Melaka Air luaskan penerbangan (termasuk laluan Melaka - Kota Bharu)

BATU BERENDAM - Melaka Air Sdn Bhd (Melaka Air) merancang untuk memajak pesawat dari syarikat Penerbangan Malaysia Berhad (PMB) dalam usaha mengembangkan perkhidmatan penerbangan ke beberapa destinasi baharu.

Ketua Menteri, Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam berkata, usaha syarikat penerbangan milik Kerajaan Negeri itu kini masih pada peringkat perbincangan dengan PMB.

“Diharap dalam tempoh setahun ini, Melaka Air dapat memajak pesawat dan mengadakan penerbangan tetap dari Lapangan Terbang Melaka (LTM) ke beberapa destinasi domestik serta negara Asean.

“Perbincangan sedang dilakukan dengan PMB untuk memajak dua pesawat daripada syarikat berkenaan yang dijangka dapat diselesaikan menjelang Februari tahun depan,” katanya pada sidang media selepas perasmian Karnival Udara Antarabangsa Melaka (KUAM), di sini.

Karnival tiga hari berakhir semalam, mempamerkan hampir 100 pesawat pelbagai jenis dan disertai 352 peserta dari dalam serta luar negara. Mohd Ali berkata, Melaka Air juga bercadang membuka perkhidmatan laluan baru dari LTM ke Kota Bharu, Kelantan; Kuching, Sarawak dan Kota Kinabalu, Sabah sebelum dikembangkan ke Macau dan Hong Kong.

"Sejak laluan dari LTM ke Pulau Pinang menggunakan pesawat Firefly Sdn Bhd (Firefly) diperkenal April lalu, jumlah penumpang ke destinasi berkenaan meningkat dalam tempoh dua bulan pertama operasi. “Penerbangan ke Pulau Pinang kini meningkat dengan 60 penumpang sehari kerana ia destinasi terbaik bagi mereka yang mahu ke negeri di utara,” katanya.

Menurutnya, dijangka seramai 32,000 pelancong datang ke Melaka menggunakan perkhidmatan udara tahun ini berbanding 22,000 tahun lalu kerana sehingga Jun, seramai 17,000 pelancong direkodkan memasuki negeri ini melalui  laluan udara.

SOURCE: Sinar Harian (Malacca & Negeri Sembilan Edition) | 16 July 2012 | 

Firefly to launch new route from Kota Bharu to Singapore

SINGAPORE : Firefly - Malaysia Airlines' profitable short-haul budget airline - is spreading its wings.

This weekend, it will launch a new route from Kota Bharu to Singapore, and relaunch its Penang to Koh Samui, Thailand route.

Firefly said it aims to grow revenue from Singapore-based services by up to a fifth this year.

It is planning tie-ups with partners like Club Med in Kuantan to attract foreign tourists.

And it wants more Singaporeans to visit destinations where it flies to, such as Subang, Ipoh, Kuala Terengganu and Kuantan.

But from September 25, customers may have to pay more for passenger-service charges when Firefly moves from Singapore's Budget Terminal to Terminal 2.

It warns customers may also have to pay for higher fuel surcharges in the long run if fuel prices remain high because of the ongoing crisis in Syria.

Firefly plans to try to acquire two more aircraft within the next two years, to add to its current fleet of 12.

Ignatius Ong, CEO of Firefly, Malaysia, said: "I am looking at the Singapore market...We are doing four flights a week now. Seeing how things go, if demand is there, and we can stimulate it further, we will probably move it to daily."

Operating from the city air terminal in Subang and its northern hub in Penang, Firefly flies to nearly 20 destinations within Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia and Singapore.

But while Firefly is profitable, it could be weighed down by its cash-strapped parent Malaysia Airlines.

The carrier recently announced it will delay its target to return to profitability by another year, to 2014. It reported its fifth consecutive loss of US$54.3 million for the March quarter.

In contrast, rival Air Asia posted a 4 per cent increase in first-quarter net profit to US$53.8 million and record revenue of over US$370 million. Air Asia also opened its regional headquarters in Jakarta in August.

Malaysia Airlines, on the other hand, has scrapped its plans for a new regional premium airline, which was to fly to major ASEAN cities and to venture into India and China.

- CNA/ms

SOURCE: Channel NewsAsia | 11 August 2012 | 

Firefly celebrates inaugural flight with Kota Bharu community

AS Firefly prepares to operate its first flight from Kelantan to Singapore, its staff took time off to spread festive cheer to the people of Kota Bharu at a buka puasa organised by Grand Riverview Hotel under the Seikhlas Ikatan Satu Impian programme, in conjunction with the Hari Raya celebration.

The guest list comprised people aged six to 83-years-old and was provided by Majlis Kanser Nasional (Makna) and Majlis Daerah Kuala Krai Kelantan.

“No matter how busy we are, we must never forget to make time to engage the communities that we do business with,” said head of Sales and Customer Experience Azman Ahmad.

“And the opportunity to participate in this buka puasa came at just the right time when we are making our presence felt in Kota Bharu with the new Kota Bharu-Singapore route and additional flights for the Kota Bharu-Johor Bahru and Kota Bharu-Penang routes,” Azman said.

Celebration with the kids: (Standing at the back, from left) Imran, Azman, Vincent Chua (General Manager, Grand Riverview Hotel general manager Vincent Chua and Fahrin witih the children.

At the dinner, Firefly gave each guest a gift pack comprising items usually needed to prepare for Hari Raya. The gift packs were purchased with funds collected from Firefly employees and management.

“The staff gave generously for this worthy cause, so much so our CEO Ignatius Ong pledged to match the funds collected ringgit for ringgit. In the end, we managed to raise RM6,000 in just two weeks,” Azman said.

As an added treat, Firefly invited singer-songwriter Imran Ajmain and actor Fahrin Ahmad to perform at the event. The two also mingled with the crowd.

In conjunction with the launch of the new Kota Bharu-Singapore route, Firefly now offers an all-in one-way promo seat that starts from RM99 per passenger.

For a start, Firefly will operate four times a week on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday between Kota Baru and Singapore.

Additionally, it will provide more flights to Kota Bharu-Johor Baru and Kota Bharu-Penang to cater to the growing demand from Aug 10.

Purchases can be made at Firefly’s website at www.fireflyz.com.my, mobile application, airport and city ticketing offices, call-centre and through travel agents.

Passengers are encouraged to take the opportunity to enjoy these promotional airfares and explore Firefly’s exciting new route.

SOURCE: The Star Online | 31 July 2012 | 

Firefly to ply Penang - Koh Samui and Kota Bharu - Singapore routes

PETALING JAYA: Firefly will introduce two new routes, Kota Baru–Singapore and Penang–Koh Samui, from Aug 10 and 11 respectively. The airline will also restart its Subang–Hat Yai route on Aug 17.

The Kota Baru–Singapore and Subang–Hat Yai routes will have flights every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.

Flights between Penang-Koh Samui will be on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Ticket can be purchased from www.fireflyz.com.my, Firefly’s airport and city ticketing offices, Firefly’s call-centre and travel agents.

In conjunction with the new routes, Firefly is offering special promotional airfares from RM99 for the Kota Baru–Singapore and Subang–Hat Yai routes, and RM199 for the Penang–Koh Samui route. Prices are an all-in, one-way fare.

These rates are for bookings made from July 2 to 15 for travel starting from respective commencement dates to March 30, 2013.

Firefly chief executive officer Ignatius M.C. Ong said they were mounting these new flights as they saw demand in the various respective markets.

“As such, we intend to meet the needs of our loyal customers for direct flights with convenient timings both ways,” he said.

Effective Aug 10, Firefly is also increasing the frequency of several of its flights, including Singapore–Kuantan to seven flights weekly, Subang–Pekanbaru to four flights weekly, Subang–Johor Baru to 25 flights weekly and Subang–Kota Baru to 58 flights weekly.

The other flights are Subang–Langkawi, which has been increased to 19 flights weekly, Subang–Penang to 66 flights weekly, Penang– Kota Baru to seven flights weekly and Kota Baru–Johor Baru to seven flights weekly.

SOURCE: The Star Online | 3 July 2012 | 

Firefly buka laluan baharu (Kota Bharu - Singapura)

SYARIKAT penerbangan Firefly akan mengembangkan rangkaiannya dari Kota Bharu ke Singapura bermula 10 Ogos ini dengan penerbangan setiap Isnin, Rabu, Jumaat dan Ahad. 

Menteri Pengangkutan, Datuk Seri Kong Cho Ha berkata, pelancaran laluan itu akan meningkatkan jumlah pelancong yang juga dilihat sebagai pintu masuk ke Pulau Perhentian yang terkenal dengan aktiviti menyelam dan snorkeling selain seni budayanya. 

Beliau berkata, Kota Bharu juga dilihat sebagai pintu masuk untuk ke Pulau Perhentian yang terkenal dengan aktiviti menyelam dan snorkeling selain terkenal dengan seni budayanya, masakan serta seni dan kraf tangan. - Bernama

SOURCE: Harian Metro | 9 August 2012 | 

Firefly Direct Flight From Kota Bharu To Singapore From Aug 10

Penerbangan Terus Firefly Dari Kota Bharu Ke Singapura Mulai 10 Ogos

Firefly sasar pelancong asing untuk dua laluan baharu (Kota Bharu - Singapura dan Pulau Pinang - Koh Samui)

Firefly targets tourists with new routes

Firefly is targeting foreign tourists for its two new routes, Kota Bharu-Singapore and Penang-Koh Samui beginning this August 10 and 11, its Head of Marketing & Communications Angelina Fernandez said.

In a statement here today, she said they are expecting tourists from the Middle-East, Japan, South Korea and India, who largely choose Penang as their preferred holiday destination during intense seasons in their respective homelands.

Fernandez said islands are seen to be the demand for these markets, hence creating an access to Koh Samui via Penang will be most ideal for these travellers who are keen to explore spectacular beaches in the region.

Apart from that, the airline will also restart its Subang-Hat Yai route on August 17.

The Kota Bharu-Singapore and Subang-Hat Yai routes will have flights every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday and flights to Penang-Koh Samui will be on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.

Firefly is offering special airfares price from RM99 (one way) for the Kota Bharu-Singapore and Subang-Hat Yai routes and RM199 (one way) for Penang-Koh Samui route.

These promotional rates are for bookings made from July 2 until July 15 for travel starting from their respective commencement dates to March 30 next year. -- Bernama

SOURCE: Business Times | 2 July 2012 |