Firefly to expand flight routes in 2014

INCREASING FLIGHT FREQUENCIES: Firefly Sdn Bhd, the budget carrier arm of Malaysian Airline System Bhd (MAS), will expand routes from Kota Baru to Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur to Sumatera and Singapore with the delivery of eight new ATR 72-600 aircraft by next year. MAS group CEO Ahmad Jauhari Yahya says Firefly recently made 8 orders of the aircraft worth US$154.6m (RM502.3m), financed by Export-Import Bank of Malaysia Bhd (Exim Bank), and will be taking its 2nd aircraft delivery next week. (From left) Firefly CEO Ignatius Ong, Ahmad Jauhari and Exim Bank president and CEO Datuk Adissadikin Ali showing off Exim Bank’s livery on Firefly’s ATR 72-600 aircraft in Kuala Lumpur yesterday. (Pic by Muhd Amin Naharul)

FIREFLY Sdn Bhd, the budget carrier arm of Malaysian Airline System Bhd (MAS), will expand routes from Kota Baru to Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur to Sumatera and Singapore with the delivery of eight new ATR 72-600 aircraft by next year.

MAS group CEO Ahmad Jauhari Yahya said Firefly recently made eight orders of the aircraft worth US$154.60 million (RM502.3 million), financed by Export-Import Bank of Malaysia Bhd (Exim Bank), and will be taking its second aircraft delivery next week.

“We will have two aircraft by this year and the rest will be delivered by ATR to us according to schedule next year.

“With these aircraft, we will expand routes from Kota Baru to Bangkok, from Kuala Lumpur to Sumatera and Singapore,” he told reporters at the launch of Exim Bank’s livery on Firefly’s ATR 72-600 aircraft in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.

Exim Bank’s became the sole financier providing a bilateral facility to MAS for the purchase of the eight ATR 72-600s which will enable MAS to further expand its regional offerings, adding new routes and frequencies to its global network.

Firefly, a wholly owned subsidiary of MAS, which began operations in April 2007, now operates a fleet of 12 ATR 72- 500 turboprop aircraft out of Penang and Subang, connecting secondary destinations within the Indonesia-Malaysia- Thailand growth triangle as well as providing air linkages between Malaysia and Singapore.

ATR, the French-based aircraft manufacturer, has established itself in the global market for regional aircraft with 90 seats or less and has sold over 1,300 aircraft and is represented in the fleets of 180 operators in 90 countries.

Touching on industry outlook, Ahmad Jauhari said it will be challenging year ahead and MAS will continue to defend its market share domestically, regionally and internationally.

At the group level, MAS has placed 20 firm orders and 16 options for the ATR 72-600s and will use these aircraft for new routes next year.

Exim Bank president and CEO Datuk Adissadikin Ali said apart from Firefly, the bank is open in providing aircraft financing to any operators in Malaysia who require financing to expand their fleet.

“We are open in providing aircraft financing to either passenger aircraft operator or freight operators,” he said at the event.

Source: Malaysian Reserve | 18 December 2013