Selamat Datang to the sixth instalment of the Malaysian Aviation Thread.


Source: Skyscrapercity.com


Some of the major events in the previous threads:

Awards

• Skytrax's World Airline Awards 2007
  
  Malaysia Airlines
  Airline of the Year - 6th (2006 - 9th)
  Best Cabin Staff - Winner (2006 - 3rd)
  Best Catering: Economy Class - 3rd (2006 - 9th)
  Best First Class Lounge: KUL - 6th
  Best Business Class Lounge: KUL - 6th
  Best First Class - 4th
  Best Business Class - 4th
  Best Economy Class - 2nd (2006 - Winner)
  
  AirAsia
  Best Low Cost Airline: Asia - Winner
  Best Low Cost Airline: South East Asia - Winner
  
  
• Skytrax's World Airport Awards 2007
  
  Kuala Lumpur International Airport
  Airport of the Year 2007 - 5th (2006 - 6th)
  Best Immigration Service - 2nd
  
  
• AirAsia Academy was awarded the "Airline Human Capital Development Strategy Award" at the 2007 Frost & Sullivan Industrial Technologies Awards in Singapore. The award was presented to the low-cost carrier in recognition of its achievement in improving its human capital development and training quality in the airline industry. The academy started operations in April 2005.
  

Bilateral Disagreement:

• India and Malaysia finally signed a revised air service agreement that ended what seemed like a mild diplomatic row that was brewing between the two countries. The dispute was put to rest after a two-day high-level meeting between ministerial officials in Malaysia. Last May, India’s Civil Aviation Authority warned of an impending ban on Malaysia Airlines (MAS) if Indian domestic carriers, Air India Express and Air Sahara, were not permitted to land in Malaysia. While Air Sahara still has the landing rights, it is not clear when or if the carrier will start flying to Malaysia.
  

Crashes/Mishap:

• RMAF's Nuri helicopter with 6 on board crashed on a flight to Kuantan. All 6 died. The Government will soon call for an international public tender to purchase new aircraft for the Royal Malaysian Air Force to replace its fleet of 30 Nuri helicopters. American helicopter manufacturers are favoured for the said soon to be released RFPs. Deputy Prime Minister said the Cabinet had given the nod to initiate the tender process. Starting this year, Nuri helicopters will be phased out in stages until 2012.
  
  
• An unmanned aerobridge, which was docked to an aircraft (9M-MKE), caused damage to the aircraft door when it suddenly shifted downwards at KUL. No passengers were involved in the incident. The cause has yet to be ascertained. The aircraft for flight MH378 was scheduled to depart from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing. All the passengers bound for the flight were then in the holding lounge and were transferred to another aircraft to depart for their destination.
  
  
• A 33-year-old MH's pilot fell to his death from the seventh floor of a condominium block in Damansara. Alvin Goh Huey Peng was found sprawled on the ground of the condominium by residents.It is learnt that Goh left a suicide note to his parents and girlfriend.
  

Financial Performance:

• Malaysia Airlines reported a net profit of RM113 million for the second quarter ended 30 June 2007, improving its performance by RM290 million from RM177 million in losses a year earlier. This marks the airline’s 4th successive quarter of net profit since the launch of its Business Turnaround Plan (BTP) in February 2006, and tracks well for Malaysia Airlines to achieve its stretch profit target of RM300 to RM700 million this year.
  
  
• AirAsia recorded net profit of RM185.05mil on revenue of RM432.15mil in its fourth quarter ended June 30, compared with RM130.77mil and RM313.73mil respectively in the previous corresponding period. Earnings per share rose to 7.9 sen from 5.6 sen previously. The growth was attributed to higher passenger volume, which grew 45% year-on-year.
  
  
• Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd’s (MAHB) net profit for the second quarter (2Q) ended June 30, 2007 surged 79% to RM55.85 million from RM31.21 million a year earlier, mainly due to higher revenues achieved by most of its divisions. MAHB had cash reserves of RM782mil at the end of last year. It reported RM169mil in net profit for financial year ended Dec 31, 2006. For the first half ended June 30, 2007, MAHB recorded RM127mil in net profit and RM673mil in revenue.
  

Government/NGO interferences in aviation businesses:

• The Senators’ Club has called for the sacking of MH managing director Datuk Idris Jala to prevent further “sliding of services” by the national carrier stating the government-linked MAS was fast losing its credibility and its services was regressing from “bad to worse.”
  
  
• The International Air Transport Association criticised Malaysia's move to cut departure tax at its two budget airline terminals, saying it was discriminatory to other carriers and warning it could hurt tourism in the country. In June, departure tax for international passengers at the Low Cost Carrier Terminals, or LCCT, in Kuala Lumpur and in Kota Kinabalu was dropped by up to 51 percent to RM25 (US$7.40; euro5.40).
  
  
• The Transport Ministry will not interfere in the internal operations of Malaysia Airlines (MAS), including the management of its financial affairs and staff. The ministry would keep watch on the company's On-Time Performance (OTP) index and ensure that its aircrafts’ safety standards were maintained at a high level.
  
  
• Malacca Chief Minister will step in and try to save the historical air control tower at the Batu Berendam airport. The airport, built in 1952, is undergoing a RM131mil expansion to accommodate Boeing 737-400 and Airbus A320 aircraft and the tower is slated for demolition.
  

New/Additional Routes/Service/Carrier/Frequency/Upgrade/Downgrade/Movement to Malaysia:

• MH will add an additional weekly flight to Adelaide, Colombo, and Male for Northern Winter 2007/2008 schedules. ADL will be served 5 weekly (all B772) while the KUL-MLE-CMB-KUL triangle route will be served 4 times weekly (all A333).
  
  
• AirAsia
  Coming Soon:
  Kuala Lumpur (KUL) - Vientiane (Laos)
  Kuala Lumpur (KUL) - Banda Aceh (Indonesia)
  Johor Bahru (JHB) - Jakarta (CGK) on 28 September 2007.
  
  New:
  Johor Bahru (JHB) - Macau (MFM) starts 24 August 2007.
  Johor Banru (JHB) - Palembang, Indonesia (PLM) starts 25 August 2007.
  Kota Kinabalu (BKI) - Shenzhen
  
  Added Frequencies:
  Kuala Lumpur - Solo (2x Daily)
  Kuala Lumpur - Shenzhen (2x Daily)
  Kuala Lumpur - Kota Kinabalu (10x Daily)
  
  
• Firefly's is serving PEN-LGK 3 times daily.
  
  
• Singapore Airlines is increasing the fuel surcharge on tickets issued on or after Aug 2 for both Singapore Airlines and Silkair flights to all destinations. For flights between Singapore and Kuala Lumpur and Penang, the surcharge will be increased by US$2 to US$22. For other flights, the surcharge has been raised US$5 to US$63.
  
  
• Garuda Indonesia is to cancel all code share flights with MH effective October 28, the start of the northern winter schedule. The codeshare agreement covers the joint Indonesia to Malaysia routes as well as the codeshare services beyond the airlines' individual hubs.
  
  
• Emirates flies from Venice to Kuala Lumpur daily.
  
  
• Gulf Air is rumored to quit KUL.
  
  
• Kuwait Airways, recently introduced Jakarta as its latest outbound destination from Malaysia, is confident the “value-for-money” holiday package will attract more Malaysians travellers.
  
  
• Qatar Airways Cargo starting flights to Johor Bahru (JHB).
  
  
• PIA new routing KHI-KUL-KHI-Peshawar, PEW is capital of North West Frontier Province (NWFP) bordering Afghanistan.
  
  
• India's Jet Airways is to upgrade KUL from B738 to A330 by January 2008. BOM - KUL planned as well.
  
  
• Air India Express plans to start to fly from Kuala Lumpur to Chennai by October in the first phase and expand later to Trichy in southern India and to other Indian destinations.
  
  
• Direct flights between Johor Bahru (JHB) and Chennai could start by next year with India and Malaysia practising the open skies concept, including in air cargo.
  
  
• Australia's Jetstar has launched the first low-cost direct long-haul flights between Kuala Lumpur and Sydney on Sept 9 with a special web-only offer from RM88 upwards for a one-way ticket. The offer is for two travel periods spanning Sept 9-20 this year and Feb 3-28 next year. The standard economy fare at other periods would be RM488, excluding surcharges and taxes.
  
  The arrival of the first Jetstar flight last night of Flight JQ65 from Sydney marked the first time any aircraft from the Qantas group had touched down in KUL on a commercial flight since the late 1990s. Jetstar plans to tackle Malaysia Airlines and AirAsia X on their home turf. Jetstar will at first fly three times a week but plans to ramp up the new service to a daily frequency. Qantas is also considering using KUL as a hub for one-stop flights between Australia and Europe.
  

Online Facilities/New Product:

• MH will offer online check in via its website by March 2008.
  
  
• AirAsia offers meals self collection via web booking system. Passengers who pre-order their meals can pick them up from a retail outlet operated by AirAsia in KUL before boarding their flights.
  
  
• Web check in for AK's flight are now available outside KUL. Passengers in JHB, KCH, BKI and PEN may do so as well.
  
  
• 12 self service kiosks are now ready in KUL. KLM is the first to offer such service, Malaysia Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Singapore Airlines and Emirates to join before year end.
  
  
• Emirates Airline will soon offer check-in services for its passengers at Kuala Lumpur Sentral. Beginning July 30, passengers flying Emirates can check in at the Kuala Lumpur City Air Terminal (KLCAT). Initially check-in counters at KLCAT will service Dubai-bound travellers. The first passenger who checked in at its counter at KL sentral would receive an exclusive Emirates’ gift. The counters will be open five hours before each departing flight and will close two hours prior to departure. Its counter at KL Sentral will be operated by DRB-Hicom Bhd subsidiary KL Airport Services Sdn Bhd.
  

People:

• A 34-year-old man acted as if he was an important businessman returning home from a working trip. He was wearing a coat and a tie and was flying Business Class. But Customs officers saw through his bluff and arrested him when he arrived at KUL, and seized 2kg of syabu on him.
  
  
• On May 8, a 56-year-old local man going abroad was detained on suspicion of carrying heroin. However, he swallowed the 475g of heroin before the custom could seize it. Adding that subsequent X-ray test on the man revealed the drug in his stomach. The case is still under investigation.
  
  
• The Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) has warned Malaysians to be wary of Hong Kong travel companies that ask for personal data such as bank account numbers. The tourism board said it had received several enquiries from Malaysians who were called by representatives of certain Hong Kong travel companies claiming to have organised lucky draws in collaboration with HKTB.
  

Plane delivery/movement/order:

• MH's B744 fleet are shrinking. From 17 aircrafts owned, now only 11 in active fleet. Former 'Kuala Terengganu' is now wearing Oasis Hong Kong livery.
  
  
• AK has received its 26th A320 and completing the registration series from A to Z.
  
  
• MASWings will purchase 5 new Twin Otters 400 aircrafts as part of expansion plan.
  

Price Wars:

• Malaysia Airlines is offering travellers super low airfares for bookings till Aug 15, 2007, during its World Online Celebration. Customers booking these offers through www.malaysiaairlines.com can enjoy up to 75% discount on airfares for all its international destinations, except Australia, for travel from Jan 16 to May 22, 2008.
  
  
• Firefly is offering Malaysians the chance to celebrate Merdeka in the air - by flying to destinations for as low as 50sen. Booking can be made at www.fireflyz.com.my
  

Travel Fair:

• To attract more Muslim visitors from Malaysia, HKTB would launch in October a guide book for Muslim travelers in Hong Kong. The book contains information and addresses of all the halal-certified restaurants in Hong Kong. It also contains information of the interesting tourism sites in Hong Kong. The guidebook would be made available at travel agents and airline companies in the South and Southeast Asia region. HKTB also organised a workshop to address the religious and dietary need of Muslim travelers in Hong Kong. It is also to update travel agents' product knowledge and enable them to better understand what Hong Kong can offer to Muslims visitors.
  
  
• Pakistan will hosting its coveted film and fashion awards in Genting Highlands, which has been the venue for India’s glittering Oscar awards-like shows. The stage is set for a “Bollywood versus Lollywood” comparison here. The Pakistani film industry is referred to as Lollywood, a portmanteau of Lahore and Hollywood. About 400 of Pakistan’s leading film, fashion, TV and music personalities will converge here for the annual Citigold Lux Style Awards 2007.
  
  
• MAS had launched the “Get Spotted” campaign to reward its Enrich frequent flyer members. As part of its “Let’s Fly Malaysia!” campaign, Enrich members will receive special edition luggage tags custom-designed for Malaysia Airlines by Datuk Mohd Nor Khalid or better known as Lat. Overall, 50,000 luggage tags would be distributed, and an average of four winners would be selected daily during the campaign period. Each winner will receive 10,000 Enrich miles and RM50 ‘temptations’ inflight shopping vouchers. Winners who are spotted on Aug 31 will receive a 3-day/2-night Golden Holidays package for two persons, either to Phuket, Denpasar, Phnom Penh, Siem Reap or Bangkok.
  
  
• Malaysia's largest travel fair, MATTA Fair was held from 7-9 Sep and it has its own (Visa) Matta credit card program issued by EON Bank. Privilledge includes lounge service at KUL and SIN. MH is offering attractive domestic and international flight packages and airfares at the fair.
  
  
• The Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (Matta) Perak held its fourth travel fair at Stadium Indera Mulia from Sept 7 – 9. The fair would have over 70 booths and was expected to attract at least 30,000 people.
  
  
• India’s Jet Airways will host its own travel fair just two days after the three-day Matta Fair ends on Sept 9. The fair, from Sept 11 to 13 at the Bangsar Shopping Centre in Kuala Lumpur, will give discounts on packages and tickets to India and beyond. Part of the attraction is six free tickets to be given away during that period.
  
  
• Effective July 1, it is compulsory for all licensed travel and tour agents to offer travel insurance to the local and overseas travellers, and customers are advised to accept such coverage.
  

Visa/Entry Requirement:

• US Embassy offers service center for visa application. It offers the type of assistance the embassy could not offer before. It will prepare applicants for interviews at the embassy. The centre is located at 19th floor, Wisma MCA, 163 Jalan Ampang. Operating hours are 8am-12.30pm and 1.30-4pm on Mondays to Fridays. The centre is closed on Malaysian and US holidays. For details, call 03-2166-6550, e-mail infomalaysia@vfs-usa-my.com or visit www.vfs-usa-my.com.
  
  
• The Indian High Commission here has outsourced the processing of visas to a local travel agency, which has set up offices here, in Penang and in Johor Baru. Indian High Commissioner said Grandlotus Travel Agencies Sdn Bhd would collect visa applications from those intending to visit India, and submit them to the high commission for vetting and affixing of visa stamps in the passports.
  
  
• Single visa for ASEAN planned. Malaysia is pursuing the facilitation of a single visa entry among Asean member countries to boost tourism in the region, which is forecast to receive 30% of the projected one billion tourists globally by 2010. Tourists coming to Malaysia did not encounter problems getting a visa on arrival or for a two-week stay at present.
  
  
• Malaysians have been advised to refrain from travelling to Pakistan in view of the recent wave of violence and bomb attacks in the southern part of the country.
  

MALAYSIA AIRLINES

• Under the terms of an agreement, which in the airline jargon is known as the Special Prorate Agreement (SPA), MH and Continental will provide reciprocal service to each other's customers flying from anywhere in Malaysia to any destination in the United States and, conversely, from anywhere in the United States to any destination in Malaysia.
  
  
• By September 2007, MH will be electronic ticketing (eTicketing)-capable, providing customers with the ease of printing their own tickets and option of making changes to their travel itinerary themselves, thus doing away with visits to the ticketing offices or travel agents.
  
  
• MH flew out Manchester United Football Team yesterday from MAN on the United Tour of Asia. Aircraft used was 9M-MPM.
  
  
• There have apparently been service disruptions possibly aggravated by a suspected slowdown by workers silently protesting the new performance evaluation system which resulting in massive flight delays. A task force had been set up to resolve any dissatisfactiona and later on all employees of Malaysia Airlines will receive a special bonus payment of half month salary or RM1,000, whichever is higher. The payment was recommended by its Special Task Force (STF) on Performance-based Remuneration. The company said to qualify for the bonus, employees must fulfill certain criterias set out by STF.
  
  Earlier, the company awarded SESOS (Selective Employee Share Option Scheme) and performance-based bonus to about 10% of the staff, supposedly based on their performance. However the assessment was either never done, or not done properly, and there was no transparency on how the SESOS and bonus were awarded. The remaining 90% of the workforce, feeling left out, went on "who cares" work attitude resulting in some record delays. The STF was set up to address this and the half month bonus is their immediate response. Heard that this issue will become a what-not-to-do in management class in years to come.
  
  
• MH does not want the Government to bring forward the timeframe for the Asean Open Skies for fear that Singapore will benefit more than Malaysia. However, MH's budget airline Firefly is keen to fly to Singapore and Indonesia.
  
  
• MH Engineering & Maintenance will provide maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) services to PT Eka Sari Lorena Airlines' (Lorena Air) new fleet of six Boeing 737 Aircraft from 2007 to 2010 for some US$48 million (RM165.69 million).
  
  
• MH organised a Premier Charity Gala for beneficiaries such as Malaysian Association for the Blind, National Cancer Foundation, Kiwanis Down Syndrome Foundation, Yayasan Budi Penyayang, Persatuan Bagi Kebajikan Kanak-kanak Terencat Akal Sarawak and the Sabah Children Welfare Foundation.
  
  
• MH has filed a US$35.55 million (RM122.65 million) lawsuit against Air Maldives Ltd alleging its failure to make payments on the lease of aircraft to the latter. Its solicitors had filed affidavits of service in the Kuala Lumpur High Court in respect of its claims against Air Maldives for US$35.55 million. A MH spokesman said the bulk of the lawsuit was for Air Maldives’ alleged failure to make the lease payments in the 1990s, as well as all other charges related to the lease.
  
  
• MH wants to learn from AirAsia and other low-cost carriers (LCCs) as a constructive step to be more competitive in the regional and global airline industry. However, MH would leave its primary premium airline strategy and objective intact towards meeting the needs of customers. MH wanted to be more proactive in reducing costs to reflect higher profitability and increased efficiency, and adopt such strategies as that deployed by LCCs. A lot of airlines have been customer-driven in the past. MH used to give the customers more, without justifying how these costs met with the revenue. Now, MH want to understand what our customers want and what they are willing to pay for.
  
  
• MH has announced the appointment of Captain George Snyder as senior technical consultant, safety and security. Snyder, who will join the board’s safety and security committee, has extensive experience in the area.
  
  
• MH to strenghten presence in ASEAN, India, China and Middle East. Disposal of some B734s are being finalised but not the widebodies. MH want SZB to be a leading turbo propeller aircraft's airport and wants no restriction (for Firefly) on the routes flown and carriers serving from there (even AK) as long as it is using a turbo propeller aircrafts.
  
  
• A new business plan to steer MH ahead and beyond is going to be unveiled in January 2008 following the expiration of BTP in 2008. MH needs new strategies to face the ASEAN open skies policy beginning 1 January 2009, which Dato Idris Jala described as 'the Olympics for the airlines in the region'. MH is preparing itself and wants to win. Firefly may join the regional competition using larger aircrafts and MH's plan to revamp its existing fleets (both narrowbodies and widebodies) is confirmed.
  
  
• MH has completed the filming of their newest Safety Video.
  

MASEU

• Malaysia Airlines’ unions and associations have urged the Transport Ministry to abide by the Asean Open Skies roadmap, and only open the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore route when total liberalisation of flights between capital cities starts in January 2009. The eight unions and associations said the premature opening of the route, even to limited flights, would have negative nationalistic and economic impact on the country. They represent 95% of the 18,000 workforce. “We are open to competition but it must be done in a proper and timely manner. The Asean roadmap has been agreed by all Asean countries, and we must stick to the fixed timeline,” it added.
  
  
• A minimum of RM900 – that’s what the Malaysian Airline System Employees’ Union Peninsular Malaysia (Maseu) is asking for. At the next collective agreement (CA) negotiation with the management due in July next year, Maseu will include a request for a minimum pay of RM900 for the lower grade workers in MAS, including office boys, traffic hands, clerks, tarmac workers and cleaners.
  

FIREFLY

• The government has approved the application of Firefly to service the Senai-Ipoh and Subang-Ipoh air routes.
  
  
• Firefly opened its headquarters in Komtar Penang.
  

MASWings

• MASWings is still in dispute with FAX over the cost of repairing the turboprops, which were cannibalised by FAX. The government has yet to decide on who should bear the cost, which is estimated up to RM40 million. Earlier, MH demanded a thorough audit to be conducted by Singapore’s Fokker Services Asia Pte Ltd before MASWings can resume the Rural Air Service (RAS) from FAX, which is scheduled to start on Oct 1.
  
  
• MASWings is on track to take to the skies as scheduled on Oct 1 and expects to be fully operational by Dec 1, when it will have a fleet of 13 aircraft providing almost 200 weekly flights in Sabah and Sarawak. All preparatory work was on schedule and the new airline would be ready to take over turboprop operations from FlyAsianXpress (FAX) on Oct 1. MASWings flights are now open for booking through the MAS call centre 1-300-88-3000.
  
  
• MASWings will initially commence operations with 4 Fokker-50 and 4 Twin Otter aircraft to serve a network of 23 destinations in Sarawak and Sabah as well as the Federal Territory of Labuan. Another 3 Fokker-50 and 1 Twin Otter aircraft will join MASWings effective 28 October 2007 and by 1 December 2007 the new airline will have a fleet of 8 Fokker-50 and 5 Twin Otter aircraft to provide an average of 113 weekly F50 flights and 80 weekly Twin Otter flights. MASWings' flights will use the Malaysia Airlines prefix MH followed by a four-digit flight number. A blue tail and engines livery was unveiled.
  
  
• MASWings will be structured into two divisions - Operations and Support Services. General Manager, Wan Abdul Rahim Wan Ishak was named head of operations. Serena Ho will take the role of chief financial officer and will double-hat as assistant general manager of transition management. Meanwhile, the business development and human resources division will be led by Norsalela Md Din and Nor Aida Othman respectively.MAS, which is in the process of taking back the RAS which it handed over to Fly Asian Xpress last August, will commence services in Sabah and Sarawak beginning October 1, 2007 from their main base in Miri, Sarawak.
  
  
• International tour operators in Britain have started reinstating Sarawak and world heritage site Mulu National Park into their holiday packages – after a hiatus of almost a year due to uncertainties over availability of local flights. The move by MASWings to take over the rural air service from Fly Asian Xpress (FAX) has already sparked hopes of a revival for the tour industry in the state, said Sarawak Tourism Board (STB).
  

AIRASIA

• AK lunched its new co branded Citibank Credit Card. The former co branded credit card with RHB Bank was terminated.
  
  
• AK's subsidiary, Tune Money will rolling out insurance products in September 2007.
  
  
• AK have been ordered to thrash out their problems to ensure the disabled community could use the airline with ease. More than 20 disabled and wheelchair-bound members of the Barrier-Free Environment and Accessible Transport Group (BEAT) held a protest against AirAsia for its refusal to take passengers who were completely immobile. AK in response stated that they will provide wheelchairs for FREE and hire disabled staff.
  
  
• AirAsia and FAX have signed an agreement for the latter to use AirAsia's brand for its long haul operation. The suggested brand is AirAsia X. AirAsia will waive the fee for the first year of FAX's AirAsia X operation. On the following years, FAX is subjected to an annual fee of MYR 680,000 (USD 200,000) payable to AirAsia. However, if AirAsia X's turnover for one particular year exceeded MYR 136 million (USD 40 million), a fee of 0.5% from the total turnover is payable to AirAsia instead. The agreement is for a period of 5 years and can be extended to another 5 consecutive terms, each term is 5 years.
  
  
• AK CEO Datuk Tony Fernandes believes Malaysia has more to gain than Singapore if the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore air sector is open to competition. He was refuting Malaysia Airlines' argument that Singapore would win and Malaysia would lose out if the KL-Singapore route was liberalised. Why does AirAsia need the two daily flights into Singapore? “If they don’t give us KL-Singapore (route), I will buy Singapore Airlines. If they do give us, we will be in Changi and terrorise the Singaporeans", said Tony Fernandes. AK wants to serve SIN twice a day for beginning.
  
  
• AK unveiled its newly enhanced website at www.airasia.com.
  
  
• AK is expected to fly to Hong Kong from Kuala Lumpur by January 2008, three years after it chose Macau for its first destination in China, instead of Hong Kong, due to lower airport charges.
  
  
• AK is now having its own inflight magazine called 'Travel3sixty'.
  
  
• Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) is keen to partner with no-frills Tune Hotels.com to build more Tune Hotels in the vicinity of low-cost carrier terminals (LCCTs). Tune Hotels.com will build a hotel near the KL International Airport’s (KLIA) LCCT on a parcel of leased land. Malaysia will have the world's first budget hotel housed in an international airport when Tune Hotels.com – the hotel chain of budget airline AirAsia – opens in the Low Cost Carrier Terminal (LCCT) at KL International Airport next year.
  
  The move will see Tune Hotels.com adding yet another hotel to its fast-growing chain, which already includes hotels in Danga Bay Johor Bahru, Penang, Kuching and Kota Kinabalu. The hotel would offer a five-star sleeping experience at one-star price for the 20 million-odd passengers who transit at the LCCT each year.
  
  
• AK signed a letter of intent with Shipbuilding Industry Group with a view to establishing a joint venture low-cost airline in Vietnam. The proposed partnership would focus on securing the licence to operate a new Vietnamese airline that would serve domestic, regional and international routes. The new airline will be built on the successful low-cost model pioneered by AirAsia in this region. The airline would carry the name VINA AIRASIA. Hanoi is to become hub, 9 aircrafts are planned within 2 years.
  
  
• AK will explore the possibility of expanding to the lucrative China air travel market. AK also planned to set up two more affiliate carriers in the region but declined to elaborate.
  

FLY ASIAN XPRESS

• FAX's Rural Air Service was badly effected after the audit report by Singapore’s Fokker Services Asia Pte Ltd about them canniballising the turboprops were revealed. It is learnt that FAX expensed about RM60 million to run the state-subsidised RAS between last August and March this year. Coupled with the repairs of the grounded aircraft, it may cost the treasury some RM100 million for contracting FAX to operate the RAS. Half of the aircraft which Fly Asian Xpress (FAX) used to operate for rural air services in Sabah and Sarawak were not airworthy. Reports of Fly Asian Xpress (FAX) cannibalising parts from one aircraft for use in another are causing concern in Sarawak. In fact, some seasoned travellers are so worried they are afraid to board FAX flights now.
  
  
• FAX introduced its new CEO Azran Osman-Rani to helm AirAsia X. The former CEO who was mostly in-charged of RAS has been silently withdrawn.
  
  
• AirAsia X is set to fly into Amritsar early next year since it has won “unlimited rights” to land at the capital of Punjab in India. AirAsia X is glad to have got unlimited landing rights to Amritsar and are planning to schedule their second destination to Amritsar.
  
  
• CIMB Bhd will be financing Fly Asian Xpress Sdn Bhd's (FAX) purchase of 15 A330-300 aircraft with a list price of US$2.3 billion (RM7.93 billion). Both parties have signed a term sheet on the deal, which will be formalised with an agreement. This marks CIMB's entry into the aircraft financing sector — the first for a local bank.
  
  
• AirAsia and FAX have signed an agreement for the latter to use AirAsia's brand for its long haul operation. The suggested brand is AirAsia X. AirAsia will waive the fee for the first year of FAX's AirAsia X operation. On the following years, FAX is subjected to an annual fee of MYR 680,000 (USD 200,000) payable to AirAsia. However, if AirAsia X's turnover for one particular year exceeded MYR 136 million (USD 40 million), a fee of 0.5% from the total turnover is payable to AirAsia instead.The agreement is for a period of 5 years and can be extended to another 5 consecutive terms, each term is 5 years.
  
  
• British billionaire Richard Branson's Virgin Group took a 20% stake on Aug 10 in a new Malaysian airline that has ambitions to become the world's top long-haul budget carrier. Branson and AirAsia X, founded by former Virgin executive Datuk Tony Fernandes, did not immediately give a price for the deal, which is rumoured to be tiny, but the real value of the transaction is in the longer-term alliance of the two businesses.
  
  
• AirAsia X has secured rights to fly to Stansted airport, a major UK hub for European low-cost flights, as well as to Australia's Gold Coast tourist mecca and to Avalon airport near Melbourne. The Australian flights are due to begin by the end of next month. AirAsia X's parent firm, Fly Asian Xpress, has ordered 15 new Airbus A330-300 aircraft, the first to be delivered in time for the September launch. It has options on 10 more.
  
  
• Gold Coast is AirAsia X's first destination; Hangzhou, Tianjin and Melbourne Avalon before year end. Amritsar's 'Punjabi Express' will follow in early 2008. Birmingham and Manchester are on the radar. FAX to be renamed AirAsia X and will be listed on Bursa Malaysia in 3 years. Virgin Atlantic - AirAsia X - Virgin Blue linkage planned. Sir Branson would be happy to buy back 49% shares in Singapore Airlines.
  
  
• AirAsia X's first leased A330 is now readily painted and now being refurbished.
  

MASkargo

• MASkargo have dropped Basel and Bangkok freighter aircraft services but continues to serve Milan.
  
  
• MASkargo is in talks with Air Uzbekistan to create a formal silk route, which will enable MASkargo to leverage on Air Uzbekistan to fly its cargo to CIS countries and it in turn will fly Air Uzbekistan’s cargo to Europe. The two parties were finalising a formal partnership, which was expected to be completed by year-end. MASkargo to drop Dubai and flies to Tashkent instead.
  
  
• MASkargo is now a member of TIACA and Malaysia to host Air Cargo Forum 2008, the largest air cargo event at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre from Nov 4 to 6, 2008.
  

MALAYSIA AIRPORTS

Airport performances:

• KUL will have 10 new check-in desks at the Kuala Lumpur City Air Terminal (KL CAT) at KL Sentral by July 23. This will extend from three to 43 the number of airlines based at KUL's main terminal which can offer the same check-in facilities at the city centre.
  
  
• A consortium made up of Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB), India's GMR Infrastructure Ltd and Turkey's Limak Group has won the rights to operate the Sabiha Gokcen International Airport (SGIA) in Istanbul, Turkey, with a concession fee of €1.93 billion (RM9.07 billion). The consortium, led by Limak, secured the concession from the government of Turkey, which currently operates the airport through the Under Secretariat for Defence Industries.
  
  
• MAHB would upgrade its wireless Internet service at all terminals in stages as part of improving the quality of its services.
  
  
• MAHB has been ordered to thrash out their problems to ensure the disabled community could use the airport (KUL LCCT) with ease. Upgrading of facilities at the Low-Cost Carrier Terminal (LCCT) had taken place gradually, such as the construction of covered walkways.
  
  
• After 4 years waiting, MAHB finally gets the nod to dispose off F1 business. The government has undertaken a crucial initiative towards the restructuring of MAHB financials by transferring the latter’s roles in the Formula 1 championship to the former’s investment arm, Khazanah Nasional Bhd.
  
  
• Passenger service charges to be increased and major renovation works at KUL will start in 2008.
  

Airports' constructions:

• Ipoh (IPH)
  
  Earlier, it was announced that the under-utilised Sultan Azlan Shah Airport’s terminal building will be upgraded and the runway lengthened so that the airport can service low-cost carriers, particularly A320 aircrafts.
  
  Then the Menteri Besar has asked for feedback from the people on what should be done to the airport by offering Perakians two choices - lengthen the runway or relocate the airport to Seri Iskandar.
  
  Then the plan to upgrade the terminal building and lengthen the runway of the airport is off because the state government was concerned that money spent on the project might not generate the growth needed to boost economic activities in Ipoh and Perak.
  
  Then the Perak government has decided to build a new RM301mil airport in Seri Iskandar, a new township some 40km from Ipoh city center but is concerned it may turn into a white elephant.
  
  Confusion reigns over the airport issue – whether to upgrade the present Sultan Azlan Shah Airport or build a new one in Seri Iskandar continues. Infrastructure and Public Utilities Committee chairman said the state was looking at four options, including lengthening the runway of the present airport.
  
  
  
• Kota Kinabalu (BKI)
  
  Malaysia's second largest gateway is progressing well with a brand new ATC is almost completed and the new terminal building taking shape.
  
  
  
• Kuala Lumpur (KUL)
  
  Retail outlets will be expanded, the second satellite building to be built and land around KUL to be developed. Most works will start after the Visit Malaysia Year 2007 campaign ended on 31 December 2007.
  
  Under the original master plan for KLIA, there should be ample land bank to house four satellite buildings, two terminal structures and five runways. If all the buildings are constructed, KUL should be able to handle 100 million passengers a year.
  
  
  
• KUL LCCT
  
  The present Low Cost Carrier Terminal (LCCT) at KUL was never meant to be a permanent terminal. The Government announced last week that a new LCCT, that could cater up to 30 million passengers a year, would be built close to KUL at an undisclosed amount.
  
  It is learnt that MAHB would not only just manage the airport but would also be involved in the construction by way of preparing all the ground work – from design to issuing out tenders – for the various jobs. Unlike the existing LCCT, where linkages are only by road and air, the new LCCT will also be linked by rail as the KLIA Express Rail Link from KUL and KL Sentral will be extended. The two airports will also be linked by a sky train.
  
  A recent report stated that BOTH the expansion of the existing KUL LCCT and a construction of a new LCCT in KUL will take place.
  
  
  
• Kuala Terengganu (TGG)
  
  A recent report stated that Sultan Mahmud Airport in Kuala Terengganu to be rebuilt in larger scale.
  
  
  
• Kuching (KCH)
  
  A LCCT is rumuored to be constructed in Kuching.
  
  
  
• Malacca
  
  The historical ATC at Batu Berendam Airport in Malacca is to be demolished, which sparks some protests due to its relation with Malaysia's Independence Day back in 1957. The airport is currently being expanded to accommodate B734s and A320s. Commercial flights will be back to Malacca.
  
  
  
• Penang (PEN)
  
  During the unveiling of Nothern Region Economic Region (NCER), it was announced that Penang International Airport will be expanded. Penang and Langkawi airports to be promoted as hubs for budget carriers and small jets. There will also be an expansion of regional and international air links to bring more visitors to NCER in Sumatra, Phuket and Myanmar.
  
  However recently, there were news reports a new international airport in Penang was mooted by Equine Capital. Equine is said to have proposed to build the airport at Batu Kawan at a cost of RM1.2 billion, and in return will take over the existing airport land in Bayan Lepas. The reports stated MRCB would be the contractor. The Bayan Lepas Airport will be made the premier air cargo hub in the IMT-GT and will handle high-quality perishable food items. A new passenger and cargo terminal and additional runways will be built to cater for increasing air traffic.
  
  Then, there was a panel looking into formation of Penang LCCT. A technical report on the proposed low-cost carrier terminal (LCCT) in the state will be ready soon. A technical committee, formed to look into the setting up of the LCCT, is working on the report. However, the Transport Minister dismissed the idea because the Penang International Airport in Bayan Lepas is currently handling a passenger load of about three million, or two million short of its maximum capacity.
  

The previous Malaysian Aviation Threads can be found here:
Malaysian Aviation Thread (by 9MMAR Dec 29 2006 in Civil Aviation) Malaysian Aviation Thread 2 (by 9MMAR Feb 10 2007 in Civil Aviation) Malaysian Aviation Thread 3 (by 9MMAR Apr 6 2007 in Civil Aviation) Malaysian Aviation Thread 4 (by 9MMAR May 28 2007 in Civil Aviation) Malaysian Aviation Thread 5 (by 9MMAR Jul 12 2007 in Civil Aviation)#206


Lets get started!   

thanks 9M-MAR...just realised you have started this thread!
Emirates does not fly from Venice to KUL. its just an advertising gimmick - you can say emirates flies from all its European and american destinations to KUL.

Do you know why GA has stopped code sharing with MH?? I thought they were going to make KUL their base outside indonesia but that never materialised and SIN still gets many GA flights.
Is it something to do with AK?
Maybe HB-IWC will know?

hahaha

AK sticks to consultant.

AirAsia extends consultancy agreement with Wordison
The Edge

• AirAsia Bhd has extended an airline consultancy agreement with Wordison Ltd for another one-year term. In a statement yesterday, AirAsia said, among other things, Wordison's services related to providing advice and consultancy on low-cost airline operations, fleet acquisition, route planning, aero politics, regulatory factors, market demographics, competitive positioning/scenarios and financial requirements.
  
  
• Wordison is owned by AirAsia's non-executive director Conor McCarthy and his wife. AirAsia said Wordison would be paid an aggregate annual consideration of RM943,580.76. Wordison will also be reimbursed for expenses directly related to duty travel during visit or stay with AirAsia or during visit by AirAsia staff, suppliers, agents or officers with Wordison at their premises.
  

Quoting 9MMAR (Thread starter): The arrival of the first Jetstar flight last night of Flight JQ65 from Sydney

More on Jetstar's inaugural flight to KUL. SYD-KUL to go daily and MEL-KUL is planned. Jetstar also emphasizes that its product offerings are different from that of AirAsia X.

Jetstar sees KL as possible Asian hub
The Edge

• Low-cost carrier Jetstar may use Malaysia as its Asian hub when it flies to south Europe in the near future following its inaugural flight to the Kuala Lumpur International Airport last Sunday. Jetstar CEO Alan Joyce said the carrier was now in talks with airport authorities in Europe, but a decision on its flights to that continent would not be made until the end of next year. “There are a lot of opportunities for us here in KL,” he said on the possibility of Malaysia being used as its Asian hub.
  
  
• Last Sunday, Jetstar’s inaugural Sydney-Kuala Lumpur flight landed at KLIA, Qantas’ first scheduled flight from Australia since 1998, with 260 passengers. The return flight to Sydney had 160 passengers. Jetstar is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Qantas. Joyce said Jetstar hoped to increase the Sydney-KL flight frequency to daily from three times weekly since there was no restriction for it to fly the route.
  
  
• He said a particular constraint it was facing was the shortage of aircraft, which would be resolved by August next year when it took delivery of 15 Boeing 787 Dreamliners (B787-8) over a period of 15 months for its long-haul fleet. “We won’t have any extra aircraft arriving until August 2008, so some time during that period and depending on the performance of the market, we could be going into daily operations,” said Joyce, adding that Jetstar was also looking at the Melbourne-Kuala Lumpur route.
  
  
• Joyce said Jetstar was the fastest growing international carrier and it was also looking at new destinations such as Taiwan, Korea, India, China, southern Europe and North America. Asked on Malaysian low-cost carrier Air Asia X’s upcoming flight to Australia, Joyce said the airlines were competing on different routes and different markets. “We also want to point out that Air Asia X’s long-haul product is very different from our product. People should be aware of that,” he added.
  
  
• On its Asian expansion plans, Joyce said it was working to align the products and operations of Jetstar Asia and Pacific Airlines, which are based in Singapore and Vietnam, respectively. “Those two are a start of our intra-Asia plan. Jetstar Asia has been making money and has improved significantly over the last year. Once we have established and got them completely aligned, then we will look further for opportunities in the region,” he added.
  

Quoting 9MMAR (Thread starter): MH will offer online check in via its website by March 2008.

Great !!

By the way, aren't MAS 333 supposed to be fitted with new better GCC seats, drop-down LCD screen and 4 more seats added to Y-section ? Are they still doing it ? Because none of MAS 333 have any of the enhancements so far.

Quoting 9MMAR (Thread starter): India’s Jet Airways will host its own travel fair just two days after the three-day Matta Fair ends on Sept 9. The fair, from Sept 11 to 13 at the Bangsar Shopping Centre in Kuala Lumpur, will give discounts on packages and tickets to India and beyond. Part of the attraction is six free tickets to be given away during that period.

More details on Jet's Incredible India travel fair which has started yesterday.

Jet Airways target at fair
The Star

• Jet Airways (India) Ltd expects to sell 300 tour packages and 500 air tickets during its three-day Incredible India Travel Fair. The fair, a joint effort with India Tourism, will feature special tour packages and 15% to 20% discounts on standalone air tickets to India. Jet Airways regional vice-president Gerry Oh said the fair, which started yesterday and ends on Thursday, was expected to attract some 2,000 visitors.
  
  
• “Our objective through the fair is to promote India as a destination for Malaysian tourists and introduce Jet Airways as the preferred airline for travel to and within India,” he said at the launch yesterday. “Malaysia has had close cultural and commercial ties with India since this nation was born. Through the Incredible India Travel Fair, Jet Airways seeks to be part of strengthening and enriching these ties,” he added.
  
  
• The airline currently operates more than 340 flights daily to 44 destinations within India. Its long-haul destinations include Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, London, Bangkok, Colombo, Kathmandu, Brussels, New York and Toronto. In the coming months, it plans to fly to Johannesburg in South Africa from Mumbai.
  

Quoting 9MMAR (Thread starter): MH's plan to revamp its existing fleets (both narrowbodies and widebodies) is confirmed.

MH proposed issuance of RCPS (redeemable convertible preference shares) in its bid to raise more capital for fleet renewal.

MAS rights shares attractively priced
The Edge

• MALAYSIAN Airline System Bhd’s (MAS) proposed rights issue and redeemable convertible preference shares (RCPS) are attractively priced and would increase the trading liquidity in the airline’s shares, analysts said. MAS would issue up to 418 million new rights shares at RM2.70 per rights shares for every three existing shares, or a discount of 33% from the theoretical ex-rights price of RM4.05 per share.
  
  
• A research house expects MAS’ key shareholders to subscribe to their full allotment, as a sign of their confidence in the flag carrier’s growth prospects. It had factored in most of the potential dilution, but viewed this exercise as necessary to increase trading liquidity in MAS’ shares while also raising capital for fleet renewal.
  
  
• Meanwhile, OSK Investment Research said given that MAS has yet to announce the type of planes it was acquiring, it assumed the most conservative scenario in that cash raised from the rights and RCPS issue of RM1.54 billion generated interest income. The research house expected some temporary weakness due to high oil prices, and it came to understand that an institutional shareholder has pared its stake, leading to share price weakness of late. Nonetheless, MAS’ business plans remain intact and it believed the airline will be able to weather the high oil prices for now, given that it has already hedged 60% of its fuel requirement at WTI of US$60 (RM210) per barrel.
  

MH continues supporting the English Premier League football.

MAS' football packages for current EPL season
The Star

• English Premier League (EPL) fans in Malaysia are in for a treat to travel abroad and catch their favourite teams in action thanks to the newly launched Malaysia Airlines football packages for the 2007-08 season. Fans will be able to watch teams like Liverpool, Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspurs and West Ham in action at their respective venues with the national carrier’s "Nothing beats being there" packages.
  
  
• Malaysia Airlines Commercial Director said that the football packages offered them guaranteed Premier League tickets. "It’s so easy to get to the match now with Malaysia Airline’s football packages. With the guaranteed premier league tickets, your seats at the stadiums await you. Book now to catch that game you want to watch. Nothing beats being at the game, watching it live on home grounds especially when your team wins. Like all fans know, the excitement and euphoria at the matches are indescribable, and has to be experienced, at least once in a lifetime."
  
  
• With package prices starting from RM 4,588 (USD 1 = MYR 3.50) customers will enjoy a return flight ticket on economy class, hotel accommodation for a two-night stay, return airport/ hotel transfers and the much coveted ticket. The packages will be on sale from Friday, exclusively through Holiday Tours & Travel Sdn Bhd (Tel: 03-2719 1877).
  
  
• Malaysia Airlines will also be introducing a special “Football by Design” package, offering a return flight ticket on business class, private limousine transfers, 5-star hotel accommodation, Club Level hospitality match ticket, and many other extras. Look out for more exciting football packages for the European Championships League and EURO 2008, which will come your way soon. The details of packages on sale can be viewed on the website at: www.atthegame.com.my.
  

Quoting 9MMAR (Thread starter): AK has received its 26th A320 and completing the registration series from A to Z.

After completing the registration series of 9M-AF_ from A to Z, AK's subsequent A320s will be registered as 9M-AH_.


View Large View Medium

Photo © Terence Li


Seen in Toulouse is 9M-AHB. I didn't even realised that 9M-AHA has been delivered.

Quoting 9MMAR (Thread starter): British billionaire Richard Branson's Virgin Group took a 20% stake on Aug 10 in a new Malaysian airline that has ambitions to become the world's top long-haul budget carrier.

Another 20% of FAX (AirAsia X) went to AirAsia.

AirAsia to buy 20% of FAX for RM26.7mil
The Star

• AirAsia Bhd has agreed to buy 20% stake in Fly Asian Xpress Sdn Bhd (FAX) for RM26.67mil cash, with an option to acquire an additional 10%. However, the additional stake would be priced at market valuation and not RM1 par value, AirAsia said in a filing with Bursa Malaysia. It said the parties signed a definitive agreement on the matter yesteday.
  
  
• FAX is currently 80% owned by Aero Ventures Sdn Bhd, a company in which AirAsia group chief executive officer Datuk Tony Fernandes and AirAsia deputy CEO Datuk Kamarudin Meranun are substantial shareholders. AirAsia said it viewed investing in a long haul low-cost airline as beneficial given that the international air traffic to Malaysia was under-served.
  
  
• It said the investment in FAX was not expected to have any material impact on its financial position in the current financial year. It would, however, contribute positively to the company's future financial results. “Budget long haul service is a new business concept in Malaysia that will require some time to nurture to reach its full potential,” it added.
  

AirAsiaX in a hurry to win CASA nod

LOW-COST Asian long-haul carrier AirAsiaX has officially applied for regulatory approval to fly to Australia as it moves to start cut-price services between Kuala Lumpur and the Gold Coast.

The carrier lodged the paperwork for its foreign air operator's certificate with the Civil Aviation Safety Authority last week.

CASA's service charter requires it to process the application within 130 days but it could take less time if the process goes smoothly.

However, the airline's target of starting services by next month could prove optimistic.

AirAsiaX is expected to begin services with leased Airbus A330 aircraft, ahead of the delivery next year of its own A330-300s.

It has also indicated that it intends to add Avalon in Victoria as a destination next year. Officials have suggested promotional fares could be as low as $31 return to Kuala Lumpur before taxes and charges. Average fares would be about $650.

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au...ory/0,25197,22413110-23349,00.html

Quoting 9MMAR (Reply 9): Another 20% of FAX (AirAsia X) went to AirAsia.

More details on the news.

AirAsia subscribes to 26m shares in FAX
The Star

• “The company views investing in a long haul low-cost airline as beneficial for the following reasons - international flights to Malaysia are underserved and (to) leverage on Malaysia’s status as a natural low-cost hub.
  
  
• “The growth of the Malaysian aviation industry is lagging behind the global average. Total growth rate for the past 10 years is only 3% per annum. Contrary to the global trend, the bulk of the growth is attributable to domestic travel. The growth rate for international travel to Malaysia is a mere 2.5%, which is less than half of global average of 5.7%. These statistics indicate Malaysia may have been sidelined as an international destination.”
  
  
• It said the investment would form a strategic fit with AirAsia as a gateway to Asean destinations as it expected to expand its network to 90 routes by June 2008. With Malaysia’s position as a low-cost hub and AirAsia’s advantage in price and connectivity, it added that the investment was a “potent recipe” for long haul low-cost airline to flourish.
  
  
• “The company’s network to Asean destinations is denser than MAS and SIA’s routes combined. Furthermore, AirAsia is the market leader for most of the routes (highest frequency and passenger carried),” it said.
  

It is a well known fact that AK has been trying to fly to SGN since the very beginning but Ho Chi Minh City still remain elusive for them.

However, although no announcement has been made, AK has advertised a 'Station Head for SGN' position in its website on 24 August 2007, along with 'Station Head for Vientiane' (which on the contrary was widely announced).

I am not sure whether this has a connection with Vina AirAsia or not but it confirms SGN as AK's (soonest future) newest destination!

Shocking! KUL's carpark is the shelter for thousands of (LEGAL) foreign workers detained by the Immigration Department.

Foreigners living in KLIA car park
The Star

• Thousands of foreign workers, mostly from Bangladesh, have been forced to eat and sleep in the KL International Airport’s car park upon landing at the airport. This is because the Immigration Department has turned the airport’s car park at level three of Block A into a temporary shelter for the foreigners.
  
  
• The Star went to check the situation yesterday after receiving complaints from some readers who worked in KLIA. The Star found that the workers had been sleeping on the floor of the car park while waiting for their employers to pick them up. There was a sign placed outside saying that temporary accommodation for foreign workers was being built in the car park. Construction work was supposed to have started on Aug 1 and completed by Sept 30.
  
  
• An Immigration counter was set up to process visas and paper work for employers and foreign worker agents, who were there to pick up the workers. There were also Rela members and Federal Reserve Unit officers to guard the workers. The Immigration officers, however, refused to speak to The Star and also did not allow the photographer to take pictures.
  
  
• Bangladeshi Kho Kan, 30, said he arrived at the airport two days ago with 24 others. “We have to use our own money to buy food while waiting for our agent to pick us up. Our agent agreed to come and take us tonight (last night),” he said, adding that he and his friends were told that they would be working in factories.
  
  
• A foreign worker agent, who only wanted to be known as Low, said he was there to pick up 50 workers last night. He said the workers were detained by the Immigration Department due to miscommunication between the agents here and in Bangladesh. “Some agents had no idea that their workers had arrived, so they were not here to pick up the workers. If agents fail to show up within seven days after the arrival of the workers, the workers would be deported ,” said Low.
  
  
• The Immigration Department and the Home Ministry could not be reached for comment.
  

Malaysia benefits hugely from foreign workers but treats them like dirt. It's stuff like this that make me ashamed to be Malaysian. 

Following the One-Two-Go's MD82 crash in Phuket, MH cancelled its second flight to HKT yesterday.


From The Star

Meanwhile, Malaysia Airlines (MAS) said it cancelled its second daily flight from Kuala Lumpur to Phuket following the closure of the airport. A MAS official in Bangkok said the MH790 Kuala Lumpur-Phuket flight was scheduled to have arrived in Phuket at 6.30pm (7.30pm Malaysian time) and returned to Kuala Lumpur at 7.35pm.

September 17, 2007 21:07 PM

MAS On Path Towards Continued Profitable Operations

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 17 (Bernama) -- Malaysia Airlines (MAS) is firmly on the path towards continued profitable operations.

In a statement here today, managing director/chief executive officer, Datuk Idris Jala, said this was based on the airline's route analysis initiatives and the continuous upgrade of customer value propositions.

"Having successfully anchored all aspects of our operations to the P & L (profit & loss), we are working aggressively towards becoming a five-star airline with low-cost carrier's cost," he said in announcing the changes to the airline's international network for the Northern Winter 2007 operations, starting Oct 28.

Idris said these attributes had been factored into the new schedules, with emphasis on regions like South Asia and Australia.

"These regions continue to be promising and have further potential to contribute towards the profitability of the company," he said.

On the new Northern Winter 2007 operations, MAS said it would add a fourth weekly frequency every Thursday on the Kuala Lumpur-Maldives-Colombo-Kuala Lumpur route and a similar frequency on the Kuala Lumpur/Bangalore route every Saturday.

It would also introduce two weekly morning frequencies on the KL/Chennai/KL route every Thursday and Sunday.

In view of encouraging demand, the current Tuesday frequency of the KL/Hyderabad return flight now using the 229-seater Airbus A330-200 aircraft will be upgraded to a 294-seater Airbus A330-300 flight effective Oct 28, it said.

MAS said a new destination, Lahore/Pakistan, would be added to its international network effective Jan 7, 2008.

"We will operate three weekly flights (on Monday, Thursday and Saturday) from KL to this city. This destination will be linked to the KL-Karachi return route," it said.

The airline said the present twice weekly KL/Istanbul return direct A330-200 service would be realigned to twice weekly KL-Dubai-Istanbul return service effective Jan 8, 2008.

MAS said for the Malaysia-Australia operations, a fifth weekly frequency on Tuesdays would be introduced on the KL/Adelaide return route during the peak period effective Dec 4, 2007 to Feb 6, 2008.

"Likewise, a third weekly evening frequency will be mounted for the KL/Perth return route every Wednesday during the peak period effective Dec 5, 2007 to Feb 7, 2008," it said.

On the China operations, MAS said the present four-time weekly KL-Xiamen frequency would be reduced to thrice weekly effective Oct 28.

"The thrice weekly KL-Kunming frequency will be temporarily reduced to twice weekly frequency during the lean period from Jan 4, 2008 to Feb 29," it said.

MAS said it would downsize its KL-Surabaya flights from nine times weekly to once daily flights from Oct 28.

"Effective the same day, the twice-weekly KL-Cebu return flights will be withdrawn but the twice weekly KL-Kota Kinabalu-Cebu return flights will be retained," it said.

Based on the findings of its route profitability exercise, MAS said it would suspend its four-time weekly KL-Nagoya-KL service and its three times weekly KL-Zurich-KL effective Jan 5, 2008 and Jan 24, 2008 respectively.

-- BERNAMA

Quoting TreeHillRavens (Reply 16): MAS On Path Towards Continued Profitable Operations

Great news!

If I may summarize it:

SUSPENDED

• KUL-CEB-KUL 2 weekly on B734 will be withdrawn but KUL-BKI-CEB-BKI-KUL 2 weekly on B734 will be retained effective Oct 28.
  
  
• KUL-NGO-KUL 4 weekly on A332 will be withdrawn based on the findings of route profitability exercise effective Jan 5, 2008.
  
  
• KUL-ZRH-KUL 3 weekly on B772 will be withdrawn based on the findings of route profitability exercise effective Jan 24, 2008.
  

NEW DESTINATION

• KUL-KHI-Lahore-KUL 3 weekly (on Monday, Thursday and Saturday) using A333 effective Jan 7, 2008.
  

ROUTE REALIGNMENT

• KUL-DXB-IST-DXB-KUL 2 weekly using A332 from KUL-IST-KUL 2 weekly using A332 effective Jan 8, 2008.
  

ADDED FREQUENCY

• Male/Colombo increases to 4 weekly from 3 weekly.
  
  
• Bangalore increases to 4 weekly from 3 weekly.
  
  
• Chennai increases to 9 weekly from 7 weekly.
  
  
• Adelaide increase to 5 weekly from 4 weekly effective Dec 4, 2007 to Feb 6, 2008.
  
  
• Perth increases to 10 weekly from 9 weekly effective Dec 5, 2007 to Feb 7, 2008.
  

REDUCED FREQUENCY

• Xiamen decreases to 3 weekly from 4 weekly effective Oct 28.
  
  
• Kunming decreases to 2 weekly from 3 weekly from Jan 4, 2008 to Feb 29.
  
  
• Surabaya decreases to 7 weekly from 9 weekly effective Oct 28.
  

EQUIPMENT UPGRADE

• Hyderabad from A332 (229 seats) to A333 (294 seats) every Tuesday effective Oct 28.
  

*****

The most interesting would be the addition of Lahore. I would never expect a new route to be launched in the midst of MH axing about 15 international routes (since BTP implemented), although I am aware of the fact that MH was granted landing rights to Lahore previously.

I guess with the introduction of Lahore and the realignment of Istanbul, the present 2 weekly KUL-KHI-DXB-KHI-KUL, the 1 weekly KUL-KHI-KUL, the 3 weekly KUL-DXB-BEY-DXB-KUL and the 2 weekly KUL-IST-KUL are all will changed.

Currently DXB is being served 5 weekly with 3 direct (which then continues to BEY) and 2 with a stopover in KHI. The changes will see DXB will maintain all 5 weekly flights but all will be directs from KUL where 3 will continue to BEY while the other 2 will continue to IST. All will be using A332 which is the one used for the current direct flight to DXB, IST and BEY. So no equipment changes there. DXB is benefiting from this changes.

The 2 weekly pairing of KHI and DXB will be terminated and replaced with Lahore instead, creating a 3 weekly KUL-KHI-Lahore-KUL using A333, the way I understand it.

Bangalore seriously needs to be daily..with the loads that MH is getting out there...also maybe upgrading it to a 777 would be nice..as SQ flies 777's on this route!

So the added Australian frequencies is for the peak summer season only?

Quoting 9MMAR (Reply 17): KUL-CEB-KUL 2 weekly on B734 will be withdrawn but KUL-BKI-CEB-BKI-KUL 2 weekly on B734 will be retained effective Oct 28.

I never really understood why MAS would serve CEB. It's a leisure destination, but why go all the way to Cebu when Penang, KK, Phuket, and Bali are nearer? And 4x weekly doesn't make it too attractive for connecting flights (heck, I find it difficult to get nice timings to Europe from MNL via KUL)

Another thing that puzzles me is that CX, SQ, TG, and all the Middle Eastern carriers practically exploited the fact that PR doesn't fly to Europe and the Middle East anymore, while MH didn't bother joining the bandwagon. When PR dropped KUL, MH didn't expand and sat there while two LCCs started services. (of course, that could be just me complaining about transiting in HKG and DXB all the time on my way to Europe when I've been dying to see KLIA for ages  )

Quoting 9MMAR (Reply 17): KUL-NGO-KUL 4 weekly on A332 will be withdrawn based on the findings of route profitability exercise effective Jan 5, 2008.

When Centrair opened, there was a scramble to service the place. I wonder why it hasn't been that profitable for MAS.

Quoting CaliAtenza (Reply 18): Bangalore seriously needs to be daily..with the loads that MH is getting out there...also maybe upgrading it to a 777 would be nice..as SQ flies 777's on this route!

While Bangalore is undeniably a high yield destination, MH unfortunately not having the capacity (and probably strategy) SQ has for the route. MH is using A333 for BLR, a fleet with inferior products.

Quoting CaliAtenza (Reply 18): So the added Australian frequencies is for the peak summer season only?

Yes, I guess, as they clearly state 'from_____ until _____'.

Quoting LurveBus (Reply 20): I never really understood why MAS would serve CEB. It's a leisure destination, but why go all the way to Cebu when Penang, KK, Phuket, and Bali are nearer?

Well, since MH serves PEN, BKI, HKT and DPS, maybe they want to complete the serving of all South East Asian holiday paradise, which includes CEB. Plus, having CEB as a destination could be drawn by pride as well.   

Quoting LurveBus (Reply 20): while MH didn't bother joining the bandwagon. When PR dropped KUL, MH didn't expand and sat there while two LCCs started services.

But MH has been serving MNL daily (now 9 weekly) for years isn't it?

Quoting 9MMAR (Reply 15): Following the One-Two-Go's MD82 crash in Phuket, MH cancelled its second flight to HKT yesterday.

A follow up report onboard MH's flight a day after the tragedy. MH used A333 instead of the usual B734 to HKT to ferry stranded passengers.

Safe landing at Phuket
The Star

• They heaved a sigh of relief before breaking out in laughter and applause as the plane came to a halt. The 230-odd Malaysia Airlines (MAS) passengers, mostly holidaymakers, celebrated the aircraft’s safe landing here yesterday evening. The flight was MAS' first to Phuket since Sunday's crash of a budget airline, which forced the Phuket International Airport to close.
  
  
• As the airport had just opened, heavy traffic at the parking bay caused a 10-minute delay in passengers disembarking from the flight. Earlier at the KL International Airport (KLIA), passengers were in a jovial mood, eager to finally make their way to the “Pearl of the Andaman.”
  
  
• Honeymooners Chady El Feqhalg and Lina Layla from Lebanon said they considered cancelling their trip after hearing about the crash but decided against it at the last minute. Asked how they felt when the plane landed safely, Chady said: “How do I feel? Absolutely relieved!” he said.
  
  
• Atsuko Kiyora who was to board the 7.30pm (Malaysian time) flight to Phuket on Sunday said she was glad to finally arrive in Phuket. For Australians Joe Travaglini and his family who were on transit at KLIA, the flight delay had cost them a day in vacation time. “We were to be on the morning flight but that was cancelled,” he said.
  
  
• Malaysian Ginger Hamiza and her companion Nigel Stanley described the accident as a “fluke” and had no intention of cancelling their trip. “Fortunately, my travel plans were not affected by the crash as I had booked the evening flight yesterday,” Stanley said.
  
  
• A MAS spokesman at KLIA said two flights had been cancelled since Sunday as a result of the crash. The airline said it used a bigger aircraft yesterday to fly home passengers who were stranded in Phuket.
  
  
• Taxi driver Adnan Pombisut claimed that business was slightly better than on normal days when the Phuket airport was closed. “Many people did not know that the airport was going to be closed, so I drove them there and dropped them back to the hotel again when they realised that their flights had been cancelled. So instead of a one-way fare, they paid for a return trip,” he said.
  
  
• AirAsia could not be reached for comment but their website showed 12 flights between Phuket and Bangkok daily, and one flight daily between Kuala Lumpur and Phuket.
  

Quoting 9MMAR (Reply 21): Well, since MH serves PEN, BKI, HKT and DPS, maybe they want to complete the serving of all South East Asian holiday paradise, which includes CEB. Plus, having CEB as a destination could be drawn by pride as well.

Oh yeah, I almost forgot about the "Perfect 10 Paradise" schtick, haha. But I do wonder if the CEB flights make any money (with KUL-CEB being axed, probably not)

Quoting 9MMAR (Reply 21): But MH has been serving MNL daily (now 9 weekly) for years isn't it?

Yeah, they have, but the timings are horrible for connections. Twice daily 734 service could theoretically be filled up with connections to MAS's network in India, Australia/New Zealand, and Europe. Right now, if anyone wants to go to India from MNL, they're stuck with TG/SQ. If they want to go to Australia or New Zealand (excluding SYD and MEL) they take CX/SQ. If MH just had better timings, the yields would be better.

Quoting LurveBus (Reply 23): Yeah, they have, but the timings are horrible for connections. Twice daily 734 service could theoretically be filled up with connections to MAS's network in India, Australia/New Zealand, and Europe. Right now, if anyone wants to go to India from MNL, they're stuck with TG/SQ. If they want to go to Australia or New Zealand (excluding SYD and MEL) they take CX/SQ. If MH just had better timings, the yields would be better.

Too bad MH couldn't see the big potential in the Philippines. It is a country with 90 million population to start with...

Quoting 9MMAR (Reply 24): Too bad MH couldn't see the big potential in the Philippines. It is a country with 90 million population to start with...

...90 million people all wanting to get out of the country to find work 

Even though MH didn't see the potential, AK did. I never would've thought that daily flights to KUL and BKI from CRK would work. CRK is in the middle of nowhere, farther than KLIA is from downtown Kuala Lumpur, and yet AK actually made daily flights work.

That being said, I wonder why AK didn't try to press for 5th freedom rights from CRK to ICN or KIX. I don't think that there'll be an Air Asia Philippines anytime soon (Tiger Airways can't get its partnership with SEair approved by the local civil authorities), so 5ths are the way to go.

Quoting LurveBus (Reply 25): That being said, I wonder why AK didn't try to press for 5th freedom rights from CRK to ICN or KIX. I don't think that there'll be an Air Asia Philippines anytime soon (Tiger Airways can't get its partnership with SEair approved by the local civil authorities), so 5ths are the way to go.

I did mentioned in the previous Malaysian Aviation Thread that Pinoy AirAsia (I am so enthusiast I even had it named!) would be extremely attractive for AK if it were materialised. They have conquered Thailand, (the very corrupted) Indonesia and Vietnam, so there is always a possibility for it.

I am not quite sure for a 5th freedom right in AK's business model as all its flights are on point to point basis and if it wants to serve certain (far) destination, (like Xiamen), it will be done direct from one of its hubs, which located the nearest to the intended destination (Bangkok in Xiamen's case).

KIX or ICN would probably being launched by AirAsia X. Using A330-300s, it will have the range and the capacity and most importantly, the suitability (branding, business model and such).

Quoting 9MMAR (Reply 26): I did mentioned in the previous Malaysian Aviation Thread that Pinoy AirAsia (I am so enthusiast I even had it named!) would be extremely attractive for AK if it were materialised. They have conquered Thailand, (the very corrupted) Indonesia and Vietnam, so there is always a possibility for it.

Unfortunately, AK would have a lot of difficulty finding a local partner here in the Philippines. It's best to wait for ASEAN open skies. (I can already imagine the CEO of SQ in a loincloth screaming "Madness? This is ASEAN!" a la 300)

Quoting 9MMAR (Reply 26): I am not quite sure for a 5th freedom right in AK's business model as all its flights are on point to point basis and if it wants to serve certain (far) destination, (like Xiamen), it will be done direct from one of its hubs, which located the nearest to the intended destination (Bangkok in Xiamen's case).

Tiger Airways currently flies MFM-CRK as a point-to-point flight under the guise of 5th freedom (SIN-CRK-MFM) Their reasoning is sorta bollocks, but they get away with it. AK would've been able to get the approval for flying a stand-alone flight from CRK to East Asia under the same conditions.

Quoting 9MMAR (Reply 21): While Bangalore is undeniably a high yield destination, MH unfortunately not having the capacity (and probably strategy) SQ has for the route. MH is using A333 for BLR, a fleet with inferior products.

Earlier, the MH flights to BLR on weekdays used to be a bit low and weekend flights were pretty full. I don't know how it is doing now. While I wouldn't fault MH on its A33 3 as it is a late night flight and people would be sleeping anyway on the flight, what I fault MH is its ability to provide onward connections from KUL to US. The only flights available are to LAX while SQ has flights to both LAX and SFO. And there is an added wait time of close to 10 hrs on flights to BLR flying out from LAX. I don't know how the connections to Australia are timed though.

Quoting 9MMAR (Thread starter): However recently, there were news reports a new international airport in Penang was mooted by Equine Capital. Equine is said to have proposed to build the airport at Batu Kawan at a cost of RM1.2 billion, and in return will take over the existing airport land in Bayan Lepas.

PEN is to stay at its present location with expansion plans. Also Henry Butcher Penang partnered MH to publish a book, 'From Penang with love-A real estate guide for expatriates'.

Penang airport to remain on the island
The Star

• The Penang International Airport will not be relocated to the mainland, assures Penang Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon. Dr Koh said that the airport on the island was here to stay in Bayan Lepas. "We can be assured that the airport will be anchored here at its present site, as it is being planned to undergo extensions for its cargo and passenger sectors. "Thus we are sure that the airport will not fly away. It will not be 'Bayan Terlepas'," he said.
  
  
• Under the Northern Corridor Economic Region (NCER), the airport will be expanded soon to cater to increased cargo movement and tourist arrivals. The airport has an annual capacity of 5mil passengers and good connections with major cities in South East Asia. Dr Koh was refuting recent talks that the airport might be relocated to Seberang Prai.
  
  
• Dr Koh said this in his speech at the launching of Henry Butcher Penang's 'From Penang with love-A real estate guide for expatriates', a result of collaboration between Malaysia Airlines and Henry Butcher Malaysia (Penang). Also present were Henry Butcher Malaysia director Dr Teoh Poh Huat and Malaysia Airlines northern region area manager Wan Mohd Ebrahem.
  
  
• "We are releasing an initial 5,000 copies of the book 'From Penang with love-A real estate guide for expatriates' for selected bookstores in Penang. We plan to release another 10,000 copies for sales in Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong, Singapore, and UK before the end of the year. The second edition of this book is scheduled to be out in mid-2008," he said.
  
  
• Teoh said the book's objective was to create and capture new demand for real estate investments from countries such as Singapore, India, Hong Kong, China, Europe, and US. "The book includes topics such as an overview of the property market, property transactions, home financing, and directory homes," he said.
  
  
• Teoh said he planned to introduce next year another real estate guide for expatriates, focusing of the properties in the Klang Valley, Langkawi, and East Malaysia. Meanwhile, Wan Mohd said Malaysia Airlines planned to bring into Malaysia about 25,000 passengers per annum with property investment intentions.
  

Quoting 9MMAR (Reply 22): AirAsia could not be reached for comment but their website showed 12 flights between Phuket and Bangkok daily, and one flight daily between Kuala Lumpur and Phuket.

AK is mildly effected by the recent crash. Thai AirAsia is expected to reduce fares to sustain load factor, yield expected to reduce by 2% and is expected to continue making losses for FY2007 and FY2008.

AirAsia to expect some short-term selling pressure
The Edge

• AirAsia Bhd is expected to stay on course to reach its target price of RM1.99 from its current price of RM1.90 despite some short-term selling pressure that may take place as a result of the crash of Thai low-cost carrier (LCC) One-Two-Go in Phuket last Sunday, according to a research house. OSK Investment Research maintained its “neutral” recommendation as it believed that AirAsia’s Malaysian operations would be less impacted.
  
  
• “AirAsia will fallback on its tagline that its Malaysian fleet is largely new A320s and we are not making changes to the Malaysian numbers for now,” said the report. The incident may, however, impact LCC travel in Thailand due to safety concerns post-Adam Air incident in Indonesia earlier in January this year. “Although Thai AirAsia has not had a significant incident of this nature, we believed that it will be impacted as well and will reduce fares in an effort to sustain its load factor,” said the research house.
  
  
• OSK Research has reduced the yields for Thai AirAsia by 2% for the next 18 months. The Thai operation will also continue to make losses for 2HCY07 and FY08. “There are no associates’ contributions for those two years but the Thai operation’s losses are expected to deepen and this reduces our forecast for FY09,” said the report explaining that the fair value was based on 18x PER on CY08 numbers.
  

AK's leased A333 arrived in KUL. AK stressed out that it is as safe as SQ.

Fernandes: AirAsia not affected
The Star

• The crash of a budget airliner in Phuket on Sunday is not affecting the business of AirAsia, South-East Asia’s largest budget carrier, said its group CEO Datuk Tony Fernandes. “Not affected at all. It’s business as usual,” said Fernandes, who described the crash at the southern Thai resort island that killed 89 people as “a terrible accident”.
  
  
• He stressed that AirAsia was a very safe airline and it was wrong of the press to indicate budget airlines were less safe. “We are as good as SIA (Singapore Airlines) and other airlines. We have new aircraft and better training facilities,” he said.
  
  
• Fernandes was speaking to reporters after a ceremony to welcome AirAsia X’s first leased long-haul A330-300 at KL International Airport’s low-cost carrier terminal yesterday. Deputy Finance Minister Datuk Dr Awang Adek launched the ceremony.
  

Quoting 9MMAR (Thread starter): AirAsia X has secured rights to fly to Stansted airport, a major UK hub for European low-cost flights, as well as to Australia's Gold Coast tourist mecca and to Avalon airport near Melbourne. The Australian flights are due to begin by the end of next month. AirAsia X's parent firm, Fly Asian Xpress, has ordered 15 new Airbus A330-300 aircraft, the first to be delivered in time for the September launch. It has options on 10 more.

BIG news! AirAsia X will launch STN in November 2008 using 2 Airbus 340-300s. Ticket to be sold beginning February 2008. AirAsia X will serve Gold Coast (4 weekly) and Hangzhou (5 weekly) beginning the last week of October 2007 using a leased A333 named Semangat Sir Freddie.

AirAsia X will offer pre assigned seating, which can be pre-selected during booking process, purchase of hot meals, amenity kits and in-flight entertainment, on an “a la carte” basis. AirAsia X is also considering a purchase of 25 A350s or B787s, with preference to whom can deliver faster.

Also, Thai AirAsia said it was not affected at all although its 14 flights connecting Phuket was cancelled following the One-Two-Go crash. AK was not concerned about rising oil prices and that it was “ready for US$100 per barrel if it comes.” AK is now fully operating on 26 Airbus A320s after phasing out its Boeing 737-300 aircraft. AK is to expand further into IndoChina, Indonesia, southern China and India.

AirAsia X to launch UK route in 2008
The Edge & The Star

• AirAsia X is looking to launch its UK route by November next year and has already secured the rights to fly to London’s Stansted Airport. Its CEO Azran Osman-Rani said the budget long-haul carrier would start selling tickets for the UK flights in February 2008.
  
  
• In line with this, AirAsia X is also close to signing for two Airbus A340-300s and is expected to complete the deal by October or November 2008, he said. He was speaking to reporters at the ushering in of AirAsia X’s first leased long-haul Airbus A330-300 here yesterday, to add to its purchase of 15 new Airbus A330s announced earlier. The remaining aircraft are to be delivered over five years from September 2008.
  
  
• The leased aircraft, named Semangat (the Spirit of) Sir Freddie, is a tribute to the pioneer of the low-cost model, the late Sir Freddie Laker. It is on six-year lease from Ansett Worldwide Services. Azran said the A330-300 delivered yesterday would alternate between Australia and China. “We plan to have at least five flights to China a week and four a week to Australia,” he said, adding that the landing rights for China and Australia had been secured.
  
  
• First flights on the A330 are to take place by the last week of October 2007 to one Australian and one Chinese destination, he said. The airline was also finalising approvals for its flights to Gold Coast in Australia which it hoped to launch at the end of the month, he said.
  
  
• “With the A330 flight range, we are poised to launch services to the world’s largest and fastest growing markets from Australia to China, India to Korea, Middle East to Japan with fares on average 50% lower than full-service carriers. The company was considering listing on Bursa Malaysia within three years,” Azran said.
  
  
• The airline also introduced new features including assigned seating for passengers and the pre-selection of one’s own seat during the booking process, the purchase of hot meals, amenity kits and eventually in-flight entertainment, on an “a la carte” basis, Azran said.
  
  
• AirAsia X director Tony Fernandes, who was also at the briefing, said the airline was considering buying 25 Airbus A350 planes. “The A350 looks very good and that is the most logical choice as we are already on the Airbus, but we are also looking at Boeing,” he said. Boeing’s 787 planes could take as long as five years to deliver and the A350s could take up to seven years.
  
  
• “B787 is real. I’m going to Seattle to talk with the Boeing chief executive officer next week. We will be foolish not to talk to Boeing. But the A350 is an obvious choice. The Airbus has an advantage but the question is, ‘when can we get the planes?’,” he said.
  
  
• On the impact on AirAsia Bhd after the One-Two-Go Airline Co plane crash in Phuket on Sunday, Fernandes said the airline was not affected at all and the cancellation of its 14 flights connecting Phuket was insignificant given the size of AirAsia. He also said the airline was not concerned about rising oil prices and that it was “ready for US$100 per barrel if it comes.”
  
  
• Azran added that AirAsia was now fully operating on 26 Airbus A320s after phasing out its Boeing 737-300 aircraft operations, and would add 124 more to its fleet up to 2014. “We are definitely looking forward to becoming the single largest Airbus A320 operator and enhancing our network by expanding further into IndoChina, Indonesia, southern China and India in the future,” he said.
  

MH's flight interruption in TGG. Aircraft's air-conditioning system malfunctioned.

State leaders left stranded by cancelled flight
The Star

• A MAS flight was cancelled at Sultan Mahmud Airport following a technical hitch causing 140 passengers, including Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Idris Jusoh and several state leaders, to be stranded. The MH1335 flight from Kuala Terengganu to Kuala Lumpur International Airport was supposed to leave at 4.10pm on Tuesday.
  
  
• Bukit Tunggal assemblyman Mohd Nasir Ibrahim Fikri who was among the dignitaries accompanying Idris, said a flight crew informed the passengers about announced about the aircraft’s malfunction when they were seated for take-off. "We were told to disembark and wait for further announcement," he said when met during at buka puasa function here on Tuesday.
  
  
• Mohd Nasir said Idris and other leaders were supposed to attend a Ramadan gathering with Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak at his official residence in Putrajaya. "We were supposed to arrive there by 6pm but were unable to make it by time due to this," he said. It is learnt that aircraft’s air-conditioning system had malfunctioned.
  

Quoting 9MMAR (Reply 32): BIG news! AirAsia X will launch STN in November 2008 using 2 Airbus 340-300s. Ticket to be sold beginning February 2008. AirAsia X will serve Gold Coast (4 weekly) and Hangzhou (5 weekly) beginning the last week of October 2007 using a leased A333 named Semangat Sir Freddie

More on AirAsia X's soon to be launched flights.

AirAsia X to fly China, Australia in October with first A330
AFP

• The airline is now waiting for Malaysian regulators to certify its (leased) plane. It also plan to acquire another two leased A340s in mid-2008 to allow them to fly to London or Manchester, whichever airport imposes lower airport charges. The seat configuration of the A330 will be at 390 seats, more than 100 than traditional users of the A330-300. 28 spacious "premium" seats would be offered at the equivalent of regular full-fare economy tickets.
  
  
• Richard Branson's Virgin Group has taken a 20 percent stake in the airline and the British billionaire has vowed to ensure that the project turns a profit. The arrival of the aircraft again proved critics wrong. "We have the cash, we have the plane and now we are waiting to fly. And with Branson onboard, it gives instant global credibility to investors and suppliers. We are determined to fly and there is no stopping now."
  

Quoting 9MMAR (Reply 32): Azran added that AirAsia was now fully operating on 26 Airbus A320s after phasing out its Boeing 737-300 aircraft operations

Half truth. AK is still operating B737-300s for the JHB, KCH and BKI base.

Quoting 9MMAR (Reply 32): using a leased A333 named Semangat Sir Freddie.

Spirit of Sir Freddie... what an appropriate name for a pioneering venture   and with such a strong hint of Virgin too

Another award to MH.

Malaysia Airlines voted 4th Best Airline for Cabin Service Worldwide in SmartTravelAsia.Com – Best In Travel Poll 2007

Media Relations, Communications Division
Malaysia Airlines, Subang

• Malaysia Airlines has been voted the 4th Best Airline for Cabin Service Worldwide, out of a field of over 100 airlines, in the SmartTravelAsia.Com – Best In Travel Poll 2007, concluded recently. The national carrier also secured the 9th position to make it in the Top Ten list of best airlines worldwide.
  
  
• The SmartTravelAsia.Com readers’ poll that was conducted between May and July 2007 offers a unique access and insights into global brand perceptions. The poll incorporated overall brand perceptions of staff, service, in-flight comfort, seat comfort, legroom, in-flight entertainment and business features. Above all, it was a measure of system-wide airline consistency and reliability. SmartTravelAsia.Com, a dedicated travel magazine for Asia, is read by over 1,000,000 unique visitors annually and maintains consistently high search engine rankings.
  
  
• This acknowledgement follows the recently-announced rating of Malaysia Airlines as top 7th brand in the Asia’s Top 1000 Brands Survey 2007 for Malaysia. Malaysia Airlines is grateful to its customers who have been supportive by consistently according it good ratings in the various surveys, and attributes the airline’s good performance to the staff.
  

MH is to redevelop its website. Newly enhanced website is expected to be ready by November 2007.

Malaysia Airlines invites submission for website development

Media Relations, Communications Division
Malaysia Airlines, Subang

• Malaysia Airlines invites online creative agencies to submit their proposals for the development and redesign of the national carrier’s website. The website review is in line with changes in Malaysia Airlines as it enters into the 2nd phase of its Business Turnaround Plan (BTP). The airline is moving towards becoming a Five-star airline@LCC cost, and will launch its Malaysian Hospitality brand positioning in 2008.
  
  
• There will be two rounds of review. In the first round, creative agencies are invited to submit their credentials and 1 (one) case study by 25 September 2007. They should not be working with any competing full service carrier currently.
  
  
• Into the second round, 3 agency partners will be short-listed. They will be required to present the proven case study based on their past experience with an international brand. The short-listed agencies will be announced at the end of September with presentations taking place in mid October.
  
  
• Malaysia Airlines Senior General Manager, Communications, Ms Indira Nair said, “Customers want to do their online transactions speedily and promptly. The new website must deliver this easy-to-use experience which is critical to support our BTP goals of increasing online sales, and reducing operating costs.
  
  
• “Look and feel wise, the site must reflect the currently being developed Malaysian Hospitality brand positioning in 2008. It has to be fresh, vibrant and reflects the multi-cultural facets of Malaysia and its national carrier.” The final selection of the agency is expected to be announced in late October.
  

*****

Great move although a bit overdue. I really hope MH can comes out with something like EK, CX or maybe VX websites (too bad those guys who created these websites could not bid for this tender - 'not be working with any competing full service carrier currently'. With the eticketing network wide to be implemented beginning 21 September (I hope it is on schedule), a new website is definitely a breath of fresh air. I hope there would be online check in and online seat selection among others.

Quoting 9MMAR (Thread starter): Kota Kinabalu (BKI) - Shenzhen

Quoting 9MMAR (Thread starter): Kuala Lumpur - Shenzhen (2x Daily)

The official announcement.

AirAsia expands in China
The Star

• Low-cost carrier AirAsia said Wednesday it plans to add a second daily flight between Malaysia and Shenzhen in southern China starting next month as part of its regional network expansion. In a statement, AirAsia said its daily Kuala Lumpur-Shenzhen flight has received an overwhelming response since it was launched in mid-July, with passenger loads of over 90 percent.
  
  
• To cope with increasing demand, it said it will add the second daily flight on the route from Oct. 2 in time for China's Golden Week holidays. AirAsia said it will also launch a new daily service from Malaysia's Kota Kinabalu on Borneo island to Shenzhen.
  
  
• "AirAsia is now fast expanding its network into China, and Shenzhen is an ideal choice as the airline's gateway to the mainland,'' the carrier said. AirAsia's sister airline, Thai AirAsia, is already flying daily from Bangkok to Shenzhen.
  
  
• With the added flights from Malaysia, AirAsia said it will be serving four daily flights into Shenzhen. AirAsia, Asia's largest budget airline by fleet size, has said it expects to carry 11 million passengers for the year ending June 2008, up from 8.7 million in 2007 fiscal year.
  

Quoting 9MMAR (Reply 13): Shocking! KUL's carpark is the shelter for thousands of (LEGAL) foreign workers detained by the Immigration Department.

Helps are on its way.

MTUC wants ministry to help Bangladeshis stranded at KLIA
The Star

• The Malaysian Trade Union Congress (MTUC) wants the Human Resources Ministry to solve the problem of Bangladeshis stranded at the KL International Airport. MTUC secretary-general G. Rajasekaran said the ministry should suspend all recruitment through outsourced agents to overcome the problem.
  
  
• “The Government should revert to the earlier policy of issuing permits directly to employers based on their demand. This would enable the Government to make employers accountable for their recruits,” he said in a statement here Wednesday. He said there were about 3,000 Bangladeshi workers being forced to stay in the KLIA carpark for more than 10 days currently and many were reported to be ill.
  
  
• He also said the workers, guarded by Rela members, had legal documents but the recruiting agents, who brought them in, did not pick them up from the airport. “A number of workers interviewed said that they paid between RM10,000 and RM12,000 to recruiting agents to work in Malaysia,” he said. Rajasekaran also said the number of migrant workers left stranded without jobs had increased tremendously, after the Government started issuing licences to more than 220 agents to bring in foreign workers.
  
  
• He also called on the Bangladeshi Government to play a more prominent role in regulating the recruitment process to protect its people. “It is estimated that close to 1,000 documented migrant workers are arriving through KLIA daily. We suspect that many will have no work and no earnings for days and weeks,” said Rajasekaran.
  
  
• The Star highlighted last week that thousands of foreign workers, mostly Bangladeshis, were forced to eat and sleep in the KLIA carpark after arriving at the airport. The report said according to a foreign worker agent there, the workers would be deported if their employers failed to pick them up from the airport within seven days. It also said that the Immigration Department decided to convert the carpark into a makeshift shelter for the foreigners, as the department did not want the foreigners to linger around the airport.
  

Do anyone know if MH is going to continue their KUL-ARN-EWR service when 2007has ended and the Visit Malaysia year 2007 has ended??

Heard that the would cut this route after the Visit Malaysia year 2007.

Quoting B747forever (Reply 41): Do anyone know if MH is going to continue their KUL-ARN-EWR service when 2007 has ended and the Visit Malaysia year 2007 has ended?

I personally don't think so. If it were to be axed, it must have been announced together with the axing of ZRH, NGO and CEB in line with the changes in MH's Northern Winter 2007 schedule, as per Reply 16.

Azizul, many thanks for the wonderful, comprehensive and authoritative update.

Quoting 9MMAR (Thread starter): Best Cabin Staff - Winner

Had to be that way !!! ...   

...It truly amazes me to see, in spite of so many set backs and frustrations, a most extraordinary, professional and dedicated Malaysia Airlines´ cabin crew philosophy.

My hat is off with great admiration and respect to everyone at MAS performing up there in the skies !!!

Best regards

Quoting 9MMAR (Reply 42): personally don't think so. If it were to be axed, it must have been announced together with the axing of ZRH, NGO and CEB in line with the changes in MH's Northern Winter 2007 schedule, as per Reply 16.

Thank you for the good news.

Would be sad to loose one of the best airlines in ARN.

WHY MH does not officially join a major alliance is beyond me. Many people these days go out of their way to fly with their favourite and preferred alliance partner. Ok, there's TG and SQ with Star Alliance, JL and CX with Oneworld, so the missing obvious choice is MH for Skyteam.

Are people at MH headquarters so pxx-headed that they can't see the forest from the trees? It frustrates me that their thinking are so narrow minded. MH has been talking about joining an alliance for years. They had their chance when QF asked if they wanted to be part of Oneworld. They took they sweet time to decide and demanded that QF/BA shift operations entirely from Singapore. That fell through. Now you have Skyteam banging on your front door and MH insists that they wait. Wait for what?

And what about all these new large aircraft orders? The 737 replacements? The A330 replacements? Where are they?

I still had to fly on an ageing 737-400 from Singapore to Penang last week. The flight was fine, but still it would have been nice to fly on something newer that 15 years old.

I credit Tony Fernandez for challenging SQ with daily flights to Singapore. With the stronger Singapore dollar and the spending power, it will be the Malaysians who will gain when open skies begin. It is perhaps that MAS has no idea how to approach all this. Certainly not with their ageing fleet. The current shuttle service between SIN and KUL sees people avoiding MH flights as much as they can and going for SQ. Why?


MAS - still Mana Ada Sistem?

Quoting GuyBetsy1 (Reply 45): The current shuttle service between SIN and KUL sees people avoiding MH flights as much as they can and going for SQ. Why?

To answer your question, I think it is safe to think that some 65% of the traffic between the two cities is made up of Singaporean business and leisure travellers. For obvious reasons, for this macro segmentation of the market, SQ would be the choice airline.

Best regards

P.S. Azizul, how many daily runs per carrier ( MH vs SQ ) are there on the KUL-SIN v v sector ?

Quoting 9MMAR (Reply 37): Malaysia Airlines has been voted the 4th Best Airline for Cabin Service Worldwide, out of a field of over 100 airlines, in the SmartTravelAsia.Com ? Best In Travel Poll 2007, concluded recently. The national carrier also secured the 9th position to make it in the Top Ten list of best airlines worldwide.

I wonder who ranked #1 in both the Best Airline for Cabin Service Worldwide and Best Airline Worldwide.... here's a hint... SIA 

I thought I had read somewhere that Air Asia was going to launch services to Hong Kong.

Any indication when this will happen, and if it will be to BKK as well as KUL??

There is a new website up at www.airasiax.com Doesn't look like bookings are open yet. The route map makes interesting viewing!