuching on Thursday.

 

Leong said the introduction of Firefly's services underlined the airlines' commitment to develop Johor Baharu as its southern hub, offering Johoreans more travel choices and contribute significantly to the rapidly developing opportunities in commerce and tourism.

 

"Johor is a significant part of Firefly's growth plan as our target market will now expand to mass passengers from the southern region, Singapore, Batam and transit passengers in Sabah and Sarawak," he said.

 

Leong said Firefly's southern hub would soon go regional with the introduction of flights to Surabaya on Aug 14; Bandung (Aug 16); and to Bangkok in November.

 

He said flight tickets from Johor Baharu to Surabaya and Bandung are already on sale and the load factor looked promising.

 

He said the southern hub would operate with two Boeing 737-400, with a seating capacity of 162, for a maximum of three years.

 

The aircraft would be upgraded to Boeing 737-800 later, he said.

 

"The reason why we are operating with Boeing 737-400 for the starter is because the 737-400 is at a affordable lease rate and it does gives us the flexibility to offer our passengers low-cost fares," he said.

 

In addition, the airlines would also operate domestic flights between Johor Baharu and Langkawi and Johor Baharu-Penang in conjunction with the upcoming school holidays in the second quarter of this year, he added.

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Firefly has eyes for more destinations in Indonesia

 

SENAI: Community airline FlyFirefly Sdn Bhd is planning to fly to more destinations in Indonesia from its main hub at the KL International Airport, Kota Kinabalu and Johor Baru.

 

Managing director Datuk Eddy Leong said plans were already in the pipeline to introduce services to Balikpapan in Kalimantan, Medan, Padang and Palembang in Sumatra.

 

“Indonesia offers good prospects for air travel and is a big market for business and tourists and we want to tap the growing demand for low-cost airlines,'' he told StarBiz.

 

Leong said the airline would probably fly to these destinations under its second phase of expansion when more Boeing 737-800 and Boeing 737-400 aircraft are added to its fleet.

 

Leong said the airline would start flying from Johor Baru to Surabaya and Bandung on Aug 14 and 16 respectively and to Bangkok in November.

 

Earlier at a press conference to welcome the airline's inaugural flight from Kuching to Johor Baru, he said it would only introduce the Johor Baru-Jakarta route when it had a third Boeing 737-400.

 

Leong said presently, the airline had placed two Boeing 737-400s, with a seating capacity of 162 each, at Senai airport to serve the Johor Baru-Kuching sector and the Johor Baru-Kota Kinabalu route which would start next month.

 

“We are looking to fly more than one million passengers from our southern hub (Johor Baru) by the end of 2012,'' he said.

 

He said response to the Johor Baru-Kuching sector was good with 70% passenger load factor and a similar load factor was already recorded for the Johor Baru-Surabaya and Johor Baru-Bandung routes starting in August.

 

Leong said apart from the popularity of Bandung and Jakarta as shopping destinations among Johoreans and Singaporeans, there were also many Indonesian workers in Johor who needed to fly home.

 

Source : http://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=%2F2011%2F5%2F20%2Fbusiness%2F8718921&sec=business

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this is what i got yesterday 26th May 2011

Parked at JHB somewhere in the afternoon. I heard she did KCH in the morning.

 

26may20119mffd1618mw.jpg

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This looks more like KIA's tarmac to me..

 

 

TK is right; It's not KIA.My guess is probably JHB or KUL.

The photographer definitely know where he took the picture..... Especially when he is a B738 captain.

 

FFE or FYE capt? If it's true that it was FYE, what on earth was that ATR doing in KUL? :mellow:

Sorry, my bad, it was FFE, the B738.

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The photographer definitely know where he took the picture..... Especially when he is a B738 captain.

 

 

Sorry, my bad, it was FFE, the B738.

 

May I know that FFE previously leased from and CN?

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All plans cancelled.

 

FY announced no longer operate JHB-BKI and JHB-KCH from 15 September 2011 onwards. Sayonara

 

Firefly Airlines We regret to inform you we will no longer operate JB – Kuching (or JB – Kota Kinabalu) route from September 15 onwards. We apologise for the inconvenience caused

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