Business Times - 27 Jan 2004


Lufthansa Cargo pondering Senai base: sources

Company says it will issue statement in coming weeks

By EDDIE TOH
IN KUALA LUMPUR

MALAYSIAN businessman Syed Mokhtar Al-Bukhary, who wooed the world's biggest shipping company away from Singapore three years ago, is in advanced talks to convince the world's largest airfreight company, Lufthansa Cargo, to set up base at his Senai Airport in Johor, sources say.

Executives at Syed Mokhtar's Senai Airport Terminal Services (Seats) are keeping mum. When contacted, Thomas Eggert, regional director of sales at Lufthansa Cargo in Singapore, declined to confirm talk that it will move some of its operations from Singapore to Senai.

He said the company would 'provide a press statement in the coming weeks on this subject'. Mr Eggert - who oversees sales operations in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Australia and New Zealand - added it was 'premature' to provide any information at this juncture.

Contacted in Singapore, the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) said it would be premature to comment on speculation about the Lufthansa move.

It said Singapore currently has 68 airlines operating more than 3,250 weekly scheduled flights to 150 cities in 51 countries.

The authority handled 1.61 million tonnes of airfreight in 2003 and was ranked 4th for international airfreight movements in 2002, the latest year for which data is available.

The CAAS said in an e-mail response: 'It's a bit difficult for us to comment further without knowing what Lufthansa is going to say.'

It is still not known how a potential tie-up with Seats could affect Lufthansa Cargo's operations in Singapore or the WOW alliance, a grouping of the airfreight arms of several major airlines, of which Lufthansa Cargo is a member.

According to the WOW website, Lufthansa Cargo, part of the German Lufthansa Group, is the world's biggest airfreight carrier in turnover. Other members of the WOW alliance are the cargo arms of Singapore Airlines, the world's third biggest airfreight player, Scandinavian giant SAS and Japan Airlines.

Lufthansa Cargo's credentials are impressive. It handled 1.63 million tonnes of freight and mail in 2002, ahead of the 1.43 million tonnes shipped through Singapore in 2002.

The German carrier is also known for its cargo handling capability.

'The carrier is also very well recognised for transporting live animals of all kinds. As an example, in 2000, the airline flew almost all the horses to Australia for the Olympic Games in Sydney,' noted online magazine Airsider.

Lufthansa Cargo, established in 1994, is estimated to employ around 5,000 people worldwide, of whom about 40 are based in Singapore.

A senior company executive was previously reported to have said that Singapore plays a 'special role' in Lufthansa's operations as the island is an important hub for its cargo business in and out of Australia.

That 'special role' is not likely to dissuade Syed Mokhtar from pulling out all the stops to woo the German cargo carrier.

He is working overtime to transform the southern Malaysian state into a transportation and logistics hub to rival Singapore.

His efforts have paid off. Maersk Sealand, the world's largest shipping line, and Taiwan's Evergreen Marine have migrated from Singapore to the businessman's Port of Tanjung Pelepas in Johor in the last three years. But PSA has won back the biggest feeder shipping line customer, Bengal Tiger Lines, from Pelepas.

The loss of Maersk Sealand and Evergreen and the keener regional competition in the aviation business prompted a warning earlier this month from Singapore's Senior Minister Lee Kuan Yew. He said that Singapore will be 'diminished' if it loses its airhub status, and that the government will not let this happen.

Jan 28 2004

Lufthansa Cargo reiterates that Singapore remains as its hub in Asia Pacific

Agent, Airlines G.S.A, will open sales office in Johor Bahru from 1 Feb

Lufthansa Cargo today clarified that it has no intention of moving its base from Singapore to Johor Bahru.

“There are no plans for Lufthansa Cargo to set up base in Senai Airport,” said Mr. Thomas Eggert, regional director of sales at Lufthansa Cargo, based in Singapore, in response to recent reports. “We have an established and important air hub in Singapore and we will continue to operate cargo flights out of Changi airport, which has been our strategy for many years.”

“Lufthansa and Singapore Airlines are both members of the WOW alliance and have worked in tandem to grow the cargo business significantly in recent years,” added Mr. Eggert.

In addition to the clarification, Lufthansa Cargo announced that it has extended its relationship with general sales agent, Airlines G.S.A. Pte. Ltd, a subsidiary of Air Ocean Group Ltd, which will represent the carrier at an additional sales office located at Senai Airport at Johor Bahru, Malaysia from 1 February 2004.

The group is currently being represented by Airlines G.S.A. in Penang and Kuala Lumpur, and Johor Bahru will be the third Malaysian sales location when it opens, allowing Lufthansa Cargo to serve its customers in the Johor Bahru region better.

“Lufthansa Cargo is excited about the plans to expand service in Malaysia,” said Mr. Eggert. “We are setting up a sales office in Johor Bahru because of the growing demand for air cargo services in Malaysia. We want to better serve our customers in Southern Malaysia and this office will give them direct access to us.”

Lufthansa Cargo continues to connect Malaysia with Germany with 4 weekly freighters from Penang and three freighters from Kuala Lumpur.

About WOW

The alliance was founded by Lufthansa Cargo, SAS Cargo und Singapore Airlines Cargo in April 2000. JAL Cargo joined WOW in July 2002. The air cargo alliance commands a combined fleet of 43 freighters and the bellyhold capacity of more than 760 passenger aircraft, many of them widebody jets. Between them, JAL Cargo, Lufthansa Cargo, SAS Cargo and Singapore Airlines Cargo offer an unparalleled route network of destinations, linking the world’s major trading centres.

Among the IATA airlines, Lufthansa Cargo is the biggest carrier in the international airfreight business, Singapore Airlines Cargo is the second biggest and Japan Airlines Cargo the sixth biggest. SAS Cargo operates a dense network, notably in northern Europe.

WOW is not an abbreviation, it stands for the alliance’s values: “Dynamism“, “Innovation“ and “Vitality”. An enthusiastic “WOW” is the customer response that the alliance aims to elicit with its services and quality.

Issued by:
Deutsche Lufthansa AG
Corporate Communications
Asia & Pacific
For further information, please contact:
Edelman
Cheryl Tan
Tel. +65-6733 1110
Fax +65-6733 5550
E-mail cheryl.tan@edelman.com

http://www.lufthansa-cargo.de/content.jsp?path=0,1,14871,15152,15452,16878

Aviation industry takes off




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MALAYSIA'S aviation industry never had it so good. In its darkest years, the industry comprised a single airline and had suffered heavy losses.

Now, there are three airlines and they are flying high. They are savvy, innovative and growing.

The traditional airline is rejuvenated with professional, managerial types. Two newer airlines came along, and they are young, with lots of spunk.

These three airlines are helping the nation move towards the services sector as the economy matures. A successful aviation industry often offers sizeable employment, revenue and profitability.




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Gan Boon Aun




Malaysia Airline System Bhd (MAS) sprang a pleasant surprise last week when it announced its third quarter (Q3) results. These showed firm operating profits, improvement in key performance indicators and sound management of cashflow.

Its operating profit almost tripled to RM146mil in the Q3 period ended Dec 31, 2003 compared with the same period in the previous year.

Analysts said they estimated MAS was chalking up free cashflow of about RM100mil a month. This shows MAS can thrive with the right management even in the face of competition from AirAsia, the low-fare airline.

Transmile Group Bhd, a pure air cargo operator, has won new businesses from multinational corporations (MNCs) like United Parcel Services (UPS) and DHL. This helped Transmile to increase its fleet to 16 aircraft and to post substantial increases in earnings in each of the last five years.

Led by its chairman and CEO Gan Boon Aun, Transmile is believed to operate the only dedicated freighter airline company in this region.

AirAsia, the new kid on the block, pioneered the region's first budget airline. The remarkable Tony Fernandes started AirAsia with two Boeing 737s and that has grown to 13 aircraft. He is now flying his planes to nearby countries like Indonesia and Thailand.

Fernandes is also extending the concept to other countries, in particular Thailand, where he has started a domestic budget airline called Thai AirAsia.

The high profile Fernandes has often told the press AirAsia is operationally lean and mean. His claims were backed by Boeing last week when the Boeing company placed AirAsia at the top of its list for having the best utilisation and despatch reliability of its planes.

MAS' favourable operating results were a surprise. Transmile and AirAsia are already known to be doing well. There was another surprise. MAS managing director Datuk Md Nor Yusof would move on to become chairman of the Securities Commission from April 1, it was recently announced.





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Datuk Md Nor Yusof





His appointment is, perhaps, in recognition of his professional management of MAS and before that, Commerce-Asset Holding Bhd which analysts appreciate as a well-managed banking group. His departure will be a loss to MAS.

Even so, the airline has been re-built on a firm footing. His successor will be managing success and the momentum.

Taking a bullish view, an analyst placed a fair value of RM6.60 a share for MAS; the stock closed at RM5.15 last Friday.

MAS chief financial officer Low Chee Teng said the airline would be taking delivery of six new aircraft in the current calendar year.

In January and February, two Airbus aircraft were delivered to it. Later in the year, two more Airbus and two Boeing 777s will be added to its fleet. This will expand MAS' fleet to a total of 111 planes by the end of the year.

The new aircraft would primarily be deployed for regional routes to China, Japan and India, Low told StarBiz. These countries are experiencing rapid economic growth, or recovery, in the case of Japan.

“With more economic activity, there will be more business travel. It will also become more affordable for the people in those countries to travel,” he said. Some of the new planes will also be flown in the European sector and enroute, to the Middle East.




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Tony Fernandes






On a question as to bad experiences in two previous recessions when MAS made untimely fleet purchases just before the downturn, Low said it was a business judgement that the economic power houses would continue to be dynamic.

There is a risk, of course, that if a recession suddenly strikes, the new aircraft will cause excess capacity in the fleet. The risk is reduced by leasing the planes in the ready market.

A purchase, in contrast, opens a window of exposure of 18 months before a plane is delivered, he said.

The six new aircraft will be leased for MAS by its parent company Penerbangan Malaysia Bhd. The fleet expansion will not therefore be a burden to the airline operating company. Refurbishment costs, however, will be borne by MAS.

In a statement that MAS can hold its own even as AirAsia encroaches into its turf, Low said “there is no noticeable downtrend in traffic in our Bangkok route, for example, where AirAsia also flies to.”

This is a vindication of Fernandes' assertion that his airline is not a threat to MAS.

Transmile is a competitor to MAS only in terms of air cargo traffic. Transmile was billed as the national cargo airline in early reports.


Transmile has demonstrated it is able to secure new contracts from MNCs. As it flies more frequently to China, it is also viewed by analysts as offering exposure to the large Chinese market.

Transmile's net profit was expected to surge to about RM50mil this year from around RM35mil last year, said an analyst, who estimated fair value of its shares at RM6.20. At that price, its market capitalisation will almost reach RM1.0bil.

The current outlook for the airline industry is that it will experience a smooth flight into the regional markets, by virtue of the capable management in the airline companies.

Business Times - 25 Feb 2004


Malaysian Air mulls major fleet renewal

It may replace all 35 of its Boeing 737 planes to cut operating costs

(KUALA LUMPUR) Malaysian Airline System Bhd said it may replace all 35 of its Boeing Co 737 aircraft, as it upgrades its fleet to capitalise on Asia's tourist and business recovery and reduce operating costs.

The 35 planes, which have been in service for between nine and 12 years, may be replaced with either Boeing's 737-800 and 737-900 planes or Airbus SAS' A320s, said the airline's CFO Low Chee Teng. The airline will decide on a plan in three months, he said. Replacing them all may cost an estimated US$2.1 billion.

'We will look at it from the perspective of the timing,' and whether the move 'is going to contribute to more reduction in terms of operating costs,' Mr Low told Bloomberg. Malaysian Air is expanding its route network and buying new planes to cater to rising demand from business and leisure travellers. Abacus International Pte, Asia's largest airline ticket sales agent, is forecasting bookings in the region will rise by a fifth this year.

'They are expanding at the right point in the economic cycle,' Teoh Kok Lin, managing director of Kuala Lumpur-based Singular Asset Management, said. 'If you aim to be among the leading airlines, you have to renew your fleet. There are also fuel efficiency gains. Singapore Airlines has been doing it for years.'

Expansion path

The World Bank forecast in October that Asian economies, excluding Japan, will expand about 5.7 per cent this year, faster than 2003's estimated 5 per cent, helped by demand in the US, Japan and China for Asian-made goods.

In December, Malaysia agreed to buy six A380 planes for US$1.6 billion, which will be added to Malaysian Air's fleet in 2007 and 2008. For the summer schedule that starts on March 28, Malaysian Air will lease an additional four A330-200 aircraft to increase capacity on its Asian network. The focus will be on China, India, Japan, Korea, Indonesia and Vietnam, the airline said in its Q3 profit report on Feb 17. It'll also be acquiring two more Boeing 777-200 planes, increasing its fleet size to 111 by the end of this year.

'China and the Middle East are the emerging destinations for Malaysian business people,' Singapore-based Lester Poon, who helps manage US$300 million in assets, including Malaysian Air shares as part of the CDC Emerging Asia fund, said. 'The airline's right to explore opportunities in these areas.'

Malaysian Air's fleet expansion is part of its wider plan to enhance profitability by reducing costs by as much as 10 per cent over the next five years, Mr Low said.

The airline has centralised purchasing to try and secure better economies of scale, introduced project tendering and cracked down on ticket agents who cheat the booking system. Targeting travel agents has enabled the airline to recover RM10 million (S$4.5 million) of lost revenue over the past 12 months, Mr Low said. Malaysian Air uses its existing 737 fleet on domestic routes and shorter-haul regional flights to neighbouring countries.

The carrier won't have to pay for any of the new purchases under a restructuring plan that left the government owning the aircraft and assuming Malaysian Air's debt. It will lease the aircraft from state-owned Penerbangan Malaysia Bhd, its parent company. - Bloomberg

A very good read which I would recommend to all...... ;)






I’m leaving on a jet plane





For less than the price of a pair of Levi’s, you can choose to fly to Singapore, Kuching, Langkawi or Kota Kinabalu. LEE SIEW PENG examines how such flights of fancy are taking off.



HI! THANK you for calling AirAsia!” the chirpy recorded voice welcomes you to the AirAsia call centre. If you want to fly from Kuala Lumpur (KL) to Singapore, Langkawi, Penang and Bangkok – or indeed, any one of the 11 other domestic destinations served by the airline – this is definitely the place to call. Or better yet, save the RM2 charged for call bookings and just book it yourself online.

The airline’s slogan, “Now everybody can fly” is no empty boast. AirAsia flew some 3.4 million people last year, and with such ridiculously low fares – KL-Phuket for RM89.99, Singapore-Bangkok for S$59.99 (RM136), Johor Baru-Kota Kinabalu (KK) for RM69.99, and, if you book early enough, KL-Penang for less than the cost for a bowl of laksa (RM1.99) – is it any wonder that AirAsia receives about 8,000 calls, and some two million hits on its website daily?

Thanks to low-cost airlines (LCAs) like AirAsia, the skies are now a little more egalitarian. Air travel has been made affordable for the masses; would-be travellers now have even more reason to pack their bags and just go. Far-off destinations seem just that little bit closer when one doesn’t have to break the bank to get to them.

“Because of LCAs, the number of people who can now fly just multiplies algebraically,” says Peter Harbison, managing director of the Centre for Asia-Pacific Aviation (CAPA). ”So it’s massive.”

Southeast Asia may have been a little slow off the runway compared to Europe and North America, but now that everybody can fly, we are fast catching up – there are some 21 LCAs in the Asia-Pacific region.

In fact, it’s boom time for LCAs, thanks to what CAPA calls “a convergence of events”. These include:


The strong economic growth and demographics of the region. There are about 235 cities in the region with a population of over one million, and about 130 with a population of over 500,000. Imagine the potential!

The region is ideally positioned for an LCA boom. Sim Kok Chwee, Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) director says that “Malaysia is perfect for LCAs. We sit in an area with attractions all around; you can get to just about anywhere in South-East Asia in three hours. As such low-fare flights also encourage intra-regional tourism.”

Increasing internet accessibility. Some 65 million people are connected in China alone – a veritable goldmine, given that the majority of LCA transactions are carried out online.

Underutilised airports. According to CAPA, there are about 130 underutilised airports in the region. CAPA has forecasted annual growth of 10% for LCAs, “and if this trend continues, we’re going to get a lot of congestion at the major airports, and there will be pressure to use some of those regional airports, particularly because they are managed by tourism authorities who want people to fly there,” Harbison says.
The challenge, he adds, will be human resources. “You don’t need a massive skilled labour force, but you need customs and immigration, people who know how to handle check-in, how to handle baggage . . . so there’s a lot of future for training institutions, I think!” he laughs.

Consequently, the reality is that LCAs aren’t just providing excellent value for money. LCAs stimulate economic growth and travel demands by encouraging inbound tourism, spurring development of secondary airports and creating job opportunities.

Keeping costs down

But the question on everyone’s lips (including a particular Malaysian minister’s) is: just how do they do it? I mean . . . c’mon, flying to Penang for less than the price of a lunch of banana leaf rice, even after taxes?

For the answer, we have to go back to Herb Kelleher, founder of Southwest Airlines in Texas the world’s first budget airline. His philosophy to drive costs down consists of just four simple rules:

Fly only one type of aircraft. This way, any plane can fly any route, with the same number of seats. Life is made less complicated for aircraft maintenance engineers too – you don’t need a whole bunch of them working on different types of aircraft, nor do they need to stock as many spare parts.

A quick turn-around time (usually 25 minutes). As airlines already pay fixed rent on gates, LCAs have to get as many passengers as possible through those gates to reap the economies of scale. So time is money for LCAs – the less time you spend on the ground, the more passengers you can carry from one point to another. This is also why LCAs only have one class and don’t bother with seat numbers – passengers get seated more quickly.

Only sell seats. Everything else – like providing food and drinks – drives up costs. Food also takes time to load, and don’t forget, spilled food and drinks mean a longer time to clean up, which in turn mean a longer time on the ground.

(And in case you’re wondering, usually 30% of the seats go at fire-sale prices, whilst the other 70% are priced according to when you book and how full the plane is – don’t expect to get bargain-basement deals if you book tonight for a flight tomorrow.)

Reduce costs every year. Fernandes provides a homegrown example. “Fares are pretty low already. The average fare is about RM100, but there’s no reason why you can’t go any lower. I believe our fares will go lower as our costs get lower and we get smarter. There are so many things we are just learning, about revenue management, that sort of thing.” Support from partners, engineering suppliers and manufacturers is also important.

Thus the key to an LCA’s success is simplicity. However, as with companies everywhere, good management is crucial. As aviation consultant Mo Garfinkle stresses: “The quality of management makes all the difference in the world. All the successful LCAs have management teams that have the ability to execute a business plan and focus on the essentials of running the airline as a business and taking account of the employees. So the management execution is the most important factor in LCAs.”

Capt Maniam Nadasan, an AirAsia pilot, concurs, “Imagine this: it’s 7am, you’re in the cockpit and in the distance, you see your boss waving to you on the tarmac. How many CEOs actually bother to come down to see how things are running? Tony also helps take the excess baggage down into the hold from the trolleys, checks what time you have to leave, and, sometimes, even puts on a flight attendant’s suit and serves our guests. Can you imagine what that does for crew morale?” he grins. “You feel motivated because your boss is one of you, pulling his weight with the rest.”

Productivity plays an important role in keeping costs down. Check-in staff often triple up as flight attendants, cargo handlers and clean-up crew. When not flying, Capt Maniam helps train other pilots on simulators. Pilots also attend lectures on corporate resource management, situational awareness and flight safety.

Drew Magill, director of market analysis at Boeing, stresses that for better airplane utilisation, crew productivity is essential. “A productive crew means quicker turn-around times, which leads to more flights being on time, and reliable service.”

LCAs are also able to cut costs by cutting out the middleman completely. Customers book direct on the websites or through call centres. (AirAsia records over RM155 million in online sales, some 45% of its total revenue.)

In addition, LCAs also fly to and from secondary airports, which helps keep costs down. Such airports are usually less congested and have cheaper landing charges.

And for the ultimate in cost-cutting, Michael Coltman would personally love to see airports developing low-cost terminals.

“Currently, airports treat all customers equally. But within the airline industry it is becoming clear that low-cost flyers have much different needs than a first-class ticket holder,” notes the low-cost aviation consultant, who was formerly the general manager of operations at Go (British Airways’ low-cost subsidiary).

“Why not develop lower cost buildings that are designed to process people quickly within a reduced space and pass some of the savings on to the LCAs who can then offer lower fares and get more people through the buildings?”

He also suggests that for that all-round, low-cost experience, the free market should provide services that meet the needs of the travelling public. “To complement LCAs, someone might start a low-cost bus service between KL and KLIA!”

Why are they taking off?



LCAs are quick off the mark in capturing markets; decisions are made swiftly based on instincts, not time-consuming “studies”. This killer instinct is imperative when it comes to determining destinations.

“As long as you have people there, and you have reasons for other people to visit, the place has potential,” Fernandes puts it simply.

“Routes like KL-Tawau already have an 86% load factor, and the KL-Sandakan route is also extremely popular. Sandakan and Tawau are great places for divers, there’s a lot of eco-tourism there, and the people have been deprived of direct services, so it made sense to me to fly there,” he says.

Attitude and quality of service are also important factors. “We refer to our passengers as ‘guests’,” says Fernandes. “There’s a difference between someone who’s a passenger in your house, and someone who’s a guest in your house! That way, the perception changes for passengers and crew alike.”

LCAs also make sense from a government standpoint, says Magill of Boeing. “Having a safe, efficient air transportation system is absolutely critical to the economy”, in terms of moving goods quickly.

“It’s also about looking at needs,” Patee Sarasin, CEO of Nok Air, which will take to Thai skies in June, says. “It takes 13 hours to get from Chiang Mai to Bangkok by bus; for an extra 500 baht (RM50), you can be there in an hour. It’s the time factor, not so much the quality of transportation.”

Sarasin is already positioning Nok Air as the airline that does things differently.

“Say, if your flight is delayed in Phuket, we’ll give you swimming trunks to go for a swim so you don’t have to wait at the airport!”

LCAs are also well-supported because they are viewed as the underdogs. In the recent hoo-ha over AirAsia’s low fare advertisements, the airline received hundreds of letters of encouragement.

“I think we came out looking quite good, and it was good that the issue was raised so at least we were investigated and it was deemed that what we were doing was fair,” Fernandes shrugs.

Perhaps it also indicates that people prefer the alternative fares for domestic flights. Magill sums it up: “People prefer higher frequencies, more choices, better service, more non-stop flights and lower cost – LCAs can offer all that. On average, the cost of travel drops by 1.5% yearly.”

Even corporate travellers are beginning to use LCAs as a “generally accepted way of reaching business appointments”, it was reported in The Guardian (UK) last Tuesday.

Airports, having realised the benefits that could be reaped, are giving LCAs an encouraging nudge. “Low-fare carriers are emerging as the most profitable airlines,” says Kerrie Mather, CEO of Macquarie Airports, Australia, because they present an opportunity for “increased commercial revenues and benefits from economies of scale.” (F&B sales and parking are just two of the areas where profits can be made.) In other words: “More passengers, more income, improved asset utilisation!”

Capt Maniam declares, “The airports have been very supportive and helped a lot. We’ve received help with flight management for more efficient departures and arrivals, and at KLIA, we’ve been allocated gates closer to the terminal building. Ground support has been astounding – Petronas is always there when we arrive – this helps us with our turn-around time.”

The impact of LCAs




Tourism bigwigs, naturally, are happy that LCAs are doing so well. Sim of PATA is particularly enthusiastic. “LCA growth is very dynamic, and countries will soon see the benefits to tourism,” he beams. “More people who have never travelled before can now afford to say, ‘I’m bored, let’s do something this weekend’.”

Likewise, Mather sees a change in travel behaviour, saying that people will take shorter but more frequent holidays.

Sim adds that niche markets – golf, dive operators and spas – stand to benefit tremendously as a result. “If I were a hotelier, I would be very excited. I could do a marketing blitz. Because LCAs don’t go through travel agents, any such campaign supporting LCAs would also target the consumer directly.”

He stresses that LCA travellers are not “cheap travellers”.

“What you don’t incur on the air ticket could be spent on better accommodation, fine dining, shopping or sight-seeing. Travellers are certainly conscious of getting value for money, especially when they are travelling as a family.”

Sim thinks a killer route would be KL or Singapore to Bagan. “Bagan has a fantastic ancient product, yet it is inaccessible except via Yangon. The airfare from Bangkok is very high. If travellers were made aware of such flights, it would be beneficial to KL and Singapore as primary hubs as well.”

Tunku Iskandar Tunku Abdullah, Asean Tourism Association (Aseanta) secretary-general, echoes Sim’s sentiments. “LCAs will help drive intra-Asean tourism by connecting secondary hubs such as Medan, Surabaya, Penang, Kota Kinabalu, Chiang Mai, Cebu and Phuket – all these are large tourism bases. The LCA boom is already here, but we need better connections between secondary hubs.”

The impact of LCAs goes beyond tourism. The aviation industry has evidently benefited. “There are more jobs for pilots, engineers, cabin crew,” says Fernandes. “When we came in, there were a lot of unemployed pilots who were qualified but who couldn’t get a job.”

Capt Maniam, who has 43 years of experience, agrees. “You are not allowed to fly international routes after the age of 60,” says the 62-year-old. “So this has been a great job opportunity for me.”

He explains that in Malaysia, the only route to flying a passenger aircraft is by going through the Malaysia Airlines (MAS) academy, but not many are taken in. “You can also go to Australia, but it costs RM150,000 for a one-year course, and you are not allowed to fly a passenger aircraft when you return to Malaysia.

“When AirAsia began recruiting, we had licensed pilots coming in who had been jobless for five years. Today, there isn’t a single licensed pilot in Malaysia who doesn’t have a job – all because AirAsia came in.”

Fernandes remarks: “People are expanding their businesses because it’s not so expensive to fly. Students can go home more often, so we’re reuniting families. We’re a migratory country – KL is made up of people from Penang, Kuching, KK, everywhere.

“And then there’s the emotional benefit. We get letters from people saying, ‘I never thought I’d fly’, ‘My son has always wanted to be on a plane and now I’m able to take him’ – those are all nice things to see.”

Jennifer and William Tan, who are in their 50s, have flown AirAsia numerous times to Sarawak. “We wanted to try the airline out and cut costs,” says Jennifer. “It was certainly very much cheaper compared to MAS. The staff are friendly and helpful. It helps that they board older folks and kids first; Ryanair (an Irish LCA) is a free-for-all!”

William would like to see better control of luggage on board, though. “There’s supposed to be a 7kg limit but people often bring huge and heavy bags on board. AirAsia should enforce the rules on cabin luggage size.”

He also finds the cancellations inconvenient. “AirAsia can cancel a flight if there are insufficient numbers flying. Passengers are then put on a later flight. This is problematic if you have a connecting flight!”

A college student who flies frequently with AirAsia has no complaints. “I’m just happy that I have an alternative. I’m studying in Kelantan, and the bus journey back to KL is simply tedious,” says the 20-year-old who wishes to remain anonymous.

Low fares do not mean low quality, though. “Some people may call LCAs ‘cattle-class’, but I don’t find it cramped; it’s about the same as what you get on a full-fare flight,” says Liza Abdullah (not her real name), 33.

“I don’t think people would mind, even if it were cramped. I used to pay RM769 to fly from KL to Miri, and I had to stay a minimum of three nights. It would cost more if I stayed fewer nights. With AirAsia, I can get a return flight for under RM200, and I can come back whenever I choose. I just want to get from A to B safely. What’s so great about the ‘frills’?”

To Coltman, safety matters but frills don’t. “Safety must be a given. If the public has any doubts as to your safety, then you will be facing an uphill struggle,” says the low-cost aviation consultant.

“The key to being a successful LCA is to think like a discounter. By this I mean constantly looking to cut costs and lower fares rather than add ‘bells and whistles’ to the service.

“In the long run, the most successful LCAs will do this while providing a quality service where the customer understands the service proposition.

“For example, Ryanair promises no service, so people aren’t upset when they don’t get any. Conversely, JetBlue (an American LCA) promises low cost travel without compromising service quality or their cost base. Airlines that offer low fares but can’t control their costs are doomed to fail.”

Up, up, and away?



Although on the whole the outlook is rosy, LCAs should expect to come up against walls that will obstruct growth.

The major problem appears to be regulatory restrictions.

“What this could mean is that only airlines with the appropriate government connections will succeed. Ideally a free market should dictate success or failure,” Coltman underlines.

“Ideally, there should be full deregulation throughout the region to ensure a fair, competitive marketplace: no restrictions on routes, frequencies, or pricing. Likewise, easing of visa restrictions would allow more freedom of movement, especially for those with less money who would benefit most from low fares.”

He points out that “governments must recognise that they have no business in the regulation of air travel. The free movement of people by air will help boost economies and serve the overall economic goals of governments. Protecting state- owned carriers might save a few jobs but that is clearly at the expense of greater economic development and job creation.”

Another issue is that of delays. A number of people interviewed mouthed off about the hold-ups in AirAsia’s flights. “Our KK-KL flight was delayed for two hours,” one writer fumes. “There was pandemonium, nobody knew where to go, and the AirAsia office was shut because it couldn’t handle the complaints.”

CEO Fernandes, however, clarifies: “The only time we can’t avoid delays is during monsoons. We place strong emphasis on precautions and safety. We don’t have big time gaps like other airlines – if we have one delay, it’ll be a concertina effect.

“Other airlines measure on-time performance by arrival, we do it on departure. If we measured it on arrival, we’d be even more efficient: 97% of our flights are on time, and we were flying at 99% at one point.

“You are always going to get delays, and obviously we come in for a little more scrutiny . . .” he smiles.

A secondary problem is reaching customers without credit cards. AirAsia has got round that problem by taking SMS bookings; Coltman proposes a revised travel agent model.

“Go used travel agents through a dedicated website. This allowed those without internet or credit cards to book flights. Retail outlets and banks could also be used – effectively all they need to do is take the money and provide a booking reference number,” he suggests.

Despite these problems, there’s no doubt that LCAs have revolutionised air travel, and consistently offer the best deals in the sky. The best news is, dozens more are expected to spring up over the next five to 10 years. Whether they take off or crash is unsure, but one thing is certain: the region’s travellers can only stand to gain more air miles.

Frankfurt-Kuching flight to boost tourism



BY SHARON LING


KUCHING: The number of European tourists coming to Sarawak is expected to rise by 25% following the introduction of a Malaysia Airlines (MAS) direct flight between Kuching and Frankfurt, Germany.

State Tourism Minister Datuk Abang Johari Tun Abang Openg said Sarawak received some 200,000 tourists from Europe last year.

“With this flight, we expect an increase of about 25% in the number of European tourists,” he told a press conference after arriving on the inaugural Frankfurt-Kuching flight at the Kuching International Airport yesterday.

Also on board were Malaysian Ambassador to Germany Datuk Kamal Ismaun and a German delegation comprising government officials, tourism operators and media representatives.

Johari said since Frankfurt was a well-known transportation hub in Europe, it would serve as a point of access for Germans and other Europeans to travel to Sarawak.

“Frankfurt is in the centre of Europe and has good air, rail and road links with neighbouring countries such as Austria, Switzerland, France and Eastern Europe. So we can position Sarawak as a new destination for Europeans to fly to directly via Frankfurt,” he said.

He added that the flight would enhance bilateral relations between Germany and Malaysia.

Qatar Airways increases flights to KLIA




http://www.thestar.com.my/archives/2004/3/30/nation/n_17arab.jpg

Passengers from Qatar get a warm welcome at the KLIA




SEPANG: Qatar Airways has increased its flights from five to seven weekly to KL International Airport (KLIA).

The increased frequency, as of Sunday, is to cope with the higher two-way traffic between Doha and Kuala Lumpur, the airline’s area manager for Malaysia and Brunei Ravi Goonetilleke said.

Speaking to reporters after receiving 85 of the airline’s passengers who arrived at KLIA yesterday, he said the increased two-way traffic would benefit not only both the hubs but also provide passengers greater access to destinations to other countries.

Business Times - 29 Apr 2004


Former M'sian transport minister still flying high

By EDDIE TOH
IN KUALA LUMPUR

TRANSMILE, which has become a new vehicle for tycoon Robert Kuok, has appointed former Malaysian transport minister Ling Liong Sik as its new non-executive chairman.

This will be the first time Mr Ling, 60, sits on the board of any listed entity in Malaysia following the end of his political career that lasted nearly 30 years. Gan Boon Aun - the founder of airfreight forwarder Transmile - gave up his chairmanship to make way for Mr Ling. Mr Gan has been re-designated chief executive officer.

Since Mr Ling stepped down as transport minister last June, he has been busy setting up Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman - the first university to be affiliated with a political party, the Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA).

The former politician was embroiled in a fierce squabble within MCA over the party's decision to acquire two Chinese newspapers three years ago. Mr Ling and his nemesis Lim Ah Lek finally stepped down to make way for their proteges within MCA, the second major component in the national ruling coalition Barisan Nasional.

Mr Ling was also involved in a courtroom fight with his former associate, Soh Chee Wen, of Promet and Kelanamas fame.

An analyst said Mr Ling's appointment to the Transmile board could be linked to his friendship with Mr Kuok, who emerged as a controlling shareholder of Transmile last month.

Last week, Mr Kuok's nephew - Kuok Khoon Ho, better known as Chye Kuok - and another executive were appointed to the board. They emerged as directors of Transmile following the Kuok group's purchase of a 28.5 per cent stake in the airfreight company late last month.

Trinity Coral, which is a unit of Kuok Brothers, paid RM6.25 apiece for the block of 45.2 million Transmile shares, or RM282.5 million (S$125.9 million). The counter eased 10 sen to close at RM7.35 yesterday.

Industry executives expect Mr Kuok to use Transmile to take advantage of an open-skies pact signed between Malaysia and Hong Kong in early March.

AIRPORT OF THE YEAR 2004


Airport of the Year 2004 - Final Rankings

1st Hong Kong Int'l Airport

2nd Singapore Changi Airport

3rd Amsterdam Schiphol Airport

4th Seoul Incheon Airport

5th Kuala Lumpur KLIA Airport


Asian airports dominate the top Survey honours as the world's Best ...


Skytrax Airport of the Year is the global barometer of airline passenger opinions. Free of any outside or financial influences. It is the only airport survey that achieves a truly worldwide audience - made up of more than 86 different passenger nationalities.



The Survey was conducted over a 10 month period - June 2003 to March 2004 - the total number of eligible survey nominations being 4,844,233.



The response level represents an increase of over 3 million completed questionnaires compared to the 2002/3 Survey - the survey boosted by the launch of a dedicated Passenger Survey site in May 2003.

It reflects a considerable achievement for Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) to take the Airport of the Year title in 2004 - this now being the 4th consecutive year for HKIA.



This accolade was not without challenge however - Singapore Changi being ahead in the survey for 4 months of the project period - and the final vote differential between these two airports again being amongst the closest result we have seen. As Changi progresses the development of it's new Terminal 3, the challenge to HKIA looks set to heighten!



Amsterdam Schiphol returns to the top 5 airports in 2004 - having slipped to 7th position in 2003 - and is Europe's only challenger to the apparent Asian supremacy for airport comfort and efficiency.



Seoul Incheon moves from 6th last year to take 4th position, whilst Kuala Lumpur's KLIA Airport comes in at 5th place - up from 9th in 2003.



The Survey again sees Asian airports dominating top rankings, with 3 of the top 5 airports being relatively modern developments - a clear bonus in terms of planning facilities.



Contrasting the respondent comments for airport nominations, HKIA for example scored highly for the open spaces, clarity throughout the terminal buildings, natural daylighting and external views - something an older airport such as Singapore Changi cannot compete directly with - however Singapore Changi was the outright winner in terms of passenger comfort facilities and amenities provided across it's terminal buildings.

Wednesday April 28, 3:33 PM

Malaysian budget carrier opts for Macau over Hong Kong as first Chinese destination

Malaysian budget carrier AirAsia said Wednesday it has picked Macau over Hong Kong as its first destination in China and plans to launch services in June.

AirAsia chief executive Tony Fernandes told reporters here that his company looked into Hong Kong flights, but Macau aviation officials were "just more hungry" and struck a better deal.

All the fine print has yet to be finalized, Fernandes said, but AirAsia intends to begin Bangkok-Macau flights on June 15 and Kuala Lumpur-Macau flights by the end of June.

Fernandes said AirAsia plans to offer cut-rate tickets and hopes to reach a deal with Shun Tak Holdings Ltd., the company operating ferry services between Macau and Hong Kong, for accommodating passengers who fly to Macau en route to nearby Hong Kong.

Fernandes said airport officials from two mainland destinations, Hainan and Kunming, had approached AirAsia but the carrier has no immediate plans to serve the mainland.

His company is a pioneer in Asia's low-cost airline sector, which is modeled on cheap carriers that have taken off previously in the United States and Europe, offering passengers bargain prices with few inflight frills.

hi guys

Air Asia is doing pretty well in Indonesia, latest report, the seat are 70-80% full daily

JB - jakarta and KL-SBY, KL- BDO

Garuda Indonesia which is Malaysian Airlines major alliance are planning to fly from KL to Indian cities by using Boeing 777 coded share with MAS. GIA is now coded share with MAS on CGK-KL-Europe and Bali-Darwin.

cheers

hi guys

Air Asia is doing pretty well in Indonesia, latest report, the seat are 70-80% full daily

JB - jakarta and KL-SBY, KL- BDO

Garuda Indonesia which is Malaysian Airlines major alliance are planning to fly from KL to Indian cities by using Boeing 777 coded share with MAS. GIA is now coded share with MAS on CGK-KL-Europe and Bali-Darwin.

cheers


yea......I am not surprise on the occupancy rate for Jakarta but I am surprised at Bandung's :eek:

ANyway I hope more Indonesian destination to come for AirAsia! :okay:

AIRPORT OF THE YEAR 2004


Airport of the Year 2004 - Final Rankings

1st Hong Kong Int'l Airport

2nd Singapore Changi Airport

3rd Amsterdam Schiphol Airport

4th Seoul Incheon Airport

5th Kuala Lumpur KLIA Airport


Seoul Incheon moves from 6th last year to take 4th position, whilst Kuala Lumpur's KLIA Airport comes in at 5th place - up from 9th in 2003.




The defractors should take a look at this results and eat their words. Although KLIA isn't the best airport in terms of service that I've been thru but surely it is improving. Its architecture and internal human traffic circulation is simply the best :okay:

KLIA will have a major rival in SEA when the new Bangkok International airport opens its doors in a few years time.

szehoong, Yeah i am also surprised with KL-BDO load factor :lol:

But anyway, AirAsia should open Penang - medan route too, there are many airlines serving between MEDAN and Penang, for instance, China airlines (daily) Malaysia Airlines (twice daily) Adam air (daily), Jatayu (daily) and the load are 80% full !

Many people in medan likes to go to Penang :)

cheers

Passenger traffic at KLIA ‘likely to hit 19 million’



PUTRAJAYA: Passenger traffic at the KL International Airport is expected to hit more than 19 million by the end of the year, surpassing the estimated figure of 18.5 million.

The revised figure is due to the healthy growth in passenger movement at the airport in the first four months of the year.

Transport Minister Datuk Seri Chan Kong Choy said KLIA recorded a 19.4% growth in passenger movement during that period due in part to the booming tourism industry and the return of several foreign passenger airlines to the airport, including Lufthansa.

“This growth is very encouraging. We have estimated the growth this year to be only by one million passengers to 18.5 million, but judging by KLIA’s performance in the first four months, we expect the increase to hit 19 million.

“We are confident that within the next few years, KLIA will start operating at its maximum capacity of 25 million passengers,” he told reporters at his office yesterday.

He said that currently 35 foreign passenger airlines flew into KLIA, adding that eleven of them had increased the frequency of their service to the airport by 7% or 21 additional services in the first four months of the year.

Chan said KLIA would also benefit from the plan by Malaysia Airlines to increase its services to China from the present five destinations to eight by early next year as Chinese passenger airlines would reciprocate by increasing their flights to KLIA from the new MAS destinations.

MAS currently flies to Beijing, Shanghai, Xiamen, Guangzhou and Hong Kong.

Asked about a report that MAS was considering imposing a passenger fuel levy to offset soaring oil prices, Chan said: “Not at the moment.”

Government likely to expand Terengganu airport



KUALA TERENGGANU: The Federal Government is likely to expand the Sultan Mahmud Airport in Seberang Takir instead of building a new one.

Mentri Besar Datuk Idris Jusoh said a new termi-

nal might be built to handle the increasing passenger volume.

“There is a great possibility that the present airport will be expanded as building a new one will be costly,” he told newsmen yesterday after chairing the state executive council meeting here.

He was commenting on reports that the Federal Government was planning to build a new airport near Kampung Ipoh in Hulu Terengganu.

Idris said the Transport Ministry was preparing a concept paper on the airport and the report was expected to be ready within a month.

“The state government and the ministry will discuss the report including the design of the new terminal before it is presented to Cabinet for approval,” he said.

KLIA will have a major rival in SEA when the new Bangkok International airport opens its doors in a few years time.

Bangkok is already, arguably, the bigger hub than KLIA. In fact, it's probably more of a competitor for Changi than we are.

It's our bad luck to be squashed in between 2 mega hubs like BKK and Changi, if we were is some other region, I'm sure KLIA would reign. But who's to say the present Hub status will always remain this way....p'haps KLIA will one day overthrow BKK and even equal or overtake Changi. Go KLIA!

I prefer KLIA though, as its beautiful and when you check-in or just landed, you can easily and quickly go to your plane or find a taxi. No rush and waiting line ! :D

cheers

I prefer KLIA though, as its beautiful and when you check-in or just landed, you can easily and quickly go to your plane or find a taxi. No rush and waiting line ! :D

cheers



I am glad you like the airport David. I find it one of the easiest to navigate around :okay:


.......but there are still people whom said it is confusing and not 'user-friendly'........maybe they should get their eyes checked. :D

Bangkok is already, arguably, the bigger hub than KLIA. In fact, it's probably more of a competitor for Changi than we are.

It's our bad luck to be squashed in between 2 mega hubs like BKK and Changi, if we were is some other region, I'm sure KLIA would reign. But who's to say the present Hub status will always remain this way....p'haps KLIA will one day overthrow BKK and even equal or overtake Changi. Go KLIA!


yup.....you're right. But BKK is actually a larger hub compared to Changi although both are quite close. This is because Bangkok/Thailand is actually a destination itself rather than just as an interconnecting city. Perhaps KL/Malaysia would have such opportunity as Malaysia isn't lacking of the tourism factor. Our Tourism board really need to buck up.......at the moment they seems to be doing a good job but not enough. They are not promoting our local cuisine and culture but our skyscrapers and cityscapes which most tourist shun ;)

yup.....you're right. But BKK is actually a larger hub compared to Changi although both are quite close. This is because Bangkok/Thailand is actually a destination itself rather than just as an interconnecting city. Perhaps KL/Malaysia would have such opportunity as Malaysia isn't lacking of the tourism factor. Our Tourism board really need to buck up.......at the moment they seems to be doing a good job but not enough. They are not promoting our local cuisine and culture but our skyscrapers and cityscapes which most tourist shun ;)

interesting you say that :) Just a few weeks ago, I was reading The Nation newspaper of Thailand, and they had an editorial regarding the relative failure (in their opinion) of the tourism promotions for Thailand vs Malaysia. It commented that if Thailand didn't 'buck up' her tourism efforts, more of her tourism dollars and revenue would be lost to Malaysia. They quoted that the Tourism Malaysia campaign 'Malaysia, Truly Asia' as more recognisable overseas than the equivalent Thai campaign.

How true? Dunno. But competition for the tourist dollar is hot!

interesting you say that :) Just a few weeks ago, I was reading The Nation newspaper of Thailand, and they had an editorial regarding the relative failure (in their opinion) of the tourism promotions for Thailand vs Malaysia. It commented that if Thailand didn't 'buck up' her tourism efforts, more of her tourism dollars and revenue would be lost to Malaysia. They quoted that the Tourism Malaysia campaign 'Malaysia, Truly Asia' as more recognisable overseas than the equivalent Thai campaign.

How true? Dunno. But competition for the tourist dollar is hot!


hmmmm....interesting.......Although Malaysia's latest ads might be much more well-recognised these days but Thailand had always been the traditional destination for the west (even Asians) for a holiday with an exotic Eastern flavour. Even Malaysians seems to be intrigue by the charm and culture of our northern neighbour despite being joined by land. ;)

My assumption on Tourism Malaysia's fallacy are benchmarked against some of the best in tourism campaigns - Singapore! :D Yes.......their tourism board managed to capitalised on the human factor & unique combination of culture and cuisine available in Singapore. Thus many foreigners associate Singapore with cultures living in harmony, fusion & variety of Asian cuisine and marketplaces while most of these are so much more evident in Malaysia :D

Many 'surveys' and polls been made for the past 4 years since I joined these skyscrapers forums testify to that. When foreigners think of Malaysia......few things came to mind:

1) Nice beaches (often overshadowed by The Philippines, Indonesia and Thailand)

2) Nice & warm people (a very vague statement........I guess this is more of a filler/ sweet words as they might not have any nice thing to say)

3) Petronas Twin Towers (only those whom are abreast with current events knew this)

4) A Muslim country (although nothing wrong by associating Malaysia for being an Islamic nation but how Malaysia being in such spotlight is due to the fact that PAS & JI made quite a few headlines for the past few years thus giving us an image of a radical Islamic society where stoning to death is part of the law.)

5) Anti-homosexual (thanks to the Anwar case...enuf said)

..........so I guess our image abroad still need to be 'polished' a bit.......I hope all Malaysians online could do their part here. ;)

What has it going for Thailand is its cuisine. I dunno how come but Thai cuisine is so recognized all over the word. The same cant be said for Malaysian/Singaporean cuisine which is no less inferior.

Also there are some sleazy factors that might explain why Thailand is so well known...

Friday, May 21, 2004

Direct flights to Seoul, Bangkok

PENANG will soon have direct flights to Seoul and Bangkok following negotiations with two airline companies, State Tourism Development and Environment Committee chairman Teng Chang Yeow said.

Teng said the state government was in the midst of discussing the matter with Korean Airlines and Thai AirAsia respectively.

?So far, our direct flights to London and Xiamen have been quite encouraging with the flights being about 50% full.

?Direct flights usually do well with two-way passenger and cargo load. The flights will not be able to survive on just one-way load.

?We also need the co-operation of the Indonesia-Malaysia-Thai-land Growth Triangle (IMT-GT) countries to retain the passenger volume on these flights,? he said when winding up the debate on the motion of thanks on the Yang di-Pertua Negri's speech yesterday.

Teng also said the state Tourism Committee would soon form two new committees to further boost the tourism revenue for the state.

?The proposed New Tourism Products Development Committee will identify new destinations and tap the available potentials to promote them effectively while the other one, Tourism Products Audit Committee, will look at increasing the level of attraction and competitiveness of the existing tourism products in Penang,? he said.

On a different matter, Teng said a special tourism unit might be set up within the Penang Municipal Council, under its restructuring exercise.

?We have suggested that the unit be under the council's Community Service Department. However, the unit is still being considered by the Civil Service Department,? he said.

Teng said more tourism activities would from now on be held on the mainland, beginning with the 'Citrawarna Malaysia' programme that would be held at the Seberang Prai Municipal Council field on May 29.

?We will also hold this year's Fruits and Food Festival on the island and mainland. We have identified Bukit Tambun, Batu Kawan and Sungai Dua on the mainland for this month-long event include,? he said.

Teng also said the state would convince the Village Security and Development Committee (JKKK) in Kampung Seronok, Bayan Lepas, to revive its ?homestay? programme for tourists.

Datuk Abdul Jalil Abdul Majid (BN ? Penanti) asked if the state could provide guidelines to upgrade the existing homestay programmes such as those in Mengkuang Titi and Sungai Rusa.

Teng noted that phase one and two of the three-phase RM15.8mil Batu Musang Jetty infrastructure project in Batu Kawan was now more than 50% completed while the RM2mil Pulau Aman jetty upgrading work was now 80% completed.

What has it going for Thailand is its cuisine. I dunno how come but Thai cuisine is so recognized all over the word. The same cant be said for Malaysian/Singaporean cuisine which is no less inferior.
...

You have something there..I think it's cuz there are tons more Thai restaurants selling quite well cooked authentic cuisine in the West compared to Malaysian/Singaporean restaurants. There's this place I frequent here in Minneapolis called Chiang Mai Thai, gosh, the MOST tastiest Tom Yum soup I've tasted...mmm :)

There are lots more Thai restaurants too! In MInneapolis, there must be at least 20 Thai places, all of which are at least average. There are 2 Malaysian/Singapore restaurants. Both of which suck. In Chicago, the most famous Malaysian place is a place called Penang (now a chain of restaurants across the US), they're so-so only.

You have something there..I think it's cuz there are tons more Thai restaurants selling quite well cooked authentic cuisine in the West compared to Malaysian/Singaporean restaurants. There's this place I frequent here in Minneapolis called Chiang Mai Thai, gosh, the MOST tastiest Tom Yum soup I've tasted...mmm :)

There are lots more Thai restaurants too! In MInneapolis, there must be at least 20 Thai places, all of which are at least average. There are 2 Malaysian/Singapore restaurants. Both of which suck. In Chicago, the most famous Malaysian place is a place called Penang (now a chain of restaurants across the US), they're so-so only.


I seriously have no idea why can't local (Msian/Spore) cuisine be recreated / cooked well in other countries. Yea......when I was in Auckland, Malaysian restaurants kinda so-so only but the Thai food there is fantastic..... :? :D

I seriously have no idea why can't local (Msian/Spore) cuisine be recreated / cooked well in other countries. Yea......when I was in Auckland, Malaysian restaurants kinda so-so only but the Thai food there is fantastic..... :? :D

Yea. I've come to the conclusion that Malaysian food cannot exist outside Malaysia. They cross some sort of spatial dimensional warp and self destruct.

Yea. I've come to the conclusion that Malaysian food cannot exist outside Malaysia. They cross some sort of spatial dimensional warp and self destruct.



hahaha......I suspect the ingredients which could be a little different when in temperate countries....... ;)

Or it could be what you've mentioned :lol:

From The Star

Plans for Subang to be hub for budget flights

BY CELESTE FONG

KUALA LUMPUR: The Government is considering turning the Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport in Subang into a hub for low-fare carriers in the region.

Transport Minister Datuk Seri Chan Kong Choy said the ministry was conducting a study on whether to use the Subang airport as a hub for budget airlines or to build a low-fare no frills terminal at the KL International Airport (KLIA).

The Government was in the midst of studying the plan and would make a decision soon, he said.

?It?s the Government?s wish to make Malaysia a hub for low-fare carriers,? he said yesterday after witnessing a signing ceremony between AirAsia and Cargo Counts.

Chan said the ministry wanted to ensure that Malaysia continued to be the hub for the Asia-Pacific region.

He said the ministry was looking at the financial implications, facilities, cost and whether it was more convenient for low-fare carriers to be located at the Subang airport or having a terminal at KLIA.

The Subang airport ceased operations in July 2002.

Although he did not have the proposed plan from Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd on using the Subang airport as the hub, Chan said the Government supported the plan and would do its best to facilitate it.

On whether the ministry had received applications from foreign budget airlines to fly into Malaysia, Chan said he had not received such applications from low-fare carriers like Tiger Airways.

?But we welcome them. Having more low-fare carriers flying into Malaysia will help boost tourism in the country,? he added.

AirAsia group chief executive officer Tony Fernandes, who was also present at the ceremony, said AirAsia would prefer Subang airport where the airline first started its operation.

?We wish to go back there. KLIA is going to grow and it?s going to be harder for low-fare airlines to operate from there,? he said, adding that the operation at Subang airport was simpler.

To a question, Fernandes said AirAsia would now focus on its market here, in Thailand and Indonesia but they were also looking at Macau as a gateway to China.

The carrier will be launching its flights to Macau this month.

According to a news report, AirAsia carried some two million passengers last year, making up 11% of the total of 17.7 million passengers who used KLIA.

Sure can but please make LRT sampai there ;)

THE STRAITS TIMES
JUNE 4, 2004
Malaysia aims to fly high as region's budget air hub

KUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia said yesterday it plans to build a low-fare air terminal to make the country a regional low-cost hub and to support budget carrier AirAsia, which has just tied up with Lufthansa Cargo as part of its rapid expansion.

Transport Minister Chan Kong Choy said the government is studying a proposal to either build a low-fare terminal at the high-tech Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) or transform an old unused terminal in Subang into a low-cost hub.

'We will make a decision soon. It is the government's wish and determination to make Malaysia a low-fare, no-frills hub in this region. We will give all kind of facilities to low-cost carriers to fly into the country,' Datuk Seri Chan told a news conference.

Landing fees at the new terminal are expected to be lower than current rates to ensure it is competitive, he added, without giving further details.

Malaysia's proposed low-cost terminal could challenge the dominance of Changi Airport in Singapore, where three new low-cost carriers are expected to set up base, industry analysts said.

Datuk Seri Chan made the announcement after witnessing the signing of a three-year cargo management contract between AirAsia and Cargo Counts, set up in September last year as a subsidiary of Lufthansa Cargo.

He said the alliance marks a further development in line with the government's aim to make Malaysia a key aviation hub in the region.

Cargo Counts managing director George Midunsky said the pact, which will take effect in September, marks the company's first entry into Asia's growing air freight market through KLIA and AirAsia's southern hub at Senai airport in Johor state bordering Singapore.

He said it will not affect Lufthansa Cargo's regional operations in Singapore as there are no plans to divert cargo from the Republic to Senai Airport, which is being developed by a local tycoon to rival Changi.

AirAsia chief executive Tony Fernandes said the expansion into the cargo business is to maximise aircraft utilisation and augment income to keep fares low despite rising fuel costs.

'We will remain focused on our core business. This is just another strategy to help us further reduce costs so that we can further reduce fares.

'We are not looking at massive market share because this is just a supplementary business,' he said.

Ancillary services now contribute 5 per cent to AirAsia's revenue and are expected to grow substantially, he said. He hailed the government's decision to set up a low-cost terminal, saying AirAsia will prefer it to be based at Subang, which has been replaced by KLIA, because it will be more economical. -- AFP

Government holds the card in decision on re-creating Subang


IS THERE really a need to re-create Subang airport?

This is a question many are asking. City folks will be too happy to see Subang re-created, as it is a convenient location for most to fly from.

The issue of Subang possibly becoming a dedicated airport for low-cost carriers (LCC) cropped up recently. The other location being considered is KL International Airport (KLIA), where a new terminal building will have to be put up.

There has been a rapid increase in the number of LCCs in the region and they need a dedicated hub, as their modus operandi is somewhat different from that of full-fledged carriers such as Malaysia Airlines (MAS) or Singapore Airlines.

As an analyst put it: “Malaysia is located right smack in the region, and it is seen as a far better location for an LCC hub than many other neighbouring countries. So it is about Malaysia seizing the opportunity.’’

In the US, Europe and Australia, there are dedicated airports for LCCs, some located close to major airports.

But the issue here is whether there really is a need re-create Subang when such a move could threaten KLIA’s passenger growth.

No-frills airline AirAsia is keen to move back to Subang, where it was based initially. For AirAsia, Subang is a catchment area, and many domestic travellers find it easier to get into Kuala Lumpur City from Subang than from Sepang.

There are pros and cons to re-creating Subang. There are issues, too, that need to be addressed.

As someone pointed out, there are several lobby groups; some want the LCC airport to be at KLIA, others at Subang.

But in the final analysis, it is the Government’s call, and before it decides it will weigh all the possibilities, for it knows the big picture in the aviation industry.

Assuming that Subang is chosen over KLIA, and AirAsia returns to Subang, the immediate impact will be the loss of two million passengers for KLIA. MAS may object to AirAsia being allowed to operate its regional routes from Subang, for such a move would threaten its own frequencies to the regional stops. MAS has hinted that it would start its own LCC if need be.

The aim of the Government has been to make KLIA a regional hub. If KLIA is not already there, it is surely on the way to being one. And if domestic traffic is moved out of KLIA and the LCCs allowed to operate from Subang, it will take KLIA longer to be a regional hub. Last year, KLIA handled 17.5 million passengers. This year, the figure is predicted to grow to above 18 million, and next year to 20 million. Given such figures, and the steady rise in the number of airlines flying into KLIA, the dream of it being a regional hub status may become reality sooner than later. But it would not be sooner if Subang were re-created.

A Subang re-created can hurt KLIA. Consideration should, therefore, be given to a new terminal building at KLIA to cater for the LCCs, said an industry expert.

Having said that, the latest talk that AirAsia may take over some of the domestic operations that MAS currently manages for the Government is viewed positively by the investing community.

“The investing public does not care if the domestic operations are taken out of MAS. On a qualitative point of view, it is better for MAS, as it can then put its resources to managing its international operations,’’ said an analyst.

However, such a move would certainly give AirAsia monopoly of the domestic sector, an industry expert pointed out, arguing that there should be no monopoly.

“Let there be a level playing field for the domestic air services sector. This will benefit the rakyaat,’’ she said.

Ease of travel is what a traveller wants. KLIA is a superb airport with the most modern facilities. Of course, there is need to cater to the growing LCCs. There are a lot of considerations, and only the Government knows the game plan.

AirAsia to complement MAS

PENANG: AirAsia has never proposed to take over domestic air services from Malaysia Airlines but wants to work with the national carrier to develop the KL International Airport, said its group chief executive officer Tony Fernandes.

“It has never been in our business plan to take over domestic services. Instead, we are focusing on our own expansion plans to build our airline.

“But if along the way, should the government feel a need for AirAsia to take over domestic flights, we are sure it will make the right decision for the benefit of the people,” he told reporters after welcoming 131 passengers on the airline’s inaugural flight from Bangkok to Penang at the Penang International Airport yesterday.

Fernandes added that AirAsia had always believed that people should be given a choice.

“If they want a VIP lounge, the facility of an air bridge or food served in the cabin, they can opt for MAS, which has a different product,” he said.

On another matter, Fernandes said the Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport in Subang could cater for low-fare carriers. “Imagine having to pay more for taxi fare to KLIA than the fare for a domestic flight.”

AirAsia keen to work with MAS

BY FLORENCE A. SAMY

KUALA LUMPUR: AirAsia wants to co-operate with Malaysia Airlines (MAS) to help boost the local tourism and aviation industry, said its group chief executive officer Tony Fernandes.

“If we can combine our heads and resources together, Malaysia could really become a centre for aviation excellence.

“We’re looking at it as a win-win situation,” he said here yesterday.

In the end, Malaysia would gain business experience by having two successful profit-making airlines, which would encourage more companies to set up business here, he said.

Reiterating that his airline was not out to take over MAS’ domestic services, Fernandes said AirAsia had tried to co-operate with MAS but received a negative response.

Newspapers reported last week that AirAsia might gradually take over MAS domestic services as it was making money despite charging lower fares.

The MAS Employees Union of Peninsular Malaysia reacted to the reports by calling on the Government to reject the move as it would threaten the jobs of about 5,000 MAS employees.

Transport Minister Datuk Seri Chan Kong Choy said on Tuesday that there was no proposal to allow AirAsia to take over from MAS.

Fernandes said AirAsia was focusing on expansion plans and was increasing its fleet size by almost fourfold due to the people's “tremendous appetite for travel.”

He said the “domestic pie” had become bigger due to the increase in travellers.

“We’re expecting four million passengers for the calendar year compared to two million last year,” he added.

AirAsia has submitted a proposal to Boeing and Airbus to buy up to 80 new aircrafts and hoped to make a decision by the end of the year, he said.

“Right now, we’re short of aircrafts. We could do so much more if we had more aircrafts, so we’re busily looking for more.

“We have 17 planes right now and hope to have 24 by the end of October,” he said.

“Low fares have stimulated demand that was never there before as many people who previously couldn’t fly can now afford to do so,” he added.

Fernandes said AirAsia was running at a 90% load factor for all the flights this month and that 40% of the passenger load at the Senai Airport was made up of Singaporeans. :eek:

Open skies policy to boost aviation link


BY B.K. SIDHU - THE STAR

TOWARDS the end of last year, low-cost carrier (LCC) AirAsia wanted to begin air services to Singapore but could not even get an operators licence, let alone a permit to begin a bus service from Singapore to Senai in Johor.

This reflects the kind of relationship that exists between Malaysia and Singapore when it comes to air linkages. The hostility that exists in the aviation industry stems from an old rivalry although the national carriers of Malaysia and Singapore share the same roots.

The history of air linkages between both countries dates back to Oct 12, 1937, when a joint initiative between the Ocean Steamship Co of Liverpool, the Straits Steamship Co of Singapore and Imperial Airways started what was then known as Malayan Airways Ltd.

The airline operated domestic air services beginning with Penang and Singapore and later extended to the Kuala Lumpur and Singapore routes.

The separation of Singapore from the Federation of Malaysia in 1965 led to a name change in the airline to Malaysia Singapore Airlines (MSA).

However, seven years later, the owners parted ways. Singapore started off on a more advantageous footing by taking over MSA's international routes and the long-haul fleet. It renamed itself Singapore Airlines (SIA) while Malaysia, which created Malaysian Airline System (MAS), got the fleet of B737 and Fokker Friendship aircraft, plus the domestic routes.

SIA sold itself on its Singapore Girl while MAS countered with its own golden girls.

And in the 1990s, MAS changed its name to Malaysia Airlines. Both airlines managed to carve a niche for themselves and received numerous accolades over the ensuing years, but the business rivalry remained.

And if in the early days Malaysia did not give SIA additional landing rights, [B]Singapore is now jealously guarding its aviation industry and airspace in denying entry to AirAsia before its own LCCs take to the skies.[B/] This is understandably so since AirAsia is leading the pack in the region's low-cost sector and has the first mover advantage, having commenced services to Bangkok, Macau and Jakarta, among others, and thus posing a challenge to the three other LCCs in Singapore.

The three are Tiger Airways (49%-owned by SIA), Jetstar Asia (a Qantas/Temasek Holdings Pte Ltd tie-up), and ValuAir, although only the latter has obtained an air operator's licence so far.

All this has prompted AirAsia chief executive officer Tony Fernandes to say: We could be at the bottom of the list, in reference to his application for an air operator's licence with Singapore's Transport Ministry.

Lets say we are not the pin-up boys at the ministry, he added.

But Asean is moving towards an open skies policy, which means the lifting of restrictions on the number of flights airlines can operate between Asean capital cities by 2008.

In February, Singapore's Senior Minister Lee Kuan Yew said: Governments in Asia are beginning to liberalise their air transport regimes. They have seen the potential spin-offs in trade, tourism and investment flows.

Open skies are the way forward so cosy arrangements would be of no use under such a regime. This policy could perhaps ease the hostility after all, an industry observer said.

Transmile to use stake sale proceeds to buy 3 freighters
By DALILA ABU BAKAR


TRANSMILE Group Bhd plans to use the RM98 million from the disposal of its 15.7 million shares in Pos Malaysia Bhd (PMB) to part-finance its purchase of three freighters, estimated at US$80 million (US$1 = RM3.80).

Executive director Khiudin Mohd said the three aircraft will be delivered on a staggered basis next year.

“The first aircraft is expected to be delivered beginning the end of the first quarter of next year,” he told Business Times.

He said Transmile has completed negotiations for the purchase of the three aircraft but declined to name the company that will sell them.

“It is either from Europe or the US,” he said.

The air transport and logistics management company is disposing of the shares in PMB to the latter’s parent company, Pos Malaysia & Services Holdings Bhd.

On Tuesday, Pos Malaysia & Services told Bursa Malaysia Bhd that it will swap its 30 per cent stake in Transmile Air Services Sdn Bhd for a 12.4 per cent stake, or 24.8 million shares, in the latter’s controlling company, Transmile.

Pos Malaysia & Services will also subscribe for 15.7 million shares in Transmile at RM6.25 apiece for a total of RM98 million cash.

With its acquisition, Pos Malaysia & Services will hold a total of 40.5 million shares, representing a 20.3 per cent stake in Transmile.

Transmile now owns 70 per cent stake in Transmile Air.

Khiudin said the acquisition by Pos Malaysia & Services is synergetic for both parties as Transmile Air Services has been providing the air platform for Pos Laju mails and parcels.

An analyst said with the proposal, Transmile’s share capital is expected to increase to 199.2 million from 158.7 million as of its financial year ended December 31 2003.

With the cutting of the minority interest for the group’s 70 per cent holding in Transmile Air Services, the analyst expects an increase in Transmile’s net profit for its current financial year.

Transmile posted a net profit of RM38.107 million for its financial year 2003 compared with RM21.869 million in the previous year.

Another analyst said the move by Pos Malaysia & Services to swap its shares in non-listed Transmile Air Services for those in Transmile will benefit the company, which wants to own listed shares as they are more marketable.

Indian Airlines Introduces Special Fares To KL

NEW DELHI, Aug 20 (Bernama) -- Indian Airlines, India's domestic carrier, which also operates to some neighbouring countries, has announced special fares to Kuala Lumpur from various points in South India.

A return ticket would cost Rs.17,850 (about US$400 or RM1,520). The fair would be available for travel to Kuala Lumpur from Chennai (capital of Tamil Nadu), Coimbatore, Tiruchirapalli, Madurai, Thiruvananthapuram (capital of Kerala), Kochi, Kozhikode, Hyderabad (capital of Andhra Pradesh) and Visakhapatnam and Bangalore (Capital of Karnataka).

The special fare is valid till March 31, 2005, said a report in the business daily, the Financial Express, quoting an Indian Airlines press release.

-- BERNAMA

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Airlines say there won't be a dogfight

BY DANNY YAP
MEMBER airlines, including Malaysia Airlines (MAS), are not expecting a dogfight among themselves, despite the abolishment of the Market Development Programme (MDP).

MDP chairman Datuk Rashid Khan said the decision to abolish the programme was taken in view of the rapid developments within the aviation industry.

All 29 member airlines voted to abolish the programme, he told a press conference in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.

He said recent media reports had suggested that the MDP's abolishment would lead to a price war among airlines and affect their profits.

Rashid, who is also MAS senior general manager (sales and distribution), said the meeting with reporters was to allay fears that the abolishment of the MDP would cause problems to the industry and its players.

Most airlines feel the abolishment of the MDP is a good thing for the industry and that they are ready to take on the challenge, he said, adding that the removal of the MDP was a natural progression in the maturing industry.

On the impact on airfares, Rashid said the removal of the MDP would not necessarily signal cheaper airfares for domestic or foreign destinations.

Although airlines can now offer prices which they feel are reasonable, ultimately the price will be dictated by market forces, he said.

MAS, in taking advantage of the abolishment of the MDP, had on Tuesday started to offer cheaper fares below the MDP recommended prices on its website for overseas destinations.

Swiss International Air Lines Ltd general manager Liew Fai Ming said the airline welcomed the move to deregulate the industry.

?We believe the move will allow greater flexibility for airlines to operate and be more creative in their travel offers,? he said.

Lufthansa German Airlines general manager (Malaysia) Christopher Chang said airlines would need to compete efficiently under the ?open skies? policies that were increasingly being adopted by many countries.

Travellers will have more options, he said.

MDP was introduced on April 1, 1983, to stabilise the market practices of participating airlines and agents with the objective of promoting the healthy growth of the air travel industry.

Rashid said the dismantling of the pricing mechanism started on Aug 16, whilst the total abolition of the programme would take effect from Nov 1.

He said the grace period was to allow industry players time to prepare for open competition.

LA bound
By Yap Lih Huey


Transmile Group Bhd expects to obtain approval from the US authorities including the Federation Aviation Administration (FAA) by year-end to fly to Los Angeles (LA), which will help the company to tap the US$30 billion (RM114 billion) a year US overnight courier market by early 2005.

The landing rights in LA is the missing link to the group’s strategy to enhance services to its customers in the trans-Pacific route and to improve the group’s financial performance as new markets are being opened. “The company is hoping before year-end to get the approval. It is still in the process of submission as the US authorities impose stringent guidelines. The company is staying positive,” a source close to the company tells FinancialDaily.

He says: “This is a crucial step for Transmile because if it can get the approval to land in LA, technically, the company can go to any city in the US given its open skies concept there.”

In March, Transmile was awarded the fifth freedom rights offered by Hong Kong to Malaysia thus opening up the opportunity for Transmile to penetrate the US skies.

The air services agreement allows Transmile to fly out of Kuala Lumpur to pick up cargo in Hong Kong en route to LA. Transmile provides air express services through its fleet of dedicated air freighters.

The LA landing rights will fit into Transmile clientele strategy such as DHL Worldwide Express, which has expressed optimism on increased intra-Asia and trans-Pacific shipments with the recent opening of its US$100 million dedicated Central Asia Hub at Hong Kong International Airport.

Transmile group’s customers also include United Parcel Service and Nationwide Courier.

Coupled with Transmile’s landing rights in five Chinese cities including Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen, it will give the group better exposure to use its existing fleet on more day trips within Chinese cities and tran-Pacific routes. “Transmile may do Shanghai-Hong Kong-LA. For now, getting the rights to land in LA is important. Transmile will only consider flying to other US cities if its customers want it to,” the source says. Transmile provides air cargo transport including aircraft charter and leasing.

He says Transmile also expects to conclude a purchase agreement with Boeing on three MD-11 aircraft by year-end. “It is still negotiating on the price and to get a party to fly these planes,” he says, adding that the charter contract is anticipated to commence in the first quarter of 2005.

The source says the first aircraft delivery is expected in February next year. Each MD-11 costs between US$50 million and US$60 million. Transmile will use RM98 million, raised from the disposal of its 15.7 million shares in Pos Malaysia Bhd to part-finance the aircraft. It has other financing facilities that includes bank borrowings and its RM150 million commercial paper/medium-term notes programme (2003/2010), whereby the group has used RM70 million.

The source says Pos Malaysia and Services Holdings Bhd has proposed to appoint two representatives onto the Transmile board under the share swap and acquisition exercise. Pos Malaysia proposed to buy 40.5 million shares or 20.3% of Transmile in two tranches for RM253 million or RM6.25 each in shares and cash. The first tranche of 24.8 million shares will see Pos Malaysia transfering 30 million shares it owns in Transmile Air Services Sdn Bhd to Transmile. The second tranche of 15.7 million shares will be paid in cash.

Transmile developing overnight express as niche mkt
By Jimmy Yeow


Transmile Group Bhd is developing the Asia Pacific overnight cargo express service into a niche market under its expansion drive, its chief executive officer Gan Boon Aun says.

He said the US and Europe had operators such as UPS (United Parcel Services), Fedex and DHL in this market segment but there were none from Asia.

“It’s a trillion dollar market. We are talking of a big industry covering countries such as India and China and beyond,” he told reporters after the company’s EGM in Kuala Lumpur on Nov 25.

Gan said Transmile was in the midst of putting the final pieces of its expansion plan by having the right shareholders, aircraft fleet, landing rights and people.

He said the company, which has secured a fifth freedom landing right to Los Angeles via Hong Kong in March, was waiting permission from the US Federal Aviation Authority to mount the daily services.

“We have submitted our request sometime ago but the FAA has tightened its regulations on new airline operators since the Sept 11 attacks,” he was commenting on a query as to when Transmile will start the Trans-Pacific services.

Gan also said the company was acquiring more aircraft including the MD-11 freighters. “The numbers are sizeable and we have enough financial capability to finance the expansion,” he said.

Sources close to the company said the company had also ordered three MD-11 freighters costing US$40 million (RM152 million) and US$50 million (RM190 million) in preparation for the services to Los Angeles.

These freighters, with a 90-tonne payload, are expected to be delivered in February, June and December 2005 respectively.

Another 727 freighter costing US$7-US$8 million would be delivered by the first quarter 2005. Transmile has a fleet of eight B727s, five B737s freighters and two Cessna aircraft.

On the high cost of aviation fuel, Gan said it had not impacted the company’s bottomline as it was a norm for aircargo operators to impose a fuel surcharge when the jet fuel rose to a certain level. Jet fuel accounts for 30% of its operating cost.

He said Transmile did not hedge much of its fuel requirements due to the volatile prices. Furthermore, the company would only look at its fuel strategy once its expansion plans are in place.

On the possibility of a re-peg of the ringgit against the US dollar, Gan did not rule out the possibility of multi-currencies revenue to soften the impact. The company is currently studying the matter.

On its tax exemption status request, he said the company was waiting approval from the government. Shipping companies currently enjoy the tax-exemption on earnings derived from their shipping operations.

“I believe that the government should look into it seriously as it is a strong and growing industry and the government (through Pos Malaysia & Services Holding Bhd) also owns a major share in our company,” he said.

I heard that a new malaysian airlines called Asmara Airlines will be launched next year. Anobody knew about this.

^^^ Hmmm interesting :sly:....haven't heard of this :?

^^^ Hmmm interesting :sly:....haven't heard of this :?


Well my friend said that it was on The Star last week.

This what I got........


December 04, 2004 21:44 PM

Minister Denies Existence Of Third Airline


SEREMBAN, Dec 4 (Bernama) -- Transport Minister Datuk Seri Chan Kong Choy Saturday denied any knowledge of the existence of a third airline, Asmara Airlines, in the country as reported in the media.

"I am surprised. I know nothing about it," he told reporters when asked to comment on the report of the purported low cost carrier (LCC).

A newspaper report said Asmara Airlines was given the go-ahead by the ministry to operate as a LCC and that it was recruiting staff and buying aircraft.

It said Asmara Airlines would begin operation in the domestic sector and it had already started counter operation at Terminal 3 of the Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport in Subang.

Asmara Airlines, said to be backed by a young corporate figure from Perak, is expected to fly international routes in the future.

Chan had earlier performed the ground-breaking for the construction of an indoor basketball court at Taman Desa Temiang here.

He said the two existing airlines, MAS and AirAsia, were enough to meet the demands for domestic and international air travel.

-- BERNAMA

Riau Airlines Actively Promoting Direct Flights To Penang


PENANG, Feb 16 (Bernama) -- Indonesian Airline company Riau Airlines would be actively promoting its direct flight services to Penang-Riau in its efforts to penetrate new markets in the northern states of Peninsular Malaysia.

The managing director of Riau Airlines, Heru Nurhayadi, said that among measures taken to promote the flight services was the offer of 50 percent discount on the airfares. This would come to RM114 for a one-way ticket.

"The offer of half priced airfares is limited and the promotional price would be on for the next four months," he told reporters here Wednesday.

He said the twice weekly flights on the Riau-Pulau Pinang route was launched in December last year but the passenger take up rate stood at only 20 percent.

The company uses a Fokker 50 aircraft with a passenger capacity of 50 people and its usual air fare was RM228 for one way flight to the Pekan Baru Airport in Riau, Indonesia with a flying time of one hour and 30 minutes.

Heru said that reservations for the discounted airfares could be made via the short messaging service through (SMS) typing RAL SMS and sending it to 62-811766333.

The airfare is relatively lower for those wishing to go to Riau because prior to this, people would have to fly to Medan before going to Riau and this simply meant more expenses and time wastage, he said.

Riau Airlines is a company owned by the Riau Regional Government and its services gained entry into the local market two years ago with the introduction of its four-times-a-week direct flight service between Riau and Melaka.

Early last year, the company introduced its flights to Kuala Lumpur and Johor.

After Penang, the company also expects to offer an Ipoh-Riau direct flight service.

It is currently studying the demand trends and market, Heru said.

Riau Airlines is also aiming to offer a direct flight service to Phuket.

Heru said todate, the company had invested RM15.2 million to expand its operations in the region.

-- BERNAMA

New KLIA terminal for budget airlines



By MERGAWATI ZULFAKAR



PUTRAJAYA: The Government has shot down AirAsia’s proposal to operate from Subang and instead decided to build a new terminal at the KL International Airport in Sepang for low-cost carriers (LCCs).

Transport Minister Datuk Seri Chan Kong Choy said the RM100mil terminal would be operational by the middle of next year and provide basic facilities for LCCs to operate.

“The decision is made as a strategic move to ensure the aviation industry in Malaysia continues to grow, and suits the country’s objective to develop KLIA as a regional aviation hub in the long term.

“The decision was made after the Government had considered the feedback by all stakeholders in the aviation industry, including the Department of Civil Aviation, Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd, Penerbangan Malaysia Bhd, Malaysia Airlines, AirAsia and Board of Airlines Representatives,” he told reporters here yesterday.

Chan said the cost of the terminal was low because it would be different from ordinary terminals that catered to full-fare airlines.

“There will be simpler conveyor belts and no aerobridges, but it will be a comfortable terminal.

“We will fast-track the construction of the terminal, which will enable LCCs to have a fast turnaround time of 20 minutes. It can cater to 40 planes and 10 to 12 million passengers. It can also be expanded easily in the future,” he added.

Chan declined to identify the exact location of the terminal but gave the assurance that it would be linked to the main terminal by shuttle buses and other means of transportation.

He also said the terminal would enable all LCCs to achieve cost efficiency.

Asked why the Government decided to build the new terminal, Chan said KLIA had superb infrastructure in place, adding that if a new terminal was built in Subang, it would cost up to RM300mil.

“We also have some other plans for Subang,” he said.

“When we design the new terminal, we will get AirAsia to give input because it will be a major user,” he added.

Chan acknowledged the important role played by AirAsia in the growth of LCC operations and its contribution towards tourism.

“The Government will continue to support AirAsia to be the main LCC in the region, and at the same time the Government will continue to take strategic actions to enable MAS to be a successful global carrier,” he added.

Meanwhile, AirAsia chief executive officer Tony Fernandes said the budget airline would focus its energy on making the new terminal the centre for low-cost travel in Asia.

AirAsia targets KLIA's low-cost terminal as rival to S'pore



Despite losing the Subang bid, it will still work on the new terminal



By VEN SREENIVASAN

HAVING lost its bid to clinch Subang, AirAsia wants to make the proposed low-cost terminal in Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) into an efficient centre for low-cost travel to rival Singapore.

The Malaysian budget carrier said this in response to Malaysian Transport Minister Chan Kong Choy's remarks yesterday that the government would build a US$26 million terminal exclusively for low-cost airlines at the modern airport at Sepang.

The move was a big blow to AirAsia, which had lobbied hard for Subang to be reopened as a low-cost airport.

AirAsia's chief executive Tony Fernandes had insisted that his airline would enjoy cost savings of 30 per cent if it operates out of Subang.

But in a statement yesterday, Mr Fernandes said that despite losing the battle to get Subang, his budget carrier would work closely with Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad (MAHB) to develop the country's first dedicated low-cost terminal.

'We are pleased that Malaysia Airports have delivered a blue print of KLIA that will almost mimic Subang in KLIA, even down to the low-cost transport to the terminal. Although AirAsia did not get Subang, our staff should be proud of the recognition received, as the creation of a new terminal would primarily benefit AirAsia.'

Subang airport, which is barely 15 km from Kuala Lumpur's city centre, was Malaysia's main airport until 1998 when it was replaced as the country's leading international airport by KLIA, which is about 70 km from the city.

Mr Fernandes said Subang would now be a maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) centre for AirAsia.

'AirAsia, who works closely with GE Engine Services Malaysia to maintain our aircraft engines, hopes to be able to contribute further to the development of the MRO to secure Malaysia as the leader in MRO and focus on strengthening its growth to rival Singapore.'

The KLIA low cost terminal is expected to be ready by the first half of 2006, shortly after Singapore's S$45 million low-cost terminal at Changi is ready during the first quarter of next year. So will it pose a serious threat to Singapore? Not really, said Shukor Yusof, aviation analyst at Standard & Poor's MarketScope. 'To be a serious threat, the parent airport has to be a serious contender in international aviation,' he said. 'KLIA still has some way to go before it can catch up with either Singapore or Bangkok.'

KLIA handled 20 million passengers last year - comprising a significant portion of domestic traffic - compared to more than 30 million international travellers handled at Changi.

But Malaysia's Transport Minister Mr Chan said that the decision to maintain KLIA for both legacy and low-cost carriers would enable Malaysia to counter competition from its two immediate neighbours.

'This is a strategic measure to ensure that the Malaysian aviation industry continues to achieve rapid growth and the government's decision to develop as a regional hub is achieved,' he said.

But Mr Fernandes disagrees. 'We firmly believe that Subang is the right choice to maintain Malaysia's huge lead in the LCC market over Singapore.'

Copyright © 2004 Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. All rights reserved.

Boom for Asian budget travel



BY B.K. SIDHU


MANY people in Singapore remembered AirAsia because it was the first low cost carrier (LCC) to give them a taste of low airfares.

Even taxi drivers knew more of the Malaysian-based AirAsia Bhd than some of their own low fare to mid frills carriers. That shows the power of the AirAsia brand overseas.

But AirAsia had tried in vain to get into Singapore, be it via Johor Baru or even Indonesia.

On the reverse, Singapore's airlines seem to be gaining ground in Malaysia.

The sudden signing of a code share agreement last week between Singapore’s SilkAir, Singapore Airlines (SIA) and Malaysia’s national carrier Malaysia Airlines (MAS) for some Malaysian routes, including east Malaysia, came as a surprise to many.

They could not comprehend how a Singapore carrier was suddenly given the rights to fly into what is perceived as a lucrative East Malaysian air travel sector.

The question being asked is whether the signing alluded to Malaysia allowing more Singaporean players into its air travel industry?






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If so, three more Singapore budget carriers are eager to come on board too.

“We will be there in a flash if the Government allows it.

“Penang and East Malaysian destinations such as Kuching and Kota Kinabalu are all attractive points to fly into if there are no encumbrances and available traffic rights,” Valuair chief executive officer Sim Kay Wee told StarBiz in Singapore.

Qantas-backed, Jetstar Asia Airways Pte Ltd chief operating officer Con Korfiatis sees enormous potential in the Malaysia market and is keen to enter it.

SIA-backed Tiger Airways is keen on the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore (KL-Sin) sector that is now exclusive to MAS and SIA.

“The KL-Singapore route will be the obvious choice. There is significant volume of traffic through surface transportation such as buses and trains. The introduction of low fares on the KL-SIN route will make it very competitive,’’ Tiger Airways chief executive officer Tony Davis said.

Fuming at these recent developments is incumbent no-frills airline, AirAsia, as it is currently “locked out’’ of Singapore.

AirAsia is against the idea of letting in anymore Singaporean players into Malaysia’s air travel industry.

“If AirAsia is not given rights to fly into Singapore from Jakarta, why should Malaysia allow the Singaporean carriers here?” AirAsia executive director Kamaruddin Meranun questioned.

By giving rights to SilkAir, we are seen to be promoting and enhancing Changi Airport’s connectivity and (helping it become a regional hub).

Should we not be promoting our own KL International Airport (KLIA) as a regional hub? Why such a move and at whose expense?’’ he asked.

Despite AirAsia’s grouses, strong growth is expected this year in the LCC industry and this comes as countries in Asia continue to liberalise their markets.

“This is an exciting time for LCCs in Asia. The doors to new markets have opened and the LCCs have flown in. Those that can identify and secure their market niche, manage costs by concentrating on their core capabilities and adopt an effective distribution network will have a terrific year,’’ Abacus president and CEO Don Birch was reported to have said recently.

Asean countries are expected to adopt an open skies policy between capital cities by 2008, and open skies within Asean by 2011.

The Malaysian government seems to be going full steam ahead to develop a vibrant budget air travel services industry.

This is seen with the entry of SilkAir and the Government's decision last week to spent RM100mil to build a dedicated low cost carrier (LCC) terminal at KLIA instead of Subang.

If the entry of SilkAir and the plan to build a LCC terminal is any indication of its seriousness to liberalise the air services sector, one route that should soon be open to competition is the KL-Singapore sector, said an industry expert.

To Davis of Tiger Airways, the opening of the sector means “competition driving prices down.

Now, travellers pay RM222 one-way for a shuttle ticket. Imagine having to pay only RM9.90 if budget airlines can ply that route. Competition is not necessarily a bad thing. Incumbent players will feel the heat when the markets are forced opened with globalisation. It is a question of how soon they can get used to the idea.

The faster they strengthen themselves the more agile they would be in a competitive environment.

Experts believe there is plenty of room for growth if airfares are kept at reasonable prices. As Sim of Valuair put it: “It is a growing pie and there is room for everyone to grow. It is a matter of seizing the opportunities.’’

Tiger courts partners outside Singapore




BY B.K SIDHU



TIGER Airways' idea of growth is to work with partners to establish operations outside Singapore. It aspires to be the Pan-Asian low cost carrier.

The process to find partners is on going and thus far, the upstart airline has obtained rights to set up a base in Hanoi.

Tiger Airways has to look at establishing bases in other cities and operate in those markets given that there is no domestic market in Singapore like that of Malaysia.

Lack of an open skies policy in several countries in Asia makes it difficult for the airline to ply any route that it wants. The low fare market has a lot of potential in Asia but it would take some time before it develops the same way in Europe.

Despite that, Tiger Airways chief executive officer Tony Davis believes there are plenty of opportunities and it was a matter of being “creative’’ and differentiating the product from the rest of the pack.







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Tony Davis







To him, if Malaysia's AirAsia could be creative in its approach to penetrate new markets, as in the case of its operations in Thailand, other low fare airlines should be able to do so.

All the aspirations to get partners means the airline was working overtime to find partners. That Davis does not deny.

But he would not say whom and in which countries partners were being courted. It was reported that Tiger Airways had approached a party in Malaysia for a partnership, but Davis did not want to comment.

“We began operations over three months ago and we are open to ideas,’’ Davis said.

The company has Europe’s biggest no frills airline, Ryannair as one of its partners, besides Singapore Airlines and the Singapore government investment arm, Temasek Holdings.

Growing the business is his priority but he believes in taking a pragmatic approach. And for him it is about offering very reasonable priced products as that will drive growth.

“Low cost carriers (LCCs) are good at developing new markets and go places which full fledged carriers would not go,’’ Davis said told StarBiz in Singapore.

“The best routes are the shorter routes where a low fare airline can get more flights within a day. This criteria best suits the Malaysian and Indonesian markets from Singapore (in terms of distance),” he said.

“We have made it clear that Malaysia and Indonesia will be markets we would be interested in. We would like to fly from Singapore to destinations in Malaysia.

“We welcome and are happy to compete with any incumbent carrier there,’’ he said adding that east Malaysia presented a lot of opportunities for the carrier.

In the case of Indonesia, and with the absence of an open skies policy, Tiger Airways has to find ways to enter that market.

Going into new areas to build markets is a strategy and that is why the airline managed to get rights into Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. Tiger Airways is the first low fare airline to get rights to fly into Vietnam and has opened an office in Hanoi, which signals the start of its second phase of expansion into South East Asian destinations.

The airline wants to fly into other parts of Indochina, which are not served well from Singapore and several destinations in the Philippines.

“We do not discount Tiger Airways flying to Macau in the future but China is at the edge of our aspirations. Geographically, it is challenging as the country is big,’’ he said.

The airline has several aircraft which are leased. It has arrangements with three leasing companies currently and would announce more leases soon.

“We talk to a number and do not exclude anyone,’’ he said, when asked if Penerbangan Malaysia Bhd – Malaysia’s only commercial aircraft leasing company - was one of its future aircraft leasors.

In December last year, Tiger Airways’ recorded load factor of 76%. It would see a slight dip due to the Dec 26 tsunami effect in January.

“On a sustainable basis we are aiming (load factors) to be in excess of 80%,’’ Davis said.

Low fares the best way to woo travellers: Jetstar Asia





By B.K. Sidhu




THE ability to provide airfares that can stimulate the market is what will differentiate Jetstar Asia Airways Pte Ltd from the rest of the pack. It would do that relentlessly, said its chief operating offer Con Korfiatis.

“We believe in market stimulation rather than stealing from full fledged carriers and still make money. All this is about creating new markets with low cost fares. The branding culture comes after that,’’ he told StarBiz in Singapore.

Of course, the challenges are aplenty while skies are liberalised. But it was a question of remaining cost effective and how quickly you can move to seize opportunities, he said.

To Korfiatis, the success factor for a low fare airline was to have the most competitive cost base. If an airline is into the no-frills business it cannot offer frills or it would be at its own cost.

The idea is to provide basic services and try to sell as many seats in the aircraft, maximize efficiencies, sell directly to the customer, ensure aircraft turnaround time is within the specified time, provide food that generate money, and ensure the employees work hard for the success of the airline.

Korfiatis has worked in Asia the past decade. He is well versed with the Asian culture and ways. He was with Singapore Airlines for several years and was also country manager for Indonesia. He has 15 years of experience in the aviation industry.







http://biz.thestar.com.my/archives/2005/2/28/business/b_05korfiatis.jpg

Con Korfiatis









Today, he is managing the Qantas backed airline that has set sights on several routes.

“The network is very young and with more aircraft we can expand to more routes. We are flying to Hong Kong, Taipei and Pattaya but have rights to Jakarta and Surabaya, where we have yet to begin flights there,’’ Korfiatis said.

The airline has obtained rights from Singapore to fly to Shanghai and another city in China that it has yet to identify; also to Manila and Hanoi in Vietnam. The company has rights into India and Kolkata is where it wants to fly to in the first half of this year.

Australia is the obvious choice given the backing from Qantas. Initial points include Perth and Darwin.

Malaysia remains a destination it wants to explore for it feels there is a big market with a lot of people.

“We see enormous potential not just for the KL-Singapore sector but also resort locations such as Langkawi, Penang and Kuching,’’ Korfiatis said.

Load factors for flights to Hong Kong and Taipei are pretty good but that to Pattaya after the Tsunami is lacking.

“Over time, we would grow the network but we also want to build on increasing frequencies,’’ he said.

The airlines has four aircraft and would be getting four more this year.

Expansion of its fleet would depend on how fast the Asian market opens up. The airline is only interested in short haul routes.

Low-cost terminals at KLIA and Changi to boost travel





By B.K. Sidhu




THE low-cost carriers terminals to be built in KL International Airport and Singapore's Changi Airport will be ready next year to facilitate the growth of budget travelling in the region.

Malaysia has decided to locate its dedicated terminal at the KL International Airport instead of the much-lobbied Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport in Subang. It is a big blow to AirAsia which had preferred the terminal at Subang, but the budget airline now “wants to focus its energies on making the new terminal the centre for low-cost travel in Asia.’’

The terminal will be KLIA's second, while for Singapore, it would be its fourth. Both countries will spend about RM100mil each on the terminals. Malaysia’s terminal will be able to handle 40 aircraft with quick aircraft turnaround of 20 minutes. It will be able to handle 10 million to 12 million passengers a year.

Changi will have a single storey building, able to cater to 2.7 million passengers a year. Tiger Airways has agreed to operate from the terminal. The low cost carrier (LCC) terminals are essential to the operational feasibility of budget airlines. That is why the governments are investing to help grow the budget travel markets. Cost is a major factor in budget travel and that is why the terminals are to be built by the governments to help carriers sustain cost effective operations. But there are other factors, one of which is punctuality as flight delays do not only incur LCCs additional expenses but also create problems for passengers on connecting flights.

“The turnaround times should be kept or otherwise it would knock into the next flight. So the pressure is really to keep flights on time. Thus far we have only cancelled two flights since we started operations. Economics of scale is vital in order to get the seat cost as low as possible,’’ he said.

To Jetstar Asia Airways chief operating officer Con Korfiatis, “reliability, on-time performance, safety, keeping cost low are core components to which the airline places high emphasis on.’’ Prices of seats differ and not all are at one price.






http://biz.thestar.com.my/archives/2005/2/28/business/b_04kamarudin.jpg

AirAsia's executive director Kamaruddin Meranum









Many budget airlines also like to claim that they have landing rights to all sorts of destinations. Getting the rights to fly from the home country is only one part of the equation. The difficult part is getting the foreign country to approve the landing rights.

AirAsia’s Indonesian venture, PT Awair is in a limbo over its plans to fly from Jakarta to Singapore. Although PT Awair has submitted all documentation, the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) has yet to approve the right to land in Singapore.

AirAsia executive director Kamaruddin Meranun was reported to have said: “AWAIR will seek compensation from the Singapore government for blocking the Indonesia-based airline's flights to the city-state from Jakarta.’’

In an e-mail response to a query from StarBiz, CAAS said: “We have only been advised by Awair that the airline is still keen to operate to Singapore, even though Awair has publicly announced its decision to temporarily drop its plans for the Singapore-Jakarta route. We have not received any other notification from Awair. We have said before that in the interest of the travelling public, we have to ensure Awair has met all regulatory requirements before approval is granted. Since Awair submitted the documents to us, CAAS and Awair have been in constant contact. We have also said to them that we will inform them as soon as approval is granted.’’

Low cost carriers may impact long-haul destinations


BY JONATHAN CHEW

THE explosive growth of low-cost carriers (LCCs) in the Asian region recently could potentially impact long-haul destinations in the future, said the Pacific Asia Travel Association.

Its regional director (Pacific) Chris Flynn said the drop in cost to travel to regional tourist spots, along with the shift in marketing campaigns offering more diverse choices, was moulding the mindset of the “new traveller”.

“The implication of the LCC is that there is a new level of tourism, which is fuelled and driven by low-cost models. In future, it is possible that long-haul destinations will not grow at the same rate as regional destinations,” he said at the sidelines of the 3rd annual New Routes Asia forum yesterday.

Pata, a Bangkok-based organisation founded in 1951, is a membership association acting as a catalyst and advocate to nearly 100 government, state and city tourism bodies for developing the Asia-Pacific travel and tourism industry.

Flynn said in recent studies conducted by the association's Strategic Intelligence Centre, the Asia-Pacific region had registered a 29% growth in tourist arrivals from 2003 to 2004, which was comparatively higher than the Middle East, Americas or Europe.

Within Asia, inter-regional inbound visitor arrivals in South-East Asia had increased by 43.4% over the two years, indicating that travellers were taking advantage of the access offered by LCCs to regional destinations.

“The LCCs are also enabling trade investments to grow by allowing businessmen to travel regionally at a low-cost,” he said, adding that the number of Asian LCCs had almost tripled over the last two years.

Seven more airlines to fly into KLIA


BY B.K. SIDHU


MALAYSIA Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) expects five to seven more airlines to fly into KL International Airport (KLIA) this year, said managing director Datuk Bashir Ahmad.

This figure includes Shenzhen Airlines, which made its maiden international flight to KLIA in January.

Two Indian carriers – Air Sahara and Jet Airways – have told MAHB they would begin flights from Chennai to KLIA by the end of April.

Jet Airways is believed to be planning a daily direct flight from Chennai to KLIA while Air Sahara may fly the Chennai-New Dehli-KLIA-Changi route.

“We are expecting a few more airlines this year,” Bashir told reporters at the New Route Asia 2005 forum in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.

Currently 46 airlines, both passenger and cargo, operate from KLIA.

MAHB, in its quest to get more airlines to fly into KLIA, continues to talk with many airlines in the region and globally.

It is believed that Shandong Airlines has shown keen interest and is looking for a window to fly into KLIA this year.

Similarly, Hainan Airlines, which began charter flights last year, is looking for scheduled flights this year.

MAHB is also said to have had exploratory talks with Shanghai Airlines and several other airlines, including some regional budget airlines.

Last week, Singapore’s three budget airlines – Tiger Airways, Jetstar Asia and Valuair – said they were keen to fly into Malaysia if they were given air rights.

With the low cost carrier terminal hub expected to be operational at KLIA some time this year, more budget airlines are likely to be given the green light to fly in.

Second satellite terminal at KLIA


BY B.K. SIDHU


A SECOND satellite terminal building is to go up at the KL International Airport (KLIA), and be operational by 2008, to cater to the growing traffic in air travel.

KLIA operator Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) managing director Datuk Bashir Ahmad said work would start soon, or by next year. Given its experience in building the main terminal, MAHB is confident that it could put up the terminal in two-and-a-half to three years.

The second satellite building is in addition to the previously announced RM100mil hub at KLIA for low-cost carriers (LCC) to meet the growing budget air travel business in the region.

Bashir, speaking to reporters after the opening of the third New Route Asia 2005 forum in Kuala Lumpur yesterday, said the finer details had yet to be firmed up. But the second terminal is expected to cost about RM4bil.

“We are in talks with the Government on the funds for the building and on our financial restructuring. We want to get (the financial restructuring) right so as to make MAHB viable,” he said.

MAHB is in advanced talks with the Government to restructure the RM856mil that it owes in concession payments, which total RM1.3bil.






http://biz.thestar.com.my/archives/2005/3/8/business/p1-bashir.JPG

Datuk Bashir Ahmad







Going by original plans, the second terminal was to have been operational last year, but the 1997-98 Asian financial crisis, the Sept 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States, and the SARS outbreak that threw the global aviation industry into turmoil, put paid to such hopes.

However, air travel has since picked up, with the International Air Transport Association (IATA) forecasting average global growth in air travel of 6% up to 2008.

KLIA is nearing its capacity of 25 million passengers a year, thus the need for the new terminal.

Last year, KLIA handled 21.1 million passengers. This year it expects a 7% growth to 22.5 million. Next year, the forecast is 25 million. A total of 46 airlines, carrying both passenger and cargo, operate from KLIA currently.

Malaysia is not the only country planning additional facilities. Singapore is spending US$1.75bil to add a third terminal at Changi while Thailand is building a new airport in Bangkok, which is expected to open early next year.

To a question, Bashir said that there had been no request yet from other budget carriers (apart from AirAsia), or even Malaysia Airlines, to operate some flights from the LCC terminal.

“The LCC hub is for LCC airlines, and if traditional airlines want to use it they have to justify (the need to do so),’’ he said.

KLIA is also being upgraded to cater to the A380. There would be five gates at the main and second terminal building to cater to the super jumbo.

Asked about efforts to improve the baggage system at the main terminal, Bashir said: “We are trying to find a solution that will resolve all the baggage problems we have had. The Government is very serious about it.’’

Bashir also felt there was a need to upgrade the Kuala Terengganu and Kota Kinabalu airports. Upgrading works at Kuching airport are in progress.

The New Route Asia forum, which Malaysia is hosting for the third time, brought together 300 delegates representing the region's airlines and airports to discuss future market opportunities.

Transmile may buy another plane



Transmile Group Bhd may purchase another MD-11 Boeing aircraft with the proceeds of about RM140 million from a private placement of 15.21 million new shares at RM9.20 per share, a local research house said on April 7.

It said that since an MD-11 would cost RM190 million, the remaining amount for aircraft buy could be financed from new shares issued to Pos Malaysia & Services Holdings Bhd.

In December last year, Transmile raised RM98 million from the issue of 15.68 million new shares to Pos Malaysia at RM6.25 per share, of which RM40 million would be allocated to acquire aircraft, parts and equipment.

In February this year, Transmile also proposed to issue up to US$150 million (RM570 million) five-year guaranteed redeemable convertible bonds, which would be used to buy aircraft, parts and equipment.

“We are revising upwards our earnings for the financial years ending (FY) Dec 31, 2005 and 2006, to take into account contribution from an additional aircraft by the second half of FY05,” the research house said. It had earlier in its forecast considered three new aircraft to be deployed from FY05.

The research house revised Transmile’s net earnings to RM106.70 million for FY05 and RM122.90 million for FY06. The company had cash and bank balances of RM164 million at Dec 31, 2004.

It said that Transmile’s share capital would enlarge to 216.30 million from 201.10 million now.

“We thus expect Transmile’s FY05 and FY05 earnings per share to enhance by 1.9% and 3.7%, from the net impact of an additional aircraft, and dilution from the private placement,” it said

Eurocopter to increase investment in M'sia
19 May 2005 10:49 PM


http://www.theedgedaily.com/cms/storage/images/com.tms.cms.image.Image_f56b0bd8-cb73c03a-15cd9c00-cde79d2c/1/Eurocopter_inside.jpg
Eurocopter president and chief executive officer
Fabrice Bregier is in Malaysia on his first visit.


Eurocopter Malaysia Sdn Bhd, a unit of European Aeronautic Defence and Space Co (EADS), which is lobbying for the Malaysian government to acquire more of its civil and military helicopters, will increase its investment in Malaysia by RM15 million this year.

The investment will be for the building of a new 1,115 sq metre Eurocopter facility in Miri, Sarawak, and a new hangar, as well as for the training of local aviation students and the building of a network of partners with local businesses.

It will bring Eurocopter�s total investments in the country so far to RM25 million, said Eurocopter president and chief executive officer Fabrice Bregier, on his first three-day visit to Malaysia beginning May 18.

Bregier met Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak on May 19 to discuss how the company could be a strategic partner in the development of Malaysia�s aviation industry.

He is scheduled to make courtesy calls on heads of Malaysian ministries and various government agencies.

�We are keen on making the best possible offers on all civil and military products and services. The EC225 and Tigre are the frontrunners. We can be cheaper than our competitors,� he told a media briefing in Subang yesterday.

The Tigre is an air-to-air combat military helicopter, currently used by the French, Spanish and Australian governments, while EC225 is Eurocopter�s latest development in the 11-tonnes transport helicopter segment.

The EADS group includes the aircraft manufacturer Airbus, with whom national carrier Malaysian Airline System Bhd had put in an order for six A380-800 costing RM6.2 billion.

�The biggest contributor to our profits now is the civil helicopter segment but the military market is expected to grow next year as the (Malaysian) government is expected to increase security," Bregier said.

Eurocopter Malaysia has projected sales for this year to increase fourfold to RM240 million from RM60 million last year due to growing demand for its services and products in the oil and gas industry.

Its single largest revenue contributor is from Malaysian Helicopter Service, a local operator serving a multi-national oil and gas company. Eurocopter employs 82 workers in the country and has a market share of 37% representing 72 helicopters as of last year.

Microsoft Solutions For Budget Airlines In Asia-pacific
May 20, 2005 15:28 PM


KUALA LUMPUR, May 20 (Bernama) -- Microsoft Business Solutions (MBS) has gained increased customer momentum with five low-cost airlines in the Asia-Pacific -- Tiger Airways, NokAir, ValuAir, AirAsia and Jetstar Asia -- coming on board.

These airlines have deployed the solutions to increase profitability by keeping costs down and improving customer engagement processes, Microsoft said in a statement Friday.

It added that deployment of the solutions by the top five low-cost airlines in the region is testimony to the profit advantage and return on investment (ROI) that Microsoft drives, especially in an industry that operates on tight margins.

Tiger Airways, a well known low-fare carrier in the region, is one of the airlines that turned to MBS to boost business efficiency and visibility.

NokAir, another fast-growing budget airline in Thailand, was keen to adopt MBS to improve competitive advantage.

Working with SoftControl, a Microsoft Business Solutions partner, NokAir implemented MBS to integrate and run its operations, distribution, customer relationship management (CRM), frequent flyer membership programme and their multi-channel outlets.

Malaysia's AirAsia opted for a fully integrated enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution implemented by Avanade, a Microsoft Business Solutions partner.

"With this solution, AirAsia has been able to succesfully maintain process integrity, reduce our financial month-end closing processing times, as well as speed up reporting and data retrieval processes," said its regional director of information technology, Lau Kin Choy.

With the low-cost travel market heating up, time to market and responsiveness are two key factors that can differentiate players from their competition, Microsoft said.

It added that Jetstar Asia, together with Imperium Solutions, a Microsoft Business Solutions partner, rolled out solutions to achieve just that.

Microsoft said in the past six months, MBS has added hundreds of new customer wins in the small and mid-size segment in the Asia-Pacific and also launched 40 industry solutions with more than 340 partners in the region.

-- BERNAMA

Jet Airways targets 70,000 passengers for KL-Chennai route
May 20, 2005 15:28 PM
By Tamimi Omar


http://www.theedgedaily.com/cms/storage/images/com.tms.cms.image.Image_75e74390-cb73c03a-15cd9c00-e80fa2ce/1/Jet%20COO_inside.jpg


ndia’s largest domestic airliner Jet Airways (India) Ltd targets to carry 70,000 passengers for its Kuala Lumpur (KL)-Chennai route for the first year of its operations and an increase of between 5% and 10% for the second year, says its chief operating officer Peter Luethi.

Jet Airways last Thursday made its maiden flight to KL from Chennai and will be operating daily flights between the two cities.

Luethi said Jet Airways would be able to compete with Malaysian Airline System Bhd (MAS) for passengers as it had the advantage as India’s largest domestic airline.

MAS has 26 weekly flights to India, flying to New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad and recently Ahmedabad and Kolkata.

Luethi said Jet Airways expected a 75% to 80% load factor on its KL-Chennai route for the first year. He said a special inaugural economy class return fare of Indian rupee 10,740 (RM940) was being offered on the route.

On its financial performance, he said Jet Airways was confident it would be able to maintain its pre-tax growth for its financial year ending Dec 31, 2006 as it was aggressively increasing its international destinations and expanding its fleet to 55 aircraft from 44 in the next two years.

Also there are some sleazy factors that might explain why Thailand is so well known...
i hear u... i hear u.. even the 'people' here who are supposed 2b morally upright (i used 2think that way b4 coming here but boy was i like completely wrong...) like 2go to u know where... hmmm sleazy and cheap and iyeeeerrrrrr...

Business Times (Malaysia); 7/30/2002; Eirmalasare Bani

THE receiver for insolvent Pelangi Air Sdn Bhd has received three proposals to revive the domestic operator, sources said. The receiver, the Selangor Official Assignee office, is expected to meet with the airline's creditors soon. "We expect creditors to be called for the first meeting some time in September," said an official of one of the airline's shareholders. The receiver had met with Pelangi Air's shareholders last week to discuss the future including determining its current asset and liability as well as staff welfare. Pelangi Air was ordered to wind up by ...


the above article appeared in BT abt 3yrs back.. anyone follows on the progress? PA should be revived.. they could have become the other homegrown LCC.

380 Exhibitors Confirm Participation In LIMA `05
June 12, 2005 13:52 PM
From Jamaluddin Muhamad




PARIS, June 12 (Bernama) -- A total of 380 exhibitors have confirmed their participation in the aerospace segment of the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition (LIMA `05) from Dec 6 to 11 in Langkawi, Malaysia.

Le Proton LIMA Sdn Bhd's Project Co-ordinator Norsham Hussin said Sunday they comprise 60 per cent foreign companies and 40 per cent Malaysian companies.

Among the big aerospace players that have confirmed their attendance at the biennial event are Boeing, BAE Aerospace, European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company (EADS), Northtrop Grumman and Rolls-Royce, he told Malaysian journalists at the Malaysian pavilion at the Le Bourget Air Show, here.

Le Proton LIMA Sdn Bhd, the organiser of the aerospace segment of LIMA, hopes to use the Le Bourget Air Show, also known as the Paris Air Show, as a platform to attract more exhibitors to LIMA.

The company, he said, had received a strong indication from Airbus Military of Europe, Rosoboronexport and Irkutk, both of Russia, and Flir Systems of the United Kingdom of their intention to take part in LIMA.

Norsham said the four companies would sign a memorandum of understanding with Le Proton LIMA to participate in LIMA `05, at the Malaysian pavilion tomorrow which would be witnessed by Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

LIMA `05 is one of the most important regional aerospace and maritime shows in the Asia-Pacific region, he said. The event is attended by Asean and other Asia-Pacific political decision markers, top military commanders, corporate leaders and industry professionals.

Since its inception in 1991, LIMA has gone from strength to strength, with 150 companies in 1991 to more than 600 companies from 28 countries in the last exhibition held in 2003, he said.

The company hoped to attract more than 600 companies this time, he said.

He said invitations had also been sent to aerobatics teams such as Red Arrows (United Kingdom), Surya Kiran (India) and Gromov (Russia) to put up shows at LIMA.

Le Proton LIMA is also the organiser for the Malaysian pavilion at the seven-day Paris Air Show that begins tomorrow.

The pavilion houses seven Malaysian companies -- Airod Sdn Bhd, Sapura Defence Sdn Bhd, Zetro Aerospace Corporation Sdn Bhd, Composites Technology Research Malaysia (CTRM) Sdn Bhd, SME Aerospace Sdn Bhd, Satang Jaya Holdings Bhd and Le Proton LIMA Sdn Bhd.

Norsham said the pavilion would be showcasing Malaysia's technological capabilities in the aviation and aerospace industries.

-- BERNAMA

Najib Wants More French Tourists' Arrivals To M'sia


From Jamaluddin Muhammad

PARIS, June 13 (Bernama) -- Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has called for concerted efforts be made to increase French tourists' arrivals to Malaysia.

He said only 32,000 French tourists visited Malaysia compared to 300,000 to Thailand last year.

Malaysia had secured daily landing rights and French tourists and investors wanted a good connection to Malaysia such as daily flights, he said.

Records show Malaysia Airlines (MAS) only fly five times a week to Paris currently.

Speaking at a reception with the Malaysian community in France here last night, Najib said serious initiatives should be made to enhance Malaysia's image in France.

"I am not asking you to lie about Malaysia but every Malaysian in France must say the facts and good things about our country," he said.

Najib said the feedback he received from discussions with French investors showed they considered Malaysia as a preferred choice for investment.

Malaysia, on the other hand, had always considered France as a strategic and important partner, he said.

There were tremendous opportunities to enhance bilateral trade and investment between both countries, he said.

Najib, on a five-day working visit to France ending today, spoke about the economic, political and social developments in Malaysia at the reception.

Present were Najib's wife, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, Transport Minister Datuk Seri Chan Kong Choy and Malaysia's Ambassador to France Datuk Hamidah Mohd Yusoff.

On the proposal to introduce five-day work week for civil servants in Malaysia, Najib said Malaysia was watching closely such practice in developed countries.

He said the government was cautious that it did not want civil servants to turn the five-day week into four-and-a-half-day week.

Najib said the country's productivity must be kept with the same working hours for civil servants although they might enjoy the five-day week.

Najib said details of the proposal are expected to be announced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi when he tables the 2006

Budget in Parliament on Sept 30. Meanwhile, Chan told reporters MAS might introduce daily flights to Paris by June next year.

He said the national carrier could not operate the extra two flights due to shortage of aircraft although MAS was enjoying 75 per cent passenger load currently.

Leasing aircraft for MAS would be one of the possibilities to be considered in increasing flight frequency to Paris, he added.

-- BERNAMA

^^^ over the yrs, MAS has been fighting hard for additional landing rights to European cities (except for AMS). i wonder y the long lengthy process of granting the rights.. whereby if u c some of the other airlines (such as the one in mid-east), they are practically flying to europe endlessly. i mean passenger factor aside, i can't help but to think double-standard treatment given to our national carrier.

or is MAS simply too hot for them?

Government To Rationalise The Domestic Air Services
Updated : 20-06-2005
Media : Bernama



The Transport Ministry is currently working towards the rationalisation of the domestic air services which involve the route services of Malaysia Airlines and Air Asia.

Transport Minister, Datuk Seri Chan Kong Choy said the move would bring the two airlines closer together and at the same time create a conducive environment in the aviation industry for the benefit of the nation.

"It is an on going move. I can't tell you when it will be finalised," he told reporters after opening the Liaoning-Malaysia Investment and Trade briefing and projects signing ceremony, here Monday.

Chan was asked to comment on a report that the government was working on the proposals to divide the domestic air services between Malaysia Airlines and Air Asia and Malaysia Airlines' likely move to reduce its frequencies to most of the domestic destinations and to possibly drop its rural air services in Sabah and Sarawak.

Chan said: "The most important thing is that these two airlines should work closer together and they could very well complement each other."

"We are also looking into the rural air services. We will never neglect the rural community," he said.

He also refused to say whether a new company would be formed to take over the rural air services via the open bidding system with the support from the government.

Four new aircraft to boost Transmile earnings
By Yeow Pooi Ling

TRANSMILE Group Bhd expects “enormous” growth in earnings over the next two years driven by four new wide-body aircraft that will double capacity, said chief executive officer Gan Boon Aun.

The cargo courier company took delivery of three MD-11s (90-tonne freighters) earlier this year, with the fourth expected to be delivered within the next month or so.
“These four aircraft will give us great impact in growth over the next two years,” Gan told reporters after the company AGM in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.

The new freighters would be used for new air express services from Malaysia to China onwards to the United States and back.

Transmile planned to introduce two new routes: Kuala Lumpur-Hong Kong-Anchorage (US) and Kuala Lumpur-Shanghai-Cincinnati (US), Gan said. The move was made possible after wholly-owned unit Transmile Air Services Sdn Bhd secured fifth freedom traffic rights between Shanghai, China and points in the central and western provinces of China and the US, as well as beyond Hong Kong to the US.

Gan added that before the services could be launched, the aircraft had to be registered with the US Federal Aviation Authority. The registration is expected to take one month from the date of submission.

“While we wait for the approval, we will have to beef up our operations by recruiting more crew to facilitate the longer routes,” he said, adding that the company had already secured cargo orders for the new aircraft.

Transmile is also expected to take delivery of four narrow-body B727s by end of this year. This would raise its fleet to 24 from 16 freighters currently, Gan said.

The B727 aircraft would be utilised to “fly to more cities in India and China”, he said. The impact of the additional aircraft to Transmile’s revenue and profits would be captured in the last part of the financial year ending Dec 31.

For first quarter to March 31, the company posted a higher pre-tax profit of RM15mil compared with RM13.5mil a year ago while sales improved to RM71.3mil against RM59.3mil previously.

On rising oil prices, Gan said the increase in cost would be passed on to customers with little or no effect on demand. Among its global logistics clients are DHL, UPS and TNT Worldwide Express.

Avenue Securities head of research Noor Azwa Mohd Noor said the new planes would bode well for the company. “The earlier concern was the delivery of the aircraft but now that it has been addressed, Transmile is expected to see huge growth by next financial year,” he told StarBiz.

Transmile MD-11

http://img215.echo.cx/img215/2944/8500740zu.jpg (http://www.imageshack.us)

wah, Alaska and Ohio?

Min: 2nd Malaysia Low-Cost Carrier Unnecessary - Report
Updated : 12-07-2005
Media : Dow Jones
Story By : Carolyn Lim




(Dow Jones)--Transport Minister Chan Kong Choy said Tuesday a second Malaysian low-cost carrier is unnecessary, quashing a plan in the northern state of Perak to set up another budget airline, the Bernama news agency reported.

"I have not heard anything about it yet, but I don't think it is necessary to have a second budget carrier," Chan was quoted as saying. Malaysia is home to Southeast Asia's first low-cost carrier, AirAsia Bhd. (5099.KU). The airline is also the region's biggest low-cost carrier in terms of fleet size.

Earlier Tuesday, the Star daily quoted Perak Chief Minister Tajol Rosli as saying an unnamed investor and a cooperative, Angkatan Koperasi Kebangsaan Malaysia Bhd., were keen to operate a joint-venture low-cost carrier.

Tajol said the airline would fly from Perak's Ipoh airport to local destinations such as Kuala Lumpur.

Sri Lanka, Malaysia Sign New Open Skies Agreement
Updated : 16-07-2005
Media : Bernama
Story By : Feizal Samath




COLOMBO, July 16 (Bernama) -- Sri Lanka and Malaysia have signed an open skies agreement aimed at promoting the airline frequencies between two countries superseding the agreement which was signed in 1969, the Civil Aviation Ministry said.

The new agreement provides for an open skies policy in keeping with current aviation trends and grants the right to each of the designated airline to carry international traffic between the territories of Sri Lanka and Malaysia or between the territory of one party and the territory of a third country, it said.

Delegations representing the two governments met in Colombo last week to discuss matters relating to air services and to negotiate the text of a new Air Services Agreement replacing the existing Air Services Agreement between the two countries, entered into in 1969.

"The designated airlines of the two countries are permitted to determine the frequency and capacity of the international air services that each wishes to offer based upon commercial consideration in the market place," the ministry's statement said.

It added that Sri Lanka has concluded similar Open Skies Agreements with the US, Thailand, Singapore and Switzerland.

Merpati Airline To Open Bandung-KL Route In September
Updated : 16-07-2005
Media : Bernama




BANDUNG, July 16 (Bernama) -- Indonesian state airline company PT. Merpati plans to start a Bandung-Kuala Lumpur flight route in September this year, the Indonesian news agency Antara reported.

Operations Director of PT Merpati Capt. Harry I Pardjaman said here on Thursday that the initial stages will see the airline covering the route three times a week using CN 235 aircraft. The frequency will be increased to daily flights some time in the future.

According to Pardjaman, many Malaysian tourists had visited West Java and the new air link is expected to develop tourism in the province.

"In fact, tourism in West Java is seen as a big asset, but this sector has yet to be managed more professionally," he said, adding that Merpati will also cooperate with Malaysian and Singaporean airline companies.

With the opening of the air link, Bandung may serve as the second gate for overseas departures after Cengkareng airport in Jakarta.

In the future, people in Bandung leaving for Europe, Jeddah, the UK or the United States, would no longer travel to go to Jakarta as they can straight away fly from Bandung.

He also said that the airline company will also open a Bandung-Tasikmalaya route in the next two months.

"This route has potential prospects, as businessmen can use the flights which will be available daily," he said, adding that in the first stages, Merpati will serve the route four times a week.

http://www.iriandiving.com/graphics/Organisations%20logo/merpati%20logo.jpg
http://img350.imageshack.us/img350/5636/merpatipkmbc17bz.jpg

Direct Flights From Alor Star To Indonesia, Thailand By Year End ?
July 18, 2005 18:56 PM




ALOR STAR, July 18 (Bernama) -- Direct flights will be made available from here to Medan in Indonesia and several cities in Thailand once the expansion of the Sultan Abdul Halim airport in Kepala Batas here is completed by the end of the year, Transport Minister Datuk Seri Chan Kong Choy said Monday.

He said work was going on to extend the runway from 1,963 metres to 2,745 metres, with a width of 45 metres.

"The work, which will cost RM160 million, includes the construction of a new terminal that will be equipped with several facilities and a control tower," he told a press conference after a tour of the construction area.

The project, which started in Feb 2003, should be completed by August but technical problems had delayed completion to November, he said.

Chan said the lengthening and widening of the airstrip would enable the Airbus 330 and Boeing 737-400 aircraft to use the airport. The airport currently only handles domestic flights.

Meanwhile, Airport Manager Halim Omar said the number of passengers utilising the airport increased from 357,000 in 2003 to 359,000 last year.

The new terminal would be able to take 580 passengers at peak periods compared to only 280 currently, he said.

-- BERNAMA

Surge In Air Passenger Traffic
Updated : 03-08-2005
Media : Bernama




Malaysia recorded a 6.1 per cent increase in air passenger traffic for the first half of the year, registering 20.5 million passengers compared with 19.3 million for the corresponding period last year.

Transport Minister Datuk Chan Kong Choy, in revealing the figures Wednesday, said the increase was mainly due to the subsiding fear of tsunamis and the increase in the number of airlines flying into the country.

International air passengers recorded an increase of 13.8 per cent while the domestic sector saw an increase of 1.6 per cent for the first six months of the year, he told a news conference at his ministry here.

Air cargo also saw an increase of 4.28 per cent with 475,511 tonnes of cargo for the first six months of the year compared with 455,989 tonnes for the corresponding period last year.

"We are happy with the performance of the air transportation sector. We will continue to grow, provided we are not hampered with unforeseen negative incidents," said Chan.

He said the increase in air passenger traffic was mainly due to five airlines, especially low-budget airlines, which had made the KL International Airport (KLIA) their destination in the first half of the year.

"With more new airlines flying into KLIA we are confident that air traffic growth will be good for the year," he added.

Asked on the Hornbill Skyways helicopter crash in Bukit Batu Taban, Ulu Baleh, Sarawak, on Monday. he said the ministry had yet to ascertain the cause.

The pilot, Capt Razali Sani, and two passengers, soldier Corporal Empini Karong and Ramli Jamal, a Survey and Mapping Department employee, were killed while another employee of the department, Razali Hassan, survived the crash.

On a different matter, Chan said that so far, no flights had been cancelled or delayed due to the haze enveloping the Klang Valley and other parts of the country.

"We are monitoring the situation closely...the Department of Civil Aviation and ministry officials are monitoring and the visibility is still good enough for aircraft," he added.

Subang airport to become aerospace hub
Updated : 08-08-2005
Media : Business Times
Story By : FAUZIAH ISMAIL




A CONSORTIUM of three leading Malaysian aviation and aerospace companies and the Malaysian Industry-Government Group on High Technology (Might) is turning Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport in Subang into the Malaysian International Aerospace Centre (MIAC).

Besides Might, the consortium comprises airport operator Malaysia Airports Holding Bhd (MAHB), national carrier Malaysia Airlines (MAS) and the National Aerospace and Defence Industries Group (Nadi).

Nadi, incorporated in 1983, was previously known as Aerospace Industries Malaysia Sdn Bhd, the holding company of Airod Sdn Bhd, Malaysia¡¦s leading maintenance repair overhaul (MRO) centre.

Sources said MAHB will be the custodian of MIAC as it owns the Subang Airport land while Might, MAS and Nadi will work together to bring in the business to MIAC.

It is believed that MAS and Nadi are in active talks with parties, including international MRO companies, interested to set up operations at the centre. MAS, for example, is expected to set up joint ventures with the interested parties concerned.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi is expected to launch MIAC on Friday.

¡§This is a testimony of the Government seriousness and continued emphasis on high technology. We're realising MIAC five months after the Government announced plans to turn Sultan Abdul Aziz Airport in Subang into a maintenance, repair and overhaul hub, the source told Business Times.

Frost & Sullivan, a consultancy company on emerging high-technology and industrial markets, reported that the Asian aircraft and engine MRO segment has grown from US$5.16 billion (US$1 = RM3.75) in 2003 to US$5.51 billion in 2004.

The MRO industry in Singapore Loyang Aerospace Park near Changi International Airport contributes the lion¡¦s share to the island US$3.8 billion aerospace industry.

Hong Kong Aircraft Engineering Co Ltd (Haeco) has managed to solicit business from as far away as Latin America into the island Chek Lap Kok Airport.

Haeco, Singapore Airlines Engineering Co, which operates out of Loyang, and Air New Zealand Engineering Services, have been market leaders in commercial and military MRO, and total maintenance solutions, Frost & Sullivan said.

Information made available to Business Times showed that the former Terminal One of the Subang airport, which has been demolished, will be used for Nadi and general aviation.

The Terminal Two area, which includes MAS engineering facility and hangar, will be dedicated to maintenance, repair and overhaul operations for commercial aviation while Terminal Three will be for helicopter operations.

M'sia The Next Regional Hub For Passenger To Freighter Aircraft
Updated : 10-08-2005
Media : Bernama





Malaysia will be turned into a regional hub for converting passenger aircraft into cargo aircraft with a new facility to be set up at the Malaysia International Aerospace Centre (MIAC) at the Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport in Subang, near here.

The state-of-the-art facility would be located on a 92-acre site (36.8 ha) in the heart of MIAC, Subang Aviation Services Sdn Bhd said in a statement Wednesday.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi is expected to launch MIAC on Friday.

"The facility will focus on B737-400 and B747-400 aircraft for which Subang Aviation Services is among an elite few which currently hold Supplemental Type Certificates (STCs) to convert passenger to freighter aircraft.

"Subang Aviation Services will look at passenger to freighter conversions of other models as demand and markets develop," said the company.

It was reported that a consortium is converting the Subang airport into the MIAC.

The consortium comprises the Malaysian Industry-Government Group on High Technology (Might), Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB), Malaysia Airlines (MAS) and the National Aerospace and Defence Industries Group (Nadi).

Nadi, incorporated in 1983, was previously known as Aerospace Industries Malaysia Sdn Bhd, the holding company of Airod Sdn Bhd, Malaysia's leading maintenance repair overhaul (MRO) centre.

Sarawak businessman Tan Sri Ahmad Johan is the President of Nadi. He is also the President and Chairman of Subang Aviation Services. Nadi is a 90 percent subsidiary of PJS Industries which is controlled by Ahmad.

Subang Aviation Services To Invest RM805 Million
Updated : 11-08-2005
Media : Bernama




Subang Aviation Services Sdn Bhd will invest RM805 million in its independent commercial maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO), cargo conversion and landing gear centre.

Its president Tan Sri Ahmad Johan said to finance its project, the company was looking into several options, including initial public offering, bank loans and other financial sources.

He said the company would be among the few to convert passenger aircraft into cargo plane, a new market in Malaysia's aerospace industry when it acquires the skill to develop the Supplemental Type Certification (STC) through collaboration with a technology partner.

The centre will be located on a 36.8ha land in the heart of the Malaysia International Aerospace Centre (MIAC) at the Subang Airport specialising in cargo conversion for the global market.

The facility will initially focus on B737-300, B737-400 and B747-400 aircraft.

It will comprise three narrow body and four wide body hangar bays with all the necessary back shops to support total airframe maintenance, repair and overhaul activities.

Johan said the move into cargo conversion was expected to capitalise on the robust and growing global air freight traffic and forecasted growth of air freighter fleet.

Aircraft owners today are also looking at converting passenger to cargo aircraft to increase the value of the converted aircraft once the passenger aircraft reaches the optimum age which is 12-16 years.

"We are in the right time frame to provide this niche service in view of the expanding and increasing market demand for independent commercial MRO services and cargo aircraft," he told reporters at a media briefing here Thursday.

Johan said more airlines were outsourcing their MRO requirements to independent MRO facilities due to cost efficiency and competitiveness.

The emergence of low cost carriers (LCC) in Asia Pacific will also spur the demand for third party maintenance, repair and overhaul.

The value of the commercial MRO for 2003 according to Frost & Sullivan is at US35 billion with growth estimated at an average of 3.85 percent between now and 2020.

In order to effectively pursue this market and support its customers, Johan said Subang Aviation was committed to establishing itself as an independent commercial MRO and cargo conversion centre providing customised engineering solutions through enhanced quality and total supply chain managment for optimum productivity.

He said this would translate into superior turnaround and lower costs to these potential customers.

Ahmad said the company was in the midst of negotiation to gain a long term MRO contract with one of the leading LCC in the region, AirAsia.

RM800m plans to re-develop Subang Terminal One
Updated : 12-08-2005
Media : Business Times
Story By : FAUZIAH ISMAIL




NADI and its joint-venture partners will invest RM800 million to re-develop Terminal One of the Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport in Subang into an independent commercial maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO), passenger-to-freighter (PTF) aircraft conversion and landing gear centre.

Nadi (National Aerospace and Defence Industries Bhd), through subsidiary Subang Aviation Services Sdn Bhd (SAS) and its joint-venture partners, is to establish the centre within the next two years.

Its first 747-400 passenger-to-freighter conversion is expected in 2008. Commercial and landing gear MRO can already be undertaken at Nadi's Airod facility in Subang.

The project is a component of the proposed Malaysian International Aerospace Centre (MIAC), which will be launched by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi today.

MIAC is aimed at positioning Malaysia as a leading player in the aviation and aerospace industry in the Asia-Pacific region.

Under Nadi's plans for Terminal One, of which the land is leased from Malaysian Airports Holding Bhd, there will be four wide-body aircraft (B747-400) and three narrow-body aircraft (B737-400) hangars and supporting and backshop facilities to support total airframe MRO.

Nadi has teamed up with AAR LGS of the US for the establishment of the landing gear facility while it is finalising details with a technology provider for the PTF conversion facility. The technology provider will outsource all B737-400 conversion to SAS.

The landing gear facility alone is expected to require investments of up to US$15 million (US$1 = RM3.75) while the PTF conversion facility is expected to cost US$26 million.

Once in operation, SAS hopes to undertake MRO of 12 wide-body Boeings and convert nine 737 passenger aircraft into freighters a year.

The PTF conversion business is expected to contribute 70 per cent to SAS' revenue, Nadi president Tan Sri Ahmad Johan said yesterday.

"We will be among the few that will have the PTF conversion capabilities," he told a media briefing at Nadi's headquarters in Subang.

"We are in the right time-frame to provide this niche service in view of the expanding and increasing market demand for independent MRO services and cargo aircraft," he said.

Ahmad, who is also the president of SAS, said more and more airlines, especially the low-cost carriers, are outsourcing their MRO requirements to independent facilities due to cost efficiency and competitiveness.

He said that the centre will generate significant revenue, foreign exchange and job opportunities for Malaysia.

Initially, SAS will employ expatriates who will also act as trainers to training locally.

When fully operational, the centre is expected to have 2,000 staff.

MAHB's hosting of forum will bring in more airlines
By Surin Murugiah, 18 Aug 2005 4:00 PM




Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd’s (MAHB) successful bid to host the 2008 World Route Development Forum is expected to pave the way for more airlines to operate from the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA).

Its managing director Datuk Seri Bashir Ahmad said the event would be an excellent platform for MAHB to fast-track its marketing efforts to attract more new airlines.

There are 50 airlines that fly to the country now, with an average of five new ones coming in annually.

He added that for 2004, KLIA experienced a 20% growth in passengers and for the first half of this year, a 12% increase.

“Having had the experience of hosting the New Route Asia forum for three consecutive years certainly played a part in securing this bid,” Bashir told reporters after signing a memorandum of understanding for the hosting of the forum with Routes, the event organiser, in Kuala Lumpur on Aug 18.

MAHB will use the forum as a platform to bring together major as well as smaller airlines to discuss and develop airline routes. The forum, scheduled for mid-October 2008, will be the first to be held in Asia.

Bashir said MAHB was also hoping that airlines like British Airways and Qantas would return to operate from here.

“Some airlines ceased operations here during the Asian financial crisis but a few have returned. Lufthansa and Pakistan International Airlines are among those who came back. It will be good if the British and the Australians return here as well,” said Bashir.

He added that the forum would provide opportunities to new airlines to fly here, indicating that MAHB was constantly on the lookout to bring in more travel options for passengers as well as establish KLIA as a travel hub.

At Aug 18's event, MAHB also signed separate MoUs with its other participating partners, namely, the Malaysia Tourism Board, Malaysian Airline System Bhd (MAS), Express Rail Link Sdn Bhd (ERL), Dewan Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur (DBKL) and Convex Malaysia Sdn Bhd.

ADB makes M'sia its regional HQ
By Isabelle Francis, 19 Aug 2005 6:40 PM





Siemen’s Airport Solutions’ subsidiary, NV ADB SA (ADB), has made Malaysia its regional headquarters to tap further into the Asia-Pacific market, which ADB has identified as having the highest growth rate in the aviation industry.

The headquarters, to be located at CP Tower in Petaling Jaya, is expected to drive ADB’s airfield sector and take the role of its Belgium headquarters for the region starting Oct 1.

In a recent interview, ADB chief executive officer Guy Fickers told reporters, “Asia-Pacific at the moment has a growth rate of 13% annually, compared to the US which is 5% at the moment. The airside (segment) in Asia-Pacific is worth euro 100 million (RM457 million). We are mainly targeting the airside. Our core business is visibility, giving guidance to air sights under all weather conditions.”

Fickers said Malaysia’s stable political environment, sophisticated infrastructure, favourable cost position and skilled workforce made Kuala Lumpur the most strategic venue within the region to set up the headquarters.

ADB, acquired by Siemens in 1987, has been designing and manufacturing cost-effective lighting solutions for airports for 40 years. Siemens is the largest German company in Malaysia, with over euro 1 billion in investment. Currently, it supplies products and systems for visual guidance of airfields to 1,500 airports in 175 countries worlwide.

On ADB's immediate plans after setting up the headquarters, he said: “We will start with the headquarters and build on from there. We have a three-year plan on how to do it. We have our own budget and target.

“Our first target here is to increase our portfolio and to transfer the latest technologies and the application of know-how in terms of training and services to our customers. We want to enhance our partnerships and also get closer to (Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd).

“For the next two years, we intend to increase our market share significantly. In Malaysia, our market share is 70% in terms of install basis.”

Ficker said the company has no plans to build production facilities in the country as it would be utilising its Belgium and the United States' facilities. ADB would, however, build training facilities, he said.

He added that the company aims to set worldwide standards in safety and performance in order to be the preferred partner for airside operations. The other airport segmentations are the landside and air traffic control operations.

He also said ADB plans to expand its light emitting diode (LED) business in the Asia Pacific market with its new headquarters in place.

“Our breakthrough on LED technology on airstrips had significantly reduced maintenance costs, energy costs and overall functional expenses. We have by far the broadest install basis of LED fittings worldwide.

“ADB is doing the (LED) business together with Siemens in more than 50 countries. In the product-related business, we are maintaining a network of 80 dealers and distributors. Our core (business) is in providing solutions in order to increase safety and improve added value mainly to reduce customers’ operational costs over the whole life cycle. That is important.”

Malaysia will be providing ADB products and services to the airfield sector in 30 countries in the Asia Pacific region, which include Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, Philippines, Singapore and Taiwan.

On competition in the region, Fickers said, “As a full portfolio solution provider, there are only a few competitors. But when you look at different segments, there are more (competitors).”

ADB is setting up a similar headquarters in the Middle East, which has also been identified as having high growth in the aviation industry. The regional headquarters in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, is already operational.

Jet Airways to make KL, S'pore regional hubs
Updated : 01-09-2005
Media : Business Times
Story By : KANG SIEW LI





JET Airways (India) Ltd is planning to make Kuala Lumpur and Singapore as its hubs for expansion elsewhere in Asia-Pacific.

However, its vice-president for Asia-Pacific V. Raja said the expansion will be depend on obtaining traffic rights to fly beyond the two cities into third countries.

The Indian private carrier currently operates direct international flights from India to Singapore, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Nepal and the UK. It will add two new international destinations by the end of this year.

It operates a daily service between Kuala Lumpur and Chennai, using a Boeing 737-800.

Raja said since the carrier started operating between Kuala Lumpur and Chennai, it has carried some 100,000 passengers. The average passenger load factor (the number of seats filled) was 70 per cent.

This was attributed to the promotional efforts in India by Tourism Malaysia to woo tourists from the country, he said, expecting Jet Airways to register an average load factor of 85 to 90 per cent by the end of this year.

Jet Airways faces intense competition on the Kuala Lumpur-Chennai sector from the likes of Malaysia Airlines, state-owned Air-India and Indian Airlines.

The airlines that currently operate in this sector are all full-service carriers. We are competing against some of the world's best.

However, we intend to capture a sizeable share of the market through our service and product offerings, said Raja.

For one thing, the carrier is banking on the fact that it is the largest airline in India¡¦s domestic aviation market.

Jet Airways has built a 40 per cent share of the Indian domestic aviation market since it started flying in 1993. Today, it operates 275 flights daily to 47 destinations in India.

Nevertheless, Raja believes that the Kuala Lumpur-Chennai sector is not yet saturated, looking at India's billion-plus population and the tourism and trade opportunities between Malaysia and the country.

But he concurs that fares and yields on the Kuala Lumpur-Chennai sector have fallen in recent months as a result of more capacity and competition, but expects them to stabilise soon.

Currently, a passenger can get an economy class ticket on the Kuala Lumpur-Chennai sector for RM765 (excluding taxes).

Raja said the carrier depends on travel agents to help it fill seats. Jet Airways has appointed Pacific World Travel Sdn Bhd as its sole general sales agent in Malaysia.

About 75 to 80 per cent of our ticket sales come from travel agents. At the same time, we participate in travel fairs such as the Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents International Travel Fair, said Raja.

anyone has rendering of the airport expansion?

September 04, 2005 11:45 AM

Sabah Targets 2.7 Million Visitors By 2007
KOTA KINABALU, Sept 4 (Bernama) -- Sabah has set a target of 2.7 million visitor arrivals by 2007 and four million by 2010.

Deputy Chief Minister cum Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Tan Sri Chong Kah Kiat said that to cater for the projected increase, the state government expected to see corresponding growth and development of the tourism infrastructure and facilities.

One of the infrastructure projects to be carried out this year was the expansion of the Kota Kinabalu International Airport which was expected to be completed within 30 months, he said.

The airport, the second busiest airport after the KL International Airport in Sepang, served 3.9 million passengers last year, which was 56 per cent above its operating capacity of 2.5 million passengers a year, he added.

Sabah received 1.72 million visitors last year compared with 1.25 million in 2003, he said at the biennial Sabah Tourism Awards 2005 presentation here Saturday night.

Chong said it was not enough to attract new visitors and tap new markets, it was also important to develop and sustain as well as encourage more repeat and long-stay visitors.

He also called on the tourism industry to be more proactive and to come up with creative quality packages tailored to the state tourism resources like Sabah's extensive marine resources which offered great potential for the development of marine tourism as a lucrative niche market.

To ensure its long-term success, the industry must conduct its business with integrity and honesty apart from promoting high service standards among its staff to enable them to have the cutting edge over their competitors in Malaysia and in the region, he said.

Thirty-nine awards in various categories were given out last night with the Minister's Special Recognition Award going to the former general manager of Shangri-La Rasa Ria Resort, Reto Klauser,

Kudat was declared the Cleanest Town while Peppino of Shangri-La Tanjung Aru Resort won the Best Hotel Restaurant award, Sandakan Safari Adventure by S.I. Tours (M) Sdn Bhd (Best Tour Package), and Hyatt Regency Kota Kinabalu (Excellence in Hotel Services Award for the five-star business hotel category).

-- BERNAMA

found this in answers.com ... anyone has anynews on the same subject?

AJ Air is a budget airline based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia was launched on 13 March 2005. It is based at Kuala Lumpur International Airport. The fleet comprises of five brand new Airbus A320 aircraft. Its main plan is to compete with the current budget carrier Air Asia and to become the leading budget carrier in the region.

Transmile To Begin Servicing KL, HK Via Los Angeles Airport
Updated : 07-09-2005
Media : Bernama




Transmile Air Services, a Malaysian all-cargo airline, will begin scheduled freighter service to Kuala Lumpur and Hong Kong from Los Angeles International Airport on Sept 12.

It has also named Wallace Air Cargo Group as its general sales agent for cargo from the North American region.

The flights will operate five days per week utilising Transmile's MD-11F aircraft.

"Transmile has an excellent reputation in Asia and its expansion to Los Angeles brings a lot to the forwarder's table," said Ned Wallace, president of Wallace Air Cargo Group.

"Shippers using Transmile will enjoy frequent, highly reliable freighter capacity to Hong Kong with well-timed trucking connections to points in southern China," he was quoted as saying in a news release by Business Wire, an online business information provider.

"They will also have direct freighter flights to Transmile's air and ground cargo complex at Kuala Lumpur's Subang Airport for on-line service to India, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Brunei, Singapore, as well as Penang, Kota Kinabalu, Kuching, Miri Tawau, and Sandakan in Malaysia," Wallace said.

Since its 1993 inception as an exclusive air carrier for Pos Malaysia's courier unit Poslaju, Transmile has developed a strong regional freighter network around its highly efficient Malaysian cargo hub which offers 24-hour customs capabilities.

The acquisition of four MD-11F aircraft gives Transmile capability to connect its hub with the North American market.

"It is the logical next step for us," said Transmile's executive director Eugene Gan.

"It allows us to use wide-body, fuel-efficient freighters to provide the intercontinental lift our Asian customers increasingly require," he added.

According to Gan, Transmile is "fortunate to have Ned Wallace's organisation handle our American sales.

"His more than four decades of scheduled air freight experience will help us gain a foothold in this competitive market," he said. Transmile's MD-11F flights depart Los Angeles International Airport at 0230 hour on Tuesday through Saturday.

found this in answers.com ... anyone has anynews on the same subject?

AJ Air is a budget airline based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia was launched on 13 March 2005. It is based at Kuala Lumpur International Airport. The fleet comprises of five brand new Airbus A320 aircraft. Its main plan is to compete with the current budget carrier Air Asia and to become the leading budget carrier in the region.


The PHANTOM airline! :D How come no news or anything on this airline wan? Seriously.....somemore got 5 new A320s! :eek:

AJ stands for what ar? :eek:

AWAir spreads wings to KL
Updated : 09-09-2005
Media : The Edge
Story By : Alfean Hardy



AirAsia Bhd¡¦s Indonesian associate, PT AWAir, has announced three new routes out of Jakarta to Surabaya, Batam and, its first international destination, Kuala Lumpur, said AWAir president director Sendjaja Widjaja.

AirAsia holds a 49% stake in the low cost carrier, which operates three Boeing 737-300 aircraft from Jakarta to destinations like Medan, Padang, Denpasar, and Balikpapan.

In a statement on Sept 9, Widjaja said, since its launch in December 2004, the airline had shown continued growth and had carried more than 340,000 guests as of July 2005 and that this validated the public's enthusiasm in welcoming PT AWAir.

We believe that lots of the passengers will benefit from our expansion of new routes and able to travel more frequently with affordable fare, he added.

The maiden flights to Surabaya and Batam are to expected to commence from Sept 9 and Sept 15 respectively. The maiden flight to Kuala Lumpur is slated for Sept 23.

In conjunction with the opening of the new routes, and to celebrate Indonesias 60th independence day, the low cost carrier would be offering 200,000 seats at very attractive promotional prices.'

First Regional Aerospace Centre To Be In Segari, Perak
Updated : 13-09-2005
Media : Bernama



KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 13 (Bernama) -- Perak State Economic Development Corporation (SEDC), Tuesday signed a memorandum of agreement (MoA) with Akriz Sdn Bhd to build and operate a regional aerospace centre (RAC) in Segari, Perak.

The centre is to be built over 13 hectares of land in Pengkalan Bharu Industrial Zone which is close to the Royal Malaysian Naval Base and the proposed Malaysian Defence University (MDU).

Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohd Tajol Rosli Ghazali said Akriz and the state would eventually form a joint venture company responsible for the infrastructure development, technology cooperation and economic planning programme.

He added that the joint venture company which would be 70 percent owned by SEDC and 30 percent by Akriz would also ensure a comprehensive implementation of other related aerospace activities as well.

Akriz, a Malaysian-owned company, is a total solution provider and systems integrator for aerospace, communications, defence and advanced technologies.

'We can expect great synergy between the defence agencies and the RAC since it will support and service the nation's strategic defence systems such as earth observation, communications and other services,' Mohd Tajol said.

The signing of the MoA was held in conjunction with Akriz-Telespazio joint seminar in the regional aerospace centre project and activities held here Tuesday.

The signing was witnessed by Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk Seri Dr Jamaludin Mohd Jarjis.

Meanwhile, Akriz's executive chairman Tan Sri Nuraizah Abdul Hamid said the RAC project was the second phase programme under the Akriz-Telespazio venture with an initial investment of RM100 million.

The first phase will be the immediate commencement of the earth observation business.

Telespazio is one of the main worldwide operators in the management of satellites in earth observation, satellite navigation, integrated connectivity and value-added services.

Nuraizah said Akriz would be able to have access to Telespazio's various capabilities in space ground segment applications beginning with earth observation.

She added that the cooperation is strategic as Akriz and Telespazio are leveraging on each other's resources and at the same time, developing the products and services.

'We are currently re-engineering certain products, applications, mathematical analysis and models to cater to the conditions of an equatorial climate,' Nuraizah said.

'The cooperation will allow us from year 2006 to have access to the most sophisticated imaging system ever built for civilian earth observation from space: the Cosmo/Skymed satellites that use radar instead of optical telescopes to look down on earth,' she said.

'We understand that Malaysia would be the first country in the South East Asia to have such capability,' she added.

Nepalese airline flies into KLIA
Friday September 16, 2005
By JAYAGANDI JAYARAJ



TOP Nepalese officials, including a minister, airline entrepreneurs and media members were among the guests at the dinner organised by Abda Aviation Sdn Bhd recently.

The function, held at Mutiara Crowne Plaza Kuala Lumpur, was to mark Air Nepal International’s inaugural flight to KLIA.

Among those present were Nepal’s Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Minister Buddhi Raj Bajracharya, Nepal civil aviation authority director-general R.R. Dali, Nepal Tourism Board chief executive officer T.B. Dangi, board members Promod Rana and Bikas Rana, Air Nepal International executive vice-president H.B. Shrestha and Abda Aviation managing director Zainal Abidin Abdul Kapur.

Nepalese live band Lascara entertained guests with popular Bollywood songs as dinner was served.

The guests had earlier been entertained to a Malaysian cultural show.

Bajracharya said airlines played a vital role in promoting tourism.

He said there were good prospects for pilgrimage tourism in Nepal as there were many spiritual sites there, such the Lumbini, Pashupatinath, Muktinath and Janaki temples.

“The government of Nepal is committed to extending cooperation to tourists and promoting tourism activities by maintaining close ties with the private sector,” he said.

Rafidah Invites More US Aerospace Firms To Tap Opportunities In M'sia
Updated : 20-09-2005
Media : Bernama
Story By : Wan Nurazila Wan Abdul Rahman



SEATTLE, Sept 19 (Bernama) -- Malaysia is inviting more US aerospace companies to participate in the local aerospace industry either on their own or on a joint venture basis with Malaysian companies, Minister of International Trade and Industry Datuk Seri Rafidah Aziz said Tuesday.

Since the aerospace industry is quite new in Malaysia, it therefore offers opportunities for the transfer of advanced technologies in engineering, electrical, electronics and composite materials as well as manufacturing and systems integration, the minister said.

'The Malaysian government is promoting this industry, and for this reason, all products and activities related to the industry are provided with attractive incentives,' she told US businessmen who were attending the Seminar on Business Opportunities in Malaysia.

Rafidah was here on trade and investment mission to three cities in the US, accompanied by 38-member delegation comprising representatives from government agencies and some private sectors. Also present were Perak Menteri Besar, Datuk Seri Tajol Rosli Ghazali.

There are currently, seven US aerospace companies which have invested in Malaysia including Boeing, Hexcel, Parker Hannifin, Hamilton Sundstrand, General Electric, Turbo Power and Honeywell.

Elaborating further, Rafidah said that the Malaysian aerospace industry was categorised into four sub-sectors including light craft assembly, parts and components manufacture, maintenance/repair/overhaul (MRO) activities as well as design and development.

'There are presently two light aircraft assemblers, six parts and component manufacturers, 30 companies involved in MRO activities and four companies undertaking design and development.

Besides aerospace industry, the Malaysian government is also keen to attract interest from Seattle-based companies in other potential areas such as biotechnology, ICT and electronics sectors in Malaysia.

She said that Seattle-based companies with expertise in biotechnology and ICT were advised to take advantage of the incentives provided by the Malaysian government such as the attractive incentive package, in the form of full tax exemption for up to 10 years.

Among areas being promoted in biotechnology sector are food and agro biotechnology, bio pharmaceuticals (antibodies and vaccines), nutraceuticals, bio-diagnostics, industrial enzymes and bio-active compounds for healthcare.

'Malaysia, one of the 12 mega-biodiversity countries in the world, is actively promoting the development of biotechnology with the establishment of the Malaysian Biotech Corporation (MBC), which was set up to oversee, promote and coordinate the development of the biotechnology industry,' she told the seminar participants.

Meanwhile in ICT, Rafidah suggested that companies from Seattle should explore investment opportunities in Malaysia's Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC) as they catered not only to the Malaysian market, but also to the Asean regional and China markets.

The MSC, she said, offers a suitable environment for the world's leading ICT companies not only to expand their businesses but also to undertake research and develop new products and technologies.

In electronics sector, Rafidah said many existing electronics companies from the US had undertaken research and development activities in collaboration with Malaysian universities where there were also a number of US electronic manufacturers, such as Agilent, Finisar and Seagate, which had set up operations including relocating their design and development activities in Malaysia.

'We welcome investment not only in the semiconductor industry but also in the manufacture of other promoted products and activities such as wafer fabrication, integrated circuit design, production of digital telecommunications equipment, production of automated data processing equipment, manufacturing of flat panel displays, manufacturing of digital audio-visual equipment and multimedia products,' she said.

Malaysia is currently one of the largest semiconductor producers in the world, and the industry has moved up the value chain into wafer fabrication activities and design of integrated circuits (ICs).

For the period 1999 to 2004, the US remained the largest source of investments in the industry mostly in the electronic components sub-sector. In this sub-sector, US companies were mainly concentrated in the semiconductor industry.

Some of these companies include Motorola, Western Digital, Komag, Intel, Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) and Freescale Semiconductor.

In addition, the minister noted investment opportunities in several other sectors such as franchising, services, servicing the oil and gas industry as well as the possibility of US companies setting up their operations in Labuan International Offshore Financial Centre (IOFC) which offers a wide range of financial products and services in banking, insurance, trust services and fund management.

'With its well-developed financial infrastructure, Labuan has to-date attracted a large number of companies from more than 70 countries,' she added.

In 2004, the US was Malaysia's largest trading partner with two-way trade between Malaysia and the US has increased by more than two-fold from US$18.3 billion in 1995 to US$38.9 billion in 2004.

For the period between January to July 2005, Malaysia's trade with the US recorded positive growth in both exports and imports while total trade grew by 7.6 percent valued at US$23.6 billion.

MAHB to woo airlines to Malaysia at Routes forum
Updated : 21-09-2005
Media : The Edge
Story By : Joseph Chin




Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) will go all out to woo more airlines into Kuala Lumpur and the other four international airports in the country during the World Route Development Forum 2005 in Copenhagen from Sept 24 to 27.

The other four international airports were Penang, Langkawi, Kota Kinabalu and Kuching, according to an MAHB statement issued on Sept 21.

At the Routes forum , MAHB was expected to meet up with 28 airlines in Copenhagen, including British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, Emirates and Lufthansa. Routes, it said, was the largest networking event that gathered airport and airline development professionals from around the globe.

It said Routes reflected the growing importance of commercial relationships between airlines and airports. This year, it expected over 500 airports and 275 airlines from around the world, including major, regional, low cost, start-up, cargo and IT/charter airlines to participate in the forum.

MAHB recently won the bid to host the World Route Development Forum in Kuala Lumpur in 2008 scheduled be held at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC).

Malaysia would be the first Asian country to host this event, breaking the annual tradition of giving the host job to an European country. MAHB’s partners are Tourism Malaysia, Malaysian Airline System Bhd, Express Rail Link and Kuala Lumpur City Hall.

MAHB and Routes are expected to sign the agreement at MAHB’s booth in Copenhagen on Sept 26.

MAHB’s delegation to Copenhagen would be headed by managing director Datuk Seri Bashir Ahmad and will include representatives from its partners.

Bashir said the Malaysian delegation was looking forward to meet up with potential airlines in Routes as part of its continued efforts to encourage them to fly from Kuala Lumpur.

“It is hoped that with the concerted efforts of MAHB and the other partners, our presence at Routes in Copenhagen will be fruitful and I believe this is an excellent platform for Malaysia Airports to fast-track our marketing efforts to attract more new airlines in offering their services particularly to KLIA and the other four international airports,” he said

“Having won the bid to host Routes 2008, this participation in Copenhagen will provide our delegation from Malaysia with a good exposure in handling such a big forum,” he added.

MAHB manages and operates 39 airports in Malaysia: 5 international, 16 domestic and 18 short take-off and landing ports (STOL Ports).

Three more airlines to start KLIA flights
Updated : 23-09-2005
Media : The Star
Story By : B.K. SIDHU



AT least three more airlines are slated to fly to the KL International Airport (KLIA) by year's end, bringing the number of carriers flying to the airport to 53.

The three are Russia's second largest airline Transaero Airlines, Medan-based Top Air, and India's Air Sahara.

The latter airline had originally planned to fly to KLIA in May but now expects to make its maiden flight from Chennai in mid-November.

The entry of more airlines bodes well not just for KLIA, which wants to be a hub for the region, but is also seen as a boost for tourism and providing greater connectivity for passengers using the KLIA.

Chen See Hoong, general manager of ABDA Aviation Sdn Bhd, the general service agent for Transaero, told StarBiz that the maiden flight from Moscow to KLIA was scheduled for Oct 28.

The privately owned airline will initially operate two weekly flights – one direct and the other via Bangkok – using B767 and B747 aircraft. Its operations will give direct connectivity to Russia, which was previously provided by Aeroflot.

Aeroflot moved out several years ago, although sources now say Russia's national airline and largest carrier has shown renewed interest in returning to KLIA.

“Transaero sees a lot of potential in the KL-Moscow route. The connectivity also provides a direct link for Malaysian students studying in many parts of Russia,” Chen said.

As for privately owned Air Sahara, its country manager G.J. Vijay Kumar said: 'We will be flying daily when we begin. We hope to register passenger load factors of about 70% from the start,” he said.

Sky Asia Sdn Bhd had been appointed the airline's general service agent.

Indonesia's Top Air is among more than 60 airlines operating in that country.

It is due to start its Jakarta-JB sector soon.

A Top Air spokesperson said the airline would start flights to KLIA in October.

This year, too, saw four other airlines begin flying to KLIA. They are Shenzhen Airlines, Royal Nepal Airlines, Jet Airways and Pakistan International Airlines.

Shenzhen Airlines, which began with two weekly flights earlier this year, had recently increased the frequency to daily.

A number of airlines that currently fly to KLIA have also increased their frequencies during the year and more are likely do so before the year is out, as it would be winter soon.

Malaysia Airports readies for record turnout

BY B.K. SIDHU IN COPENHAGEN

THE encouraging turnout at the 11th Routes World Development Forum at Copenhagen has prompted the organisers to revise their estimate to 2,000 delegates when the event takes place in Malaysia in 2008.

“This is a year of records, but by the time it reaches Malaysia we should have 2,000 delegates,’’ Routes managing director Mike Howarth said.

This year, 1,700 delegates from 120 countries clocked in at Routes 2005, representing a 33% increase from last year. The number of airlines attending this year’s forum also rose by 28% to 300 airlines. Officials from 600 airports were present this year.

Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) won the bid to host Routes 2008 in Kuala Lumpur over rivals Beijing, Bangkok and Singapore.

Yesterday, an agreement-signing ceremony between MAHB and Routes was held to formalise the bid. MAHB managing director Datuk Seri Bashir Ahmad represented MAHB while Routes was represented by Howarth.


Datuk Seri Bashir Ahmad
Also present were Malaysian Ambassador to Sweden Jasmi Md Yusoff and Routes chairman Michael Woodward.

Bashir said: “We are very pleased to have achieved the rights to host this world event and I believe this would be an excellent platform for Malaysia Airports to fast track our marketing efforts to attract more new airlines to offer their services to KLIA.

“Having had the experience of successfully hosting the spin-off edition of World Routes – the new Route Asia for three straight years certainly played a part in this bid apart from our joint efforts with partners to make a comprehensive and sterling presentation.’’

For the bid, MAHB worked closely with the Transport Ministry, Malaysia Tourism Board, Malaysia Airlines, KL City Hall, and Express Rail Link Sdn Bhd.

The event goes to Dubai next year, followed by Stockholm and then Kuala Lumpur.

Howarth said an interesting trend emerging at Routes was the growing number of airline officials requesting to meet their counterparts in other airlines.

This year, 3,000 airline-to-airline meetings have been scheduled on top of the 20,000 airport-airline meetings to be held over the three-day event.

Routes has a strategic role in the air transport sector as it provides a platform for airlines and airports to meet at a single place. It is the only forum in the aviation industry that brings the airports and airline route planners together.

Following last year's event, independent research confirmed that 52% of airlines were very or quite likely to establish a new route as a direct result at Routes.

Meanwhile, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), which resumed services to KL International Airport (KLIA) from Karachi this year, plans to double its current frequency from twice weekly to four times by December.

“We want to increase frequency as there are a lot of passengers travelling on that route. We also have the capacity to increase frequencies and we are looking at December to do that,” chairman and CEO Tariq Kirmani said at the Routes Forum..

India's Jet Airways representative, who attended the forum, said the airline was experiencing a 70% load factor for its daily flights from Chennai to KLIA, but he would not say if there were plans to increase frequency for its only flight to Malaysia.

In another development, Express Rail Link Sdn Bhd (ERLSB) will begin offering discounts for shuttle travellers on trips to and from Singapore from next month.

The rail operator is also hoping that the setting up of a low-cost terminal at KLIA would help bring in more tourists and boost ridership of its rail services.

The ridership stands at 13,000 passengers daily and it is a stark increase from 600 when it began operations several years ago. “Offering discounts is part of our bid to capture the shuttle travelers,” ERLSB chief executive officer Dr Aminuddin Adnan said in Copenhagen.

Thursday September 29, 2005


British carriers keen on M’sia

BY B.K. SIDHU IN COPENHAGEN

THREE British carriers - British Airways (BA), Virgin Atlantic and British Midlands - have Malaysia on their radar screens but the issue that is holding them back is yields.

Yield is a term the airlines use to measure the revenue per-customer-per-km flown.

While the British carriers are still crunching their numbers, they acknowledge that Malaysia has huge potential since it records high passenger volumes on the KL-Britain sector, Royal Khmer Airlines is set to enter the Malaysian market this year.

Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airlines, Shanghai Airlines, Shangdong Airlines and Aer Lingus would be making their way to KL International Airport (KLIA) next year.

Etihad is planning a three to four times weekly flight but its plans are dependent on how fast they can mobilise their aircraft.

“We can say about four new airlines would fly to KLIA next year even though many others have indicated interest,” MAHB senior manager, marketing, Mohamed Sallaud-din Mat Sah said.

With Cambodia's Khmer, KLIA can expect three more new airlines this year, including India’s Air Sahara, Medan’s Top Air and Russia’s Transaero.

As at Septem-ber, five new carriers made their way to KLIA - Shenzhen Airlines, Royal Nepal Airlines, Pakistan International Airlines, India’s Jet Airways and last week’s AirAsia’s Indonesian unit, PT AWAir.

Sallauddin told reporters in Copenhagen at the end of the Routes 2005 forum that MAHB met up with executives from 28 airlines and “Aer Lingus was keen to fly to KLIA” but they were trying to look at their aircraft availability issue first.

“Aer Lingus is most convinced that Malaysia has its attractiveness,” he said.

Finnair, which currently flies to Bangkok from Finland, is trying to work out a schedule to include KLIA on its routing.

Sallauddin said Saudi Arabian Airlines would also be increasing its flight frequency from twice weekly to three times by next year for its Jeddah-KL flights. It would also maintain the nine-weekly flights during the Arab summer, from June to August.

Meanwhile, yields on Britain-Malaysia market are competitive as many carriers are plying the route either direct or via European destinations.

BA pulled out of the Malaysian route in 2001 alongside Lufthansa and Qantas, but Lufthansa has since returned.

Virgin Atlantic has a code-share agreement with Malaysia Airlines which is coming up for review at the end of the year. If that is not renewed, Virgin may consider flying direct to KLIA.

Sallauddin said British Midlands had requested to meet MAHB officials at the Routes 2005 forum.

“They (British Midlands) were very exploratory in nature. They asked for some data; they may just be assessing the market,” he said.

As for BA, Sallauddin and MAHB managing director Datuk Bashir Ahmad met its executives during Routes 2005 and “they (BA) are closely monitoring the route and time will tell when they would fly again to KLIA”.

Some 345 million travellers ply the Britain-Malaysia route a year, Sallauddin said, adding that about 250 million flew directly from Britain.

Although discussions to get more carriers to fly to Malaysia were encouraging, he said MAHB may next year plan a rebranding exercise to further strengthen its position.

Some 345 million travellers ply the Britain-Malaysia route a year, Sallauddin said, adding that about 250 million flew directly from Britain.

?? how reliable is this stats? i mean if abt 250 mil flew direct/yr, then the arrival in KLIA is far much exceeding than the recorded number.. but intl arrival at KLIA is only abt 9-10mil/yr..

I think its supposed to be thousands... 250k a yr.

u r rite.. they talked abt yield management.. so i wonder if MAS is not operating right at the sector (KUL-LHR) or simply becos BA is consolidating its operation from HKIA (One World Alliance).

all this talk abt yield mgt is rather superficial as MAS herself is flying 18xweekly to London.. it must have been proven profitable. anyway, BA's pullout is a blessing in disguise, as otherwise it would take yrs for MAS to get additional landing slots.

i stms wonder y some other airlines r given 'red-carpet' treatment at LHR, look at some of the new Mid-East airlines, they are practically flying almost everyday to LHR within a short period of time after commencing their operation. i know the demand is there, but since they talked abt 'limited landing slots/space allocation' such limitation shud apply to every other airlines also la kan???

London has three international airports and most of the middle east airlines use Gatwick or Stansted for their flights. Heathrow twin runways are bursting at it's seams as most of the major airports in Europe such as Amsterdam, Paris and Frankfurt have at least 3 runways despite handling less passengers than Heathrow. Landing rights is a very political issue as well and Malaysia and the UK hasnts been on the best of terms lately. I dont think MAS request for additional flights into LHR will be granted as it will just stop British carriers from starting a new service.

oh ya la, forgot abt the other 2 airports over there... heh heh

London has three international airports and most of the middle east airlines use Gatwick or Stansted for their flights. Heathrow twin runways are bursting at it's seams as most of the major airports in Europe such as Amsterdam, Paris and Frankfurt have at least 3 runways despite handling less passengers than Heathrow. Landing rights is a very political issue as well and Malaysia and the UK hasnts been on the best of terms lately. I dont think MAS request for additional flights into LHR will be granted as it will just stop British carriers from starting a new service.

dont worry, LHR''s new terminal 5 is now under construction, when it is completed, things will get better soon including to MAS...

London has three international airports and most of the middle east airlines use Gatwick or Stansted for their flights. Heathrow twin runways are bursting at it's seams as most of the major airports in Europe such as Amsterdam, Paris and Frankfurt have at least 3 runways despite handling less passengers than Heathrow. Landing rights is a very political issue as well and Malaysia and the UK hasnts been on the best of terms lately. I dont think MAS request for additional flights into LHR will be granted as it will just stop British carriers from starting a new service.

London has more than 3 international airports besides Stansted and Gatwick
It has 5 airports serving the city and yes they are all international.

There's Heathrow LHR, Gatwick LGW, Stansted STN, Luton LTN, and City LCY.

eh.. still no showing of the LCC renderings kat KLIA ker? i wonder howz itz gonna look like.

eh.. still no showing of the LCC renderings kat KLIA ker? i wonder howz itz gonna look like.

I've been wondering about that, I've also been wondering about the access to the LCC terminal from the main terminal building.

Also whatever happened to Pelangi Airways? Any chance of them being revived?

I've been wondering about that, I've also been wondering about the access to the LCC terminal from the main terminal building.

Also whatever happened to Pelangi Airways? Any chance of them being revived?

theres gonna be a shuttle bus service from the main terminal to the LCC terminal once it complete..
i dun think Pelangi airways will be revived..if u go to SZB.Subang Airport..u can see one of their plane in a very bad condition..with the properlers missing.(maybe kena cabut la..)
the plane are in that condition becoz of they're are under receivership
awaiting court decision....

theres gonna be a shuttle bus service from the main terminal to the LCC terminal once it complete..
i dun think Pelangi airways will be revived..if u go to SZB.Subang Airport..u can see one of their plane in a very bad condition..with the properlers missing.(maybe kena cabut la..)
the plane are in that condition becoz of they're are under receivership
awaiting court decision....

So the terminal is not physically connected like terminals in SZB were? So where exactly is the LCC going to be located at KLIA? how does it affect the overall KLIA development plan, I believe KLIA is supposed to incorporate another MTB and 3 more satelite buildings and I think 3 more runways.

Its a shame what happened to Pelangi.

http://www.airliners.net/photos/middle/6/7/1/734176.jpg

This Pelangi Fokker rotting at JHB, senai airport.

I remember flying MAS back in the early 90's and they had a Pelangi advert on the inflight magazine, was MAS a share holder in Pelangi? Why would they advertise Pelangi, another carrier in their own magazine?

yerp..the main terminal wont be physically connected to the LCC terminal..unless , they are willing to spend extra millions to extend the train track to the LCC terminal..wish i doubt on it..

below are the overview of KLIA..LCC terminal is located on the left of the cargo center..i circled red around it..

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y59/payrol/LCC1.jpg

subangite, i dont think it will affect much of KLIA original plan. but i do realise that the ERL line is in the 'way' of the 3rd/4th satelite bldg in the future.. unless if they reallign it underground..

yerp..the main terminal wont be physically connected to the LCC terminal..unless , they are willing to spend extra millions to extend the train track to the LCC terminal..wish i doubt on it..

below are the overview of KLIA..LCC terminal is located on the left of the cargo center..i circled red around it..

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y59/payrol/LCC1.jpg

Thanks for pointing it out to me fairul! Wow thats FAR!! I thought it might have been closer to the MTB, at least adjacent to it.

subangite, i dont think it will affect much of KLIA original plan. but i do realise that the ERL line is in the 'way' of the 3rd/4th satelite bldg in the future.. unless if they reallign it underground..

I guess not much of a deviation from the original master plan but I didn't expect the LCC terminal to be out by the cargo area, wow!!

Actually I think it would be best if the ERL are linked to the LCC terminal as well. That would enable those from downtown KL an easy transfer ;)

I thought the 3rd and 4th satellite building are supposed to be on the plot occupied by the LCC terminal and cargo terminal. I might be mistaken...

subangite - it is decided there bcos that area is underutilised; the area is used by posmalaysia & klaskargo, not as bz/heavy as MAS AdCargCtr. i just hope that they will improve the public trans going there.. people working at the cargo area can also benefit. do u know how much if u take the cab/limo from the main terminal to the cargo area? by coupon abt RM30, by simply ask them to drive u there = poketmoney of 10.

tomkat - not quite rite, the other MTB, S3&4 wud be located on the other side (mirror image of present configuration).

tomkat - not quite rite, the other MTB, S3&4 wud be located on the other side (mirror image of present configuration).


Yes.....true......the second MTB and the 3rd and 4th satellite would be located on the open-air carpark facing the contro tower ;)

this really make me sakit hati sangat!! why even bother if they going to built it so far from the MTB??why dont they go ahead and built another satellite terminal and use that as the new LCC!

tomkat - not quite rite, the other MTB, S3&4 wud be located on the other side (mirror image of present configuration).

Oh I see. Thanks for the info. Never knew this before. Always thought that all 4 satellite buildings would be close together at the same location as it would be easier to link up with the exisiting aerotrain.

How would the 3rd and 4th satellite buildings be connected with the MTB? By bus? That doesn't sound so high tech to me.

dont worry, LHR''s new terminal 5 is now under construction, when it is completed, things will get better soon including to MAS...

The construction of terminal 5 will not increase the capacity and the number of landing slots in the airport only the construction of a new runway will. Therefore, it will not impact MAS ability to get more landing slots. A new terminal can only increase passenger comfort and convenience eg faster check in times , less chaotic environment etc. However, flight delays cannot be rectified though as it is dependent on runway capacity. BAA is more than happy to do that but they encountered too many objections from NIMBY coz Heathrow is located in close proximity to a residential area. I think Asian airlines have to start moving to Stansted or Luton in the near future if they still cant get that new runway operational coz Gatwick is operating at capacity as well and it's also the world's busiest single runway airport.

dengilo - don sakit hati la.. that is detrimental 2yr health uknow.. heh heh, another sat bldg as LCC? that will beat the purpose of low cost operation kan.

tomkat - connection to 2nd MTB wud also be by aerotrain. look at the current MTB, there is provision for aerotrack to satbldg no 2. same goes for the 2nd MTB connecting to 3/4 satbldgs.

if i m not mistaken, the eventual layout wud c 4-5 runaways, but since KLIA is built to meet future demand and rather flex in accomodating it, i reckon that there wud be some alterations to the original plan/design.

dengilo - don sakit hati la.. that is detrimental 2yr health uknow.. heh heh, another sat bldg as LCC? that will beat the purpose of low cost operation kan.

tomkat - connection to 2nd MTB wud also be by aerotrain. look at the current MTB, there is provision for aerotrack to satbldg no 2. same goes for the 2nd MTB connecting to 3/4 satbldgs.

if i m not mistaken, the eventual layout wud c 4-5 runaways, but since KLIA is built to meet future demand and rather flex in accomodating it, i reckon that there wud be some alterations to the original plan/design.

KLIA was designed for a capacity of 100 Million passengers a year, which emcompasses 2 MTB's, 4 Satelite Buildings and 5 Runways!

On a scheme of things it really is designed for the future!! very very distant future.

Though, Subang SZB grew dramatically, much more so than it could handle. I remember landing in SZB from Vienna in the early morning, the aircraft parked in a remote ramp, all the aerobridges occupied, had to get on a bus to terminal 1. What was funny about it was that I remember we were parked by the airport fence, next a kampung and a busy street, could see the houses and folks getting ready for work. It was an interesting sight.

Anyways, what was the designed capacity of SZB? I seem to remember a distinct musky smell of terminal 1 at SZB, maybe its my imagination. Does anyone remember a musky smell? That terminal 1 SZB smell is missing from KLIA!

Whats the growth projections of KLIA like to see the master plan in place? When should we expected to see 2 MTB's, 4 Satelite Buildings and 5 Runways?

Will there be any aerotrain connection from the 1st MTB to the 2nd MTB? Or would these 2 MTBs function as separate terminal altogether, which means no transfer (connecting flight) will be required between these 4 satellite buildings? I would imagine transferring from satellite 1 to satellite 4 would be messy.

Will there be any aerotrain connection from the 1st MTB to the 2nd MTB? Or would these 2 MTBs function as separate terminal altogether, which means no transfer (connecting flight) will be required between these 4 satellite buildings? I would imagine transferring from satellite 1 to satellite 4 would be messy.

From what I gather, there doesn't seem to be any structures linking the 2 MTB's together, Perhaps its underground?

But 1 MTB with 2 satelites can accommodate 50 million people.

Oxysky Offers Special Chartered Flights To Kota Baharu
Updated : 22-10-2005
Media : Bernama


KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 22 (Bernama) -- The name may be strange, but Oxy Sky Aviation Services Sdn Bhd is offering special Hari Raya chartered flights especially for those who want to go back to Kelantan during the coming festive season.

Oxysky Aviation General Manager Mohd Zaini Abdul Ghani told Bernama that the special chartered flight service was being offered to allow Malaysians who wanted to return to Kelantan for the festive season but could not get the bus or air tickets.

'On normal days, we provide the special chartered service for tourists to visit interesting destinations in the country, such as to Pulau Tioman.

'However, after receiving requests from our customers, we decided to offer the special chartered flights in conjunction with Hari Raya and Deepavali this year,' he said.

Mohd Zaini said his company only provided chartered flights on Oct 30, departing for Kota Baharu from Subang at 6 pm in the one-hour flight and would fly back from Kota Baharu to Subang at 7.45 pm on the same day.

The special chartered flight service would use a four-engine DASH 7 aircraft which could carry 48 passengers, while the fare would be RM230 for adults and RM184 for children between two and 12 years old.

The fare for infants (below two years old) is 10 per cent of the adult fare, he said.

He said the fare did not include the RM5 airport tax and RM6 insurance fees.

http://static.flickr.com/27/55511459_0470e5347d.jpg?v=0

^^ :eek:

Like somekind of 80's toy hor? :D

theres gonna be a shuttle bus service from the main terminal to the LCC terminal once it complete..


boy, that's unfortunate. Why not connect all the terminals so that the retailers in the satellite terminal have more potential customers?

http://static.flickr.com/27/55511459_0470e5347d.jpg?v=0

Plane entitled 'Freedom of Space'...quite a beautiful 777

I love the new MAS 777 livery :okay:

I love the new MAS 777 livery :okay:

You mean special livery, all MH 777's won't have this blue eye sore. I'm not a big fan of it. Way too blue, its the Heliconia livery but I can't quite make out the Heliconia, looks like blue paint splashed around and lines painted on! The red hibiscus livery of the 747's are much nicer. Atleast you really see they're a hibiscus motif.

DHL begins services from Subang Airport
Updated : 26-10-2005
Media : Business Times


EXPRESS and logistics company DHL has begun scheduled services out of and into the Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport in Subang.

The operations, carried out through its long-term alliance with air cargo carrier Transmile, effectively reopen the cargo facility of Subang airport for scheduled services.

DHL is currently operating domestic and selected international cargo flights out of Subang daily.

Using the old airport will help deliver significant import/export improvements to DHL customers by offering convenient, time-definite services and direct connections to Asia, Europe and the US via DHL's extensive air network. Built-up cost for the 2,200 sq m DHL facility in Subang is estimated at about US$1.3 million (US$1 = RM3.77).

DHL is the only express company operating out of the airport, with a commitment to use the facility until 2012.

DHL Express Malaysia country manager Charles Brewer described the company as the catalyst behind bringing scheduled cargo services back to the airport.

“Resuming regular cargo services in and out of Subang presented us with the opportunity to get a half-day jump on the competition due to the airport's close proximity to our Klang Valley customers. That is an opportunity we did not want to pass up,” he said in a statement released in Kuala Lumpur.

“Furthermore, our ability to improve pick-up and drop-off times, as well as the convenience of linking to our Klang Valley customers and our future service centre at Glenmarie, are all deciding factors in lobbying the Malaysian Government to reopen Subang Airport for regular express air cargo services,” he added.

With services operating out of the Subang facility, destinations in the Asia-Pacific, Europe and the west coast of the US would gain a half-day delivery advantage, while pick-up cut-off time would be extended by two hours for most of DHL's customers in the Klang Valley.

Brewer added that DHL has plans to operate additional flights, in conjunction with Transmile, to and from Subang in the near future. The details of those flights would be announced during the grand reopening of the Subang facility at the end of the year.

Will there be any aerotrain connection from the 1st MTB to the 2nd MTB? Or would these 2 MTBs function as separate terminal altogether, which means no transfer (connecting flight) will be required between these 4 satellite buildings? I would imagine transferring from satellite 1 to satellite 4 would be messy.

still to early to tell...even the 2nd satellite building havent being build yet..
let alone another MTB and all 4 satellites...
like what musang said earlier..KLIA masterplane will prone to any new alteration..

MALACCA, Thurs:

ASIA’s leading low-budget airline is poised to start operating at the Batu Berendam Airport as soon as the airport’s expansion project is completed by the end of 2008.
Describing the airport as “nice and simple”, AirAsia Bhd group chief executive Datuk Tony Fernandes said Indonesia would be the main destination the airline would serve from Batu Berendam.

“But the routes we will take have not been finalised yet. Everything’s still in the planning stages.”

Fernandes said the airline, which focuses on the Asean and China markets, is also in talks to secure landing rights in Myanmar and Laos.

http://www.airliners.net/photos/middle/8/2/3/946328.jpg

Does Oman Air operate regular scheduled services to KL, or is this a one off charter or something? Tried to look up Oman Air website but its currently down. Since when did Oman Air fly to KLIA?

i dun think its a schedule service..i've checked KLIA's website and theres no Oman Air listed there..( correct me if im wrong tho.)
some more..if Oman Air do fly to KLIA...they wont use 737NG..coz it requires few stops with pax. load to reach KUL..
however..Gulf Air do fly KUL-MCT non-stop..

Tiger Airways Keen To Fly To KLIA's LCC Terminal
Bernama Article (http://bernama.com/bernama/v3/news_business.php?id=162881)

SINGAPORE, Oct 29 (Bernama) -- Singapore's low fare airline, Tiger Airways, is keen to fly to Malaysia's new low cost carrier (LCC) terminal at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA).

Commenting on a newsreport that Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) was wooing regional LCCs to fly to the new facility, to be launched next year, Tiger Airways Chief Executive Officer Tony Davis said that the airline was "very keen" to fly between Singapore and Malaysia.

"(We) will definitely take up the offer from MAHB to use the LCC terminal if we receive permission from the Malaysian aviation authorities to do so," Davis said in a statement.

Malaysia's AirAsia, the region's leading LCC, would be the main occupier of the RM108 million terminal, taking up 24 of the 30 parking bays available.

Newsreports from Malaysia quoted MAHB Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Datuk Bashir Ahmad as welcoming other budget airlines to use the terminal which is expected to be begin operation by March or April next year.

Davis said: "MAHB is currently expecting to service only half of its 10 million passenger capacity from the existing Malaysian budget carrier that is going to use the facility. Tiger Airways is confident it can help raise these figures substantially if we are allowed to fly the Singapore-Kuala Lumpur route."

The KLIA LCC terminal will be five times larger than the new LCC terminal at Singapore's Changi Airport, which can handle around two million passengers a year.

Tiger Airways, which will be the largest user of the Singapore LCC terminal, currently flies to 10 cities in six countries -- Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Macau, the Philippines and Indonesia.

-- BERNAMA

Tiger Airways Keen To Fly To KLIA's LCC Terminal
Bernama Article (http://bernama.com/bernama/v3/news_business.php?id=162881)

SINGAPORE, Oct 29 (Bernama) -- Singapore's low fare airline, Tiger Airways, is keen to fly to Malaysia's new low cost carrier (LCC) terminal at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA).

Commenting on a newsreport that Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) was wooing regional LCCs to fly to the new facility, to be launched next year, Tiger Airways Chief Executive Officer Tony Davis said that the airline was "very keen" to fly between Singapore and Malaysia.

"(We) will definitely take up the offer from MAHB to use the LCC terminal if we receive permission from the Malaysian aviation authorities to do so," Davis said in a statement.

Malaysia's AirAsia, the region's leading LCC, would be the main occupier of the RM108 million terminal, taking up 24 of the 30 parking bays available.

Newsreports from Malaysia quoted MAHB Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Datuk Bashir Ahmad as welcoming other budget airlines to use the terminal which is expected to be begin operation by March or April next year.

Davis said: "MAHB is currently expecting to service only half of its 10 million passenger capacity from the existing Malaysian budget carrier that is going to use the facility. Tiger Airways is confident it can help raise these figures substantially if we are allowed to fly the Singapore-Kuala Lumpur route."

The KLIA LCC terminal will be five times larger than the new LCC terminal at Singapore's Changi Airport, which can handle around two million passengers a year.

Tiger Airways, which will be the largest user of the Singapore LCC terminal, currently flies to 10 cities in six countries -- Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Macau, the Philippines and Indonesia.

-- BERNAMA

A new Air Asia competition? Unless they liberalise the Malaysia Singapore air agreements, it won't happen.

we'll have to see how MAS and Air Asia would react to this..

I'm all for it. Liberalise the skies!! I'm tired of paying so much for the MAS/SIA shuttle ticket! Its a rip off considering Air Asia has RM49.90 tickets last time from Senai to KL!

Agreed! But Singapore should also allow Air Asia shuttle buses to get into their country. Make competition fair :)

Agreed! But Singapore should also allow Air Asia shuttle buses to get into their country. Make competition fair :)

Bleh... I couldn't careless about Busses. If I have to take a bus to Senai, then I might have taken the bus straight to KL.

MAS operates a bus from Singapore city to Senai Airport, for those who want the cheaper way to KL Via Senai. BUT it really is a tedious LONG process.

I used to live in Singapore before I moved to Brisbane and once I was driving on I think the PIE, I saw the MAS shuttle bus at the side of the road, it had broken down. Saw all these worried passengers wondering if they'll make their connection or not. I wouldn't want to be in their shoes then.

KL-SIN cheap direct flights is the way to go.

Bleh... I couldn't careless about Busses. If I have to take a bus to Senai, then I might have taken the bus straight to KL.

MAS operates a bus from Singapore city to Senai Airport, for those who want the cheaper way to KL Via Senai. BUT it really is a tedious LONG process.

I used to live in Singapore before I moved to Brisbane and once I was driving on I think the PIE, I saw the MAS shuttle bus at the side of the road, it had broken down. Saw all these worried passengers wondering if they'll make their connection or not. I wouldn't want to be in their shoes then.

KL-SIN cheap direct flights is the way to go.

I agree......:yes:

Hopefully my journey to Senai will be a smooth flowing one......:yes:

they build LCC terminal in KLIA...but i heard in the news somewhere they also gonna build (or plan) an LCC terminal at KKIA..that's good though for east malaysia in particular..

they build LCC terminal in KLIA...but i heard in the news somewhere they also gonna build (or plan) an LCC terminal at KKIA..that's good though for east malaysia in particular..

at the moment..Air Asia is using the KKIA terminal 2 ( the old terminal )..and the KKIA re development will also include upgrading the Terminal 2 as a LCC terminal..
KKIA will become AK East Hub for LCCs

I'm all for it. Liberalise the skies!! I'm tired of paying so much for the MAS/SIA shuttle ticket! Its a rip off considering Air Asia has RM49.90 tickets last time from Senai to KL!

i just dont get it..Tiger Airways is one of SIA subsiadiaries.. wouldn't if effect SIA if Tiger Airways gonna serve KUL-SIN vv..? :?

at the moment..Air Asia is using the KKIA terminal 2 ( the old terminal )..and the KKIA re development will also include upgrading the Terminal 2 as a LCC terminal..
KKIA will become AK East Hub for LCCs

Then may be AK could operate KK-Darwin from its East Hub.

i just dont get it..Tiger Airways is one of SIA subsiadiaries.. wouldn't if effect SIA if Tiger Airways gonna serve KUL-SIN vv..? :?

That's the beauty of it. Either way, the money would ultimately go to SIA :)

i just dont get it..Tiger Airways is one of SIA subsiadiaries.. wouldn't if effect SIA if Tiger Airways gonna serve KUL-SIN vv..? :?

I suppose even if Tiger is given the green light to fly the Sg-KL route, it'll be given at most 1 flight per day.......as opposed to SIA and MAS having 14 flights per day.....:yes:

I suppose even if Tiger is given the green light to fly the Sg-KL route, it'll be given at most 1 flight per day.......as opposed to SIA and MAS having 14 flights per day.....:yes:

makes sense..one A320 flight a day would effect the business much though..by the way..there are lots of other carrier serving KUL-SIN..
JAL..Sri Lanka Airlines..Emirates..Air Mauritius..did i miss any?

makes sense..one A320 flight a day would effect the business much though..by the way..there are lots of other carrier serving KUL-SIN..
JAL..Sri Lanka Airlines..Emirates..Air Mauritius..did i miss any?

Not Emirates but Qatar Airways.....:yes:

Sometimes JAL offer relatively cheaper ticket from Sg-KL at S$108 (About S$188 inculde tax compared to the S$150 single trip that SIA or MAS charges).....:yes:

I'm all for it. Liberalise the skies!! I'm tired of paying so much for the MAS/SIA shuttle ticket! Its a rip off considering Air Asia has RM49.90 tickets last time from Senai to KL!

My recommendation - close the skies. Discontinue the KUL-SIN shuttle service.

Force SIA and MAS to build and operate high speed train between KL and S'pore downtowns. It would be a lot cheaper and cost effective in the long run.

My recommendation - close the skies. Discontinue the KUL-SIN shuttle service.

Force SIA and MAS to build and operate high speed train between KL and S'pore downtowns. It would be a lot cheaper and cost effective in the long run.

I don't think SIA and MAS would ever agree.....:yes:

to which one? close the sky/discontinue shuttle or hi-speed train?

Then may be AK could operate KK-Darwin from its East Hub.


KK is just further north compare to Kuching..might as well AK start flying to Darwin from KCH or JHB...coz its much closer..
in my opinion..AK's plan to turn KK as a hub so that they can tap the China's market..alongside with Thai Air Asia from BKK..

to which one? close the sky/discontinue shuttle or hi-speed train?

Discontinue the shuttle service......it's one of the busiest route in Asia despite its high pricing......:yes:

Discontinue the shuttle service......it's one of the busiest route in Asia despite its high pricing......:yes:

If it makes perfect economic sense, then why not?

With jet fuel facing an all time high price, high speed train is the perfect cheaper alternative. Electricity nowadays are generated from gas-fired power plant. Thus, the cost to move a person from KL to SIN would be cheaper in the long run, despite its astronomical initial investment.

Secondly, business travellers make up the most of the current KUL-SIN shuttle service. I am sure they would be more than happy to move from downtown to downtown rather than wasting countless of hours in the airports and taxis.

If it makes perfect economic sense, then why not?

With jet fuel facing an all time high price, high speed train is the perfect cheaper alternative. Electricity nowadays are generated from gas-fired power plant. Thus, the cost to move a person from KL to SIN would be cheaper in the long run, despite its astronomical initial investment.

Secondly, business travellers make up the most of the current KUL-SIN shuttle service. I am sure they would be more than happy to move from downtown to downtown rather than wasting countless of hours in the airports and taxis.

Your idea is marvellous but there are other factors to consider other than economics.....sigh....there's the reality we face.....:yes:

KK is just further north compare to Kuching..might as well AK start flying to Darwin from KCH or JHB...coz its much closer..
in my opinion..AK's plan to turn KK as a hub so that they can tap the China's market..alongside with Thai Air Asia from BKK..

yeah...dont want same incident where Australian Airlines stop flying to KK

yeah...dont want same incident where Australian Airlines stop flying to KK

i dont think that Air Asia will fly to Australia anytime soon..coz Mr. Fernandez would prefer tapping the China's market rather than competing with MAS for the Aussie routes..but Singapore's LCC ValueAir serves Singapore-Perth..which is a 5hr flight..

yerp..Australian Airlines stop flying to KK die to low pax load..
even MAS decrease its KL-Kuching-Perth sector from 2x a week to once a week due to the low pax from Perth-Kuching.

it would be cool to have chartere flight from Aussie cities to KCH/KK though. ;)but i've seen this Qantas 767 at Kuching last year..im not sure what was it doing there..it stayed overnight..but i think its a chartere flight..

If it makes perfect economic sense, then why not?

With jet fuel facing an all time high price, high speed train is the perfect cheaper alternative. Electricity nowadays are generated from gas-fired power plant. Thus, the cost to move a person from KL to SIN would be cheaper in the long run, despite its astronomical initial investment.

Secondly, business travellers make up the most of the current KUL-SIN shuttle service. I am sure they would be more than happy to move from downtown to downtown rather than wasting countless of hours in the airports and taxis.

Wouldn't it just be easier to liberalise the market? open the skies..

Wouldn't it just be easier to liberalise the market? open the skies..

i would love to see what happen if both the goverments liberalise the markets..then we'll see who suffer the most..hehehe :D
expects all the LCCs taking over this route..Air Asia..JetStar..Valuair..Tiger Airways..AdamAir..and the list would never end..heheh

i would love to see what happen if both the goverments liberalise the markets..then we'll see who suffer the most..hehehe :D
expects all the LCCs taking over this route..Air Asia..JetStar..Valuair..Tiger Airways..AdamAir..and the list would never end..heheh

Also expect a whole bunch of new Malaysian upstarts.

Perak's Menteri Besar this year proposed to turn Ipoh Airport into a LCC hub as well..by introducing flights Ipoh to KL..Kuching..Penang..and other cities..
the best part was..we can fly first then later later.. :lol:..hehe
after that..no follow up..huhu

Perak's Menteri Besar this year proposed to turn Ipoh Airport into a LCC hub as well..by introducing flights Ipoh to KL..Kuching..Penang..and other cities..
the best part was..we can fly first then later later.. :lol:..hehe
after that..no follow up..huhu

Another politician blowing off some air.... I think Ipoh should just be a general aviation airport.

Another politician blowing off some air.... I think Ipoh should just be a general aviation airport.

by fly first..pay later..the politician really incourage Malaysian to live on credits perhaps.. :bash:
IMO..i dun think that Perak has such a big market nowadays..after the PLUS highway open to traffic..even AK does not want to fly to Ipoh..only MAS serve one flight a day..

High speed train sounds like a bright idea but how do you accomodate international passengers flying to KL via Singapore. The traveller has to clear immigration in Changi, collect his/her baggage and clear immigration again at the causeway. People will be discouaged and they just will not bother flying to KL. Many people flies to KL via Singpore as Singpore has three times the number of international flights compared to KLIA and Singpore serve many destinations that KLIA doesnt. Darwin, Cairns, Fuzhou, San Francisco, Vancouver , Chaing Mai are just a few examples

High speed train sounds like a bright idea but how do you accomodate international passengers flying to KL via Singapore. The traveller has to clear immigration in Changi, collect his/her baggage and clear immigration again at the causeway. People will be discouaged and they just will not bother flying to KL. Many people flies to KL via Singpore as Singpore has three times the number of international flights compared to KLIA and Singpore serve many destinations that KLIA doesnt. Darwin, Cairns, Fuzhou, San Francisco, Vancouver , Chaing Mai are just a few examples

Why would they have to clear Changi immigration? Upon arrival, passengers who want to go to KL just have to go down to train platform. His or her baggage will come out at the baggage carousel at the train platform. Hop on the train and one hour later disembark at KL Sentral. Malaysian immigration will be waiting at the gate. This train service should stop at KLIA and Changi, enroute to each respective downtown.

Why would they have to clear Changi immigration? Upon arrival, passengers who want to go to KL just have to go down to train platform. His or her baggage will come out at the baggage carousel at the train platform. Hop on the train and one hour later disembark at KL Sentral. Malaysian immigration will be waiting at the gate. This train service should stop at KLIA and Changi, enroute to each respective downtown.

When you take a train , technically you are entering the country physically as the train make contact with the land. Transiting in a confined area in the airport or flying from Singapore is different as planes only make contact with the airport ground and airports are not considered part of the country. That's why immigration clearance is unavoidable. The investment is going to be very huge . The tracks have to be straight(tracks for the TGV are straight) and flyovers have to be build when the tracks meet roads as railway crosssing is too dangerous for a 300 km/h train. Furthermore, PLUS will lose a substansial amount of traffic from private cars who are sick of the q's at the causeway and express buses plying the route and there are rumours circulating that the double tracking project was put on hold for that very reason

Gulf Air to re-evaluate network strategy in Malaysia
Updated : 05-11-2005
Media : Business Times
Story By : ANNA MARIA SAMSUDIN



BAHRAIN flag-carrier Gulf Air plans to re-evaluate its network strategy in Malaysia to further enhance presence and brand recognition here.

Newly-appointed Malaysia and Brunei general manager Lindsay White said such a move is crucial in order to compete more effectively for the lucrative travel market between Malaysia and West Asia.

He said among the plans in the pipeline include mounting direct flights from the KL International Airport (KLIA) in Sepang to destinations such as Bahrain, Muscat and Abu Dhabi.

Currently, the carrier only operates four times weekly flights from KLIA to serve such destinations via Bangkok.

'This is part of the many plans that we have in store for Malaysia. However, before we can execute the plan, it is crucial for us to conduct a thorough market analysis on this.

'We will make the proper announcement on our plans in Malaysia within a few months,” he told Business Times in Kuala Lumpur.

On more immediate plans, White said Gulf Air aims to work more closely with the corporate sector and travel agents in Malaysia to promote its premium products — the first-class and business-class seats.

He said some of the new services that it plans to aggressively promote are the ‘skybeds’, which are being offered in the first-class and business-class seats.

'Our prime objective is to further strengthen Gulf Air's position as a world-class airline.

“In achieving this, we hope to maintain a good reputation that the airline has developed with its key customers as well as travel agency partners,” he added.

White, who hails from Scotland, was appointed early last month to oversee the airline's commercial operation activities in Malaysia and Brunei, including marketing and promotion, pricing, scheduling and distribution.

He has 23 years experience in the aviation industry, having worked in various senior positions within British Airways across the UK, Ireland, Eastern Europe and Taiwan.

His last position in British Airways, prior to joining Gulf Air, was as regional manager for North Latin America where he was based in Caracas, Venezuela.

by Anthony Osborne

http://www.pbase.com/image/38958096.jpg

When you take a train , technically you are entering the country physically as the train make contact with the land. Transiting in a confined area in the airport or flying from Singapore is different as planes only make contact with the airport ground and airports are not considered part of the country. That's why immigration clearance is unavoidable. The investment is going to be very huge . The tracks have to be straight(tracks for the TGV are straight) and flyovers have to be build when the tracks meet roads as railway crosssing is too dangerous for a 300 km/h train. Furthermore, PLUS will lose a substansial amount of traffic from private cars who are sick of the q's at the causeway and express buses plying the route and there are rumours circulating that the double tracking project was put on hold for that very reason

Not really. For example, passengers in Seattle-Vancouver train don't have to stop at the cross border immigration to have their passport stamped. Instead, Canadian immigration are placed at Vancouver train station. Same arrangement are being practices at numerous cross border train services throught out the world. It is not something new.

There is no doubt that initial investment for the HST service would obsenely high. But in the long run, it is proven that HST is more cost effective in term of $ per passenger than any other transportation for such short distance service. Rail lines also permit far greater capacity and frequency of service than what is possible with aircraft.

Airports could free up the facilities allocated for short haul flight and instead concentrate them to serve long haul flight. Airlines can forget about maintaining and acquiring fleet of short haul planes and concentrate on real long distance and more lucrative routes. Airports such as Ipoh, Melaka, Kedah can be closed and be more cost effective. It is ridiculous to maintain such airports if they only serve like 3-4 flights per week.

Taiwan HST costs around USD15 billion at 345 km of length - about the same distance between KL and SIN. But HST for KL-SIN corridor would cost considerably less due to flatter terrain, cheaper land and labor cost.

PLUS would not loose money as there is nothing can beat the comfort of travelling in private cars. HST is to serve passengers who would normally take flights. They are mostly business travellers who make up majority of the load in the current KUL-SIN shuttle service.

Not really. For example, passengers in Seattle-Vancouver train don't have to stop at the cross border immigration to have their passport stamped. Instead, Canadian immigration are placed at Vancouver train station. Same arrangement are being practices at numerous cross border train services throught out the world. It is not something new.

There is no doubt that initial investment for the HST service would obsenely high. But in the long run, it is proven that HST is more cost effective in term of $ per passenger than any other transportation for such short distance service. Rail lines also permit far greater capacity and frequency of service than what is possible with aircraft.

Airports could free up the facilities allocated for short haul flight and instead concentrate them to serve long haul flight. Airlines can forget about maintaining and acquiring fleet of short haul planes and concentrate on real long distance and more lucrative routes. Airports such as Ipoh, Melaka, Kedah can be closed and be more cost effective. It is ridiculous to maintain such airports if they only serve like 3-4 flights per week.

Taiwan HST costs around USD15 billion at 345 km of length - about the same distance between KL and SIN. But HST for KL-SIN corridor would cost considerably less due to flatter terrain, cheaper land and labor cost.

PLUS would not loose money as there is nothing can beat the comfort of travelling in private cars. HST is to serve passengers who would normally take flights. They are mostly business travellers who make up majority of the load in the current KUL-SIN shuttle service.


You're right. When i was taking the TGV from Paris Nord to London Waterloo, immigration formalities for both countries(UK adn France) was done in Paris Nord. However, it's always easier to implement this system in Europe as 15 countries in mainland Europe are part of a shengen area and there is no border.

By FRANCIS FERNANDEZ


THE Government may announce by as early as next week a detailed structural plan to split the domestic routes between Malaysia Airlines System Bhd (MAS) and budget carrier AirAsia Bhd, sources said yesterday. MAS is South-East Asia’s largest airline by fleet size, while AirAsia is South-East Asia’s biggest discount carrier.

Mail Money was told the draft plan for sharing of domestic routes, aimed at minimising duplication, is almost ready, and that some vital details may be spelled out by as early as next Wednesday.

It is believed that under the proposed plan, AirAsia may get additional routes in Sabah and Sarawak, as well as in Penang and Langkawi. Currently, the Government subsidises local flights, which is mainly operated by MAS.

The Government is the single largest shareholder in the airline, via Penerbangan Malaysia Bhd (PMB). PMB, which owns 69 per cent of MAS, is also the parent of the company.

Rationalising the domestic routes, should help MAS to focus on overseas routes, but it will also put pressure on the carrier to act on its large work force.

As at March 2005, MAS had 22,513 people on its payroll, compared to 20,789 the same period, a year ago.

Focusing on the foreign routes should help the national carrier, but it is unlikely to work as a magic wand to revive its ailing fortunes.

For the quarter ended June 30, MAS suffered a loss of RM280.7 million, compared with a profit of RM26.6 million in the same period a year ago, after rising staff costs and costlier fuel price crushed margins.

Steep and volatile fuel prices, may result in the global airline industry posting a loss of US$7.4 billion (RM billion) this year, 23 per cent more than expected, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) said late September.

MASkargo handles first-ever shipment of A1 cars
Updated : 10-11-2005
Media : Business Times



MALAYSIA Airlines Cargo Sdn Bhd (MASkargo) yesterday provided ground handling services for the first-ever A1 Grand Prix shipment at the KL International Airport (KLIA) in Sepang.

The cars arrived at MASkargo's Advanced Cargo Centre from Sydney at 12:25pm on flight QF7581. They were fitted onto 16 car racks, of which six were on the upper deck containers and nine were on lower deck, all winged.

Each car, weighing some 200kg, was unloaded from MASkargo's Boeing 747 freighter using two units of forklifts, two tractors and 35 dolleys.

MASkargo general manager of cargo operations Mohd Yunus Idris said the cargo arm of Malaysia Airlines is proud to be associated with such a prestigious motorsports event and hopes this will continue in the future.

With the development of motorsports activities being given the emphasis by the Government, it is only natural for MASkargo being the nationกฆs premier air cargo carrier to lend its support to this project.

Due to our experience in providing ground handling for international motorsports such as F1 and MotoGP annually, MASkargo is able to provide seamless handling capability to the client.

This is also due to the close relationship that has been developed with all parties involved during the past few years of handling this type of shipment, he said in a statement issued in Kuala Lumpur.

The fifth round of the A1 Grand Prix will be held at the Sepang International Circuit from November 18 to 20.

MASkargo will also be flying the cars to the next leg in Dubai on November 28, using a B747-200. For the previous A1 Grand Prix leg in Australia, MASkargo flew the cars from Lisbon to Melbourne on October 26 2005.

MASkargo, ranked among the top three air cargo carriers in Asia, is the primary airline for sport shipments such as Formula 1, MotoGP and the KL Horse Grand Prix.

By FRANCIS FERNANDEZ


THE Government may announce by as early as next week a detailed structural plan to split the domestic routes between Malaysia Airlines System Bhd (MAS) and budget carrier AirAsia Bhd, sources said yesterday. MAS is South-East Asia’s largest airline by fleet size, while AirAsia is South-East Asia’s biggest discount carrier.

Mail Money was told the draft plan for sharing of domestic routes, aimed at minimising duplication, is almost ready, and that some vital details may be spelled out by as early as next Wednesday.

It is believed that under the proposed plan, AirAsia may get additional routes in Sabah and Sarawak, as well as in Penang and Langkawi. Currently, the Government subsidises local flights, which is mainly operated by MAS.

The Government is the single largest shareholder in the airline, via Penerbangan Malaysia Bhd (PMB). PMB, which owns 69 per cent of MAS, is also the parent of the company.

Rationalising the domestic routes, should help MAS to focus on overseas routes, but it will also put pressure on the carrier to act on its large work force.

As at March 2005, MAS had 22,513 people on its payroll, compared to 20,789 the same period, a year ago.

Focusing on the foreign routes should help the national carrier, but it is unlikely to work as a magic wand to revive its ailing fortunes.

For the quarter ended June 30, MAS suffered a loss of RM280.7 million, compared with a profit of RM26.6 million in the same period a year ago, after rising staff costs and costlier fuel price crushed margins.

Steep and volatile fuel prices, may result in the global airline industry posting a loss of US$7.4 billion (RM billion) this year, 23 per cent more than expected, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) said late September.


Nice article Greg!

YAY!! This is the way to go! :banana:

Hi guy...New people here...I am a Malaysian and I have observed this MALAYSIA forum for quite a long time. I hope that I can join you all ...cheers...and is anybody has the photo of airbus A380 landing at KLIA this 16 NOV?
Thanks ya

eh.. still no showing of the LCC renderings kat KLIA ker? i wonder howz itz gonna look like.


ok..heres the latest progress of LCC terminal as of today..17/11/2005

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y59/payrol/DSC01848.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y59/payrol/DSC01851.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y59/payrol/DSC01846.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y59/payrol/DSC01845.jpg

anyway, i am currently editing the Wikipedia encylopedia MALAYSIA section..is anyone willing to help me ?...I will be grateful if u can help me to update the details...everyone is welcomed to edit. Let the outer world knows more about Malaysia... :)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page

hmmm...thanx alots le


No prob :okay:

And a very warm welcome to the forums! :grouphug:

nice pics.......
anyway, i am currently editing the Wikipedia encylopedia MALAYSIA section..is anyone willing to help me ?...I will be grateful if u can help me to update the details...everyone is welcomed to edit. Let the outer world knows more about Malaysia...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page

nice pics.......
anyway, i am currently editing the Wikipedia encylopedia MALAYSIA section..is anyone willing to help me ?...I will be grateful if u can help me to update the details...everyone is welcomed to edit. Let the outer world knows more about Malaysia...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page


Maybe you could have this request better read at the Mamak subforum. This thread is for Malaysian Aviation news and I doubt you'll get much exposure here. ;)

okie...i will try

M'sia Set To Become Important Cargo Conversion Centre
Updated : 16-11-2005
Media : Bernama


PUTRAJAYA, Nov 16 (Bernama) -- Malaysia is set to become an important cargo aircraft conversion centre, says Transport Minister Datuk Seri Chan Kong Choy.

The ministry, he said, had received a number of applications to set up operations at the Malaysian International Aerospace Centre (MIAC), especially for maintenance, overhaul and repair (MRO) services.

"On top of that we have received many other proposals to do cargo conversion, that is to convert the old passenger planes into cargo planes because of the great demand for cargo planes," he told reporters after his ministry's DeepaRaya celebration gathering here Wednesday.

Chan said it was considered more economical to convert an old passenger plane into a cargo plane than to buy a new cargo plane.

So, he added, Subang would become one of the important centres for cargo conversion in the near future.

On MRO operations, Chan said the board was considering the applications.

"We have given approval for an American company, AAR Corporation, to form a joint venture with a local company to establish a regional MRO centre for landing gears in Subang," he said when asked about the progress of MIAC.

According to Chan, AAR Corporation is one the biggest MRO gear landing players in the world.

"They have made a decision to come and we have given approval for them operate and provide MRO services on the landing gear, not only for Malaysian airplanes but also those for the whole Asia-Pacific region," he said.

MIAC was officially opened by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi last August.

The proposal to redevelop the former international airport into an international aerospace centre was agreed by the Cabinet on March 2, 2005.

A consortium led by MAHB was appointed to monitor the development of the centre together with key industry players based on a conceptual plan prepared by Malaysia Industry Government Group for High Technology (MIGHT), Malaysia Airlines (MAS) and National Aerospace and Defence Industries Bhd (NADI).

Chan, in his address during the launching, said the government had adopted a National Aerospace Blueprint in 1997 that identified key initiatives to transform the country into a regional aerospace centre by 2015.

He said the MIAC would help Malaysia to position itself as a global player in the aerospace industry in the near future, adding that significant progress had been made in the industry this year.

New headquarters to boost business
Monday November 21, 2005


IN-FLIGHT entertainment providers StellarInteract made its mark on Malaysia recently when it launched its new Asian headquarters in Damansara Perdana (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=276945).

The new office is the company's third worldwide with the other two in Los Angeles and Sydney, respectively.

Having already been in business with Malaysia Airlines for the past 15 years, the new headquarters will help further propel StellarInteract's business growth.

At the launch at Luna, Menara Pan Global, yesterday, StellarInteract executive chairman Robert Lynch said that the construction of the new office was in sync with the development of Kuala Lumpur as a major hub for in-flight entertainment.

Additionally, StellarInteract's radio division, StellaRadion was also launched and it will be operating from StellarInteract's new multi-studio facility.






http://www.thestar.com.my/archives/2005/11/21/central/m_14john.jpg

From left) StellarInteract CEO John Bruckman, Lynch, Dr Ng and
StellarInteract Malaysia general manager Peter Capel during the event.






Deputy Finance Minister I Datuk Dr Ng Yen Yen said the opening of the headquarters was in line with the development of the aviation business.

“The airline industry is fast moving forward with the introduction of new aircraft such as the giant airbus A380, the airbus A350 and the Boeing 787.

“These developments will be the catalyst for other changes outside the aviation business,” she said.

She added that with the new digital system onboard, StellarInteract would be able to provide travellers with the highest standards of entertainment.

Singapore Keen To Expand Air Links With Malaysia-Report
Updated : 22-11-2005
Media : Dow Jones


SINGAPORE (Dow Jones)--Singapore government is seeking to expand air services with Malaysia, allowing more carriers to operate on the Singapore-Kuala Lumpur route, Channel NewsAsia reports.

This route is currently dominated by Singapore Airlines (S55.SG) and Malaysia Airlines (3786.KU).

"Singapore is prepared to allow other carriers from both countries to operate on the Singapore-KL route as well as to other points in Malaysia, but this would require the agreement on the Malaysian side," Minister of State for Transport, Lim Hwee Hua, said in parliament, according to the channel.

The two airlines currently operate a combined total of 13 return flights a day on this route.

WORLDWIDE HEADLINE RESULTS

Best Airlines - ASIA
1. Cathay Pacific
2. Malaysia Airlines
3. Singapore Airlines


REGIONAL AWARDS

Best Airlines - SOUTH EAST ASIA
1. Malaysia Airlines
2. Singapore Airlines
3. Thai Airways

BEST LOW-COST AIRLINES

Best low-fare airlines : ASIA
1. Air Asia
2. Valuair
3. Nok Air

BEST IN CLASS

Best First Class (intercontinental)
1. Cathay Pacific
2. Singapore Airlines
3. Malaysia Airlines


Best Economy Class (intercontinental)
1. Malaysia Airlines
2. Emirates
3. Singapore Airlines

Source : airline quality (http://www.airlinequality.com/2005/airline-05-ent.htm)

Taiko picked as Cessna sales rep for M'sia, S'pore and Brunei
05 Dec 2005 4:53 PM


http://www.theedgedaily.com/cms/storage/images/com.tms.cms.image.Image_fa1f4a4c-cb73c03a-df4bfc00-59d94cc9/1/Cessna-Citation-X_inside.jpg


Malaysia's Taiko group has been selected as Cessna Aircraft Company's authorised sales representatives (ASR) for Citation business jets in Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei.

In a statement on Dec 5, Taiko said it would use its aviation division to market Cessna's complete Citation product line.

Taiko group has diversified interests in activated clays, high-density polyethylene drums, general aviation, property development, plantations and chemical trading. It has substantial interests in over 150 private companies.

Capt Lawrence Tiong, president of Taiko’s aviation division, said: “We are delighted that Taiko has been chosen to represent Cessna Aircraft Company as an ASR for the region and we are confident that we will deliver added value to Cessna’s important and growing Southeast Asia customer base.”

Tiong said to better serve its regional customers, the company planned to expand the size of its recently completed hangar facilities at Sultan Abdul Aziz airport in Subang. The hangar also will serve as Taiko Aviation division’s sales and marketing offices.

“Globally, the number of people flying on private jets has increased dramatically and the idea is really catching on in Asia.

"Business aircraft, either by ownership or chartering, represents a more viable alternative to the traditional constraints of domestic airline schedules and limited destinations.

“There is a Citation business jet to accommodate the travel needs of all our customers, whether those needs are corporate, charter, or single operator,” he said.

In a recent visit to Kuala Lumpur, Robert Hollander, Citation sales director for Cessna - Asia-Pacific said: “There is an increasing interest and demand for the entire Cessna business aircraft line within the region that warrants a local, Cessna authorised sales representative."

He said Taiko's appointment in this region was indicative of Cessna’s firm commitment to supporting its growing Asia-Pacific customer base.

"With its extensive business network and management capabilities, we are confident that Taiko will do an outstanding job of serving its customers,” said Hollander.

Cessna Aircraft Company is a subsidiary of Textron Inc, a US$10 billion (RM37.78 billion) multi-industry company with more than 43,000 employees in 40 countries.

Textron is known for its brands such as Bell Helicopter, Cessna Aircraft, Kautex, Lycoming, E-Z-GO and Greenlee.

For more on Cessna Aircraft Company, visit www.cessna.com

New Straits Times 5/12/2005

Malaysia will not allow more Kuala Lumpur-Singapore shuttle flights ahead of the Asean "open skies" policy which will come into effect in 2008.

This route is one of the most lucrative for Malaysia Airlines (MAS), which operates 14 flights a day, and Singapore Airlines (SIA) which operates 12 flights.

The yield from this sector for both airlines is very high because of the virtual monopoly they enjoy. The flights are almost always full.

Between them, both national carriers now account for 182 of the 213 weekly flights or a staggering 85 per cent of the market share for the KL-Singapore route.

Recently, however, there have been calls in the Singapore newspapers to "open" the route to other airlines or increase the frequency in view of growing demand for seats.

But Malaysia is not in favour because the benefits accruing to MAS from liberalising the route will be limited.

"SIA and possibly SilkAir will be able to fly to Kuala Lumpur and several other destinations in Malaysia when all present restrictions on passenger flights between Asean capital cities are lifted by 2008.

"But for MAS, Singapore will remain just one destination. The benefits derived from liberalisation will not be the same.

"Under the circumstances, Malaysia has no choice but to stick to the present schedule of the KL-Singapore shuttle flight," said a transport ministry official here.

The present air traffic rights between the two countries are governed by the Singapore-Malaysia Air Services Agreement (ASA) signed in 1980. All provision for flights under this deal have been used up.

But MAS and SIA can introduce additional flights other than those allowed under ASA under the "revenue pool" agreed by both airlines.

This is a commercial arrangement under which SIA must share 50 per cent of all net revenue with MAS.

Singapore’s Ministry of Transport, while acknowledging the need for more competition, said it would be happy to see more carriers, including low-cost budget airlines, offer services on this route.

"However, this would require Malaysia to agree to liberalise the ASA to allow more carriers and flights by both sides," said the ministry’s assistant director of corporate communications Cindy Lim.

In a letter to the Straits Times recently, she said Singapore had always practised a liberal air transport policy. "We warmly welcome all foreign airlines, including Air Asia, to fly to Singapore, in open competition with our own carriers," she added.

Despite the availability of several multi-mode travel options between Malaysia and Singapore, direct air services are still the preferred option.

A round trip economy class airfare from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore now costs RM713 compared with S$416 (RM930) from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur.

New Straits Times 5/12/2005

The yield from this sector for both airlines is very high because of the virtual monopoly they enjoy. The flights are almost always full.

But Malaysia is not in favour because the benefits accruing to MAS from liberalising the route will be limited.

A round trip economy class airfare from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore now costs RM713 compared with S$416 (RM930) from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur.

Not a big shock, I've said it before on the MAS thread, generally the only way Malaysian GLC's have been able to make profits is if the government distorts the market in their favour. Exactly what they're doing right now protecting the KUL-SIN shuttles. I hope everyone understands that the ones who are not benefitting, who are worse of are the Malaysians and Singaporeans. Look at those insanely high artificial fares. It'll be cheaper to fly via Bangkok with Airasia from Singapore i.e. SIN-BKK-KUL than it is to do a direct SIN-KUL route, how silly is that?

Eurocopter to double Malaysia investment
By Hsu Chuang Khoo, 06 Dec 2005 4:10 PM


Eurocopter, the world's largest civilian helicopter company, is doubling investment in Malaysia to meet growing demand from oil and gas firms seeking newer, faster craft, the firm's Malaysian chief said on Dec 6.

Oil companies are increasing exploration efforts across Southeast Asia in response to rising demand for oil from booming economies like India and China. That has helped companies such as Eurocopter that form part of the oil industry's support network.

Eurocopter aims to spend RM25 million to 2007, or double its current investment, to add local maintenance and support units in the towns of Kota Bahru, Kota Kinabalu and Kuching to meet demand, Philippe Lubrano, the firm's managing director in Malaysia, told Reuters in an interview.

"The oil and gas sector is driving demand -- there is a massive replacement market taking place in the joint development area of Thailand and Malaysia right now," Lubrano said at a defence air show in Langkawi.

"There is a huge concern on the age of the choppers; oil and gas companies now realise that helicopters are changing in terms of support and performance."

Eurocopter is a sister company of commercial aircraft maker Airbus and a wholly owned unit of European aerospace and defense company EADS

Eurocopter's main client in Malaysia is privately owned Malaysia Helicopter Services (MHS), which supplies and supports choppers to oil companies such as state oil and gas firm Petronas, Lubrano said.

Eurocopter is in advanced talks with MHS to sell it four top-of-the-range ES225 helicopters, which have a list price of US$18 million (RM68 million) each, he added. The company expects to book the sales in 2006.

The choppers have a passenger capacity of 24 and can cruise at 261km per hour fully loaded, Eurocopter product brochures show.

During Eurocopter's first 12 months of operations in Malaysia in 2004, the firm sold 12 craft and booked revenues of RM67 million.

This year, sales rose almost five-fold to RM300 million, including proceeds from the sale of 19 craft, he said.

The firm began operations with 60 staff, and will more than double its headcount to 150 next year, he added. - Reuters

Sepang F1 circuit

http://www.pbase.com/somynex/image/41108375.jpg

http://www.pbase.com/somynex/image/41108352.jpg

Not a big shock, I've said it before on the MAS thread, generally the only way Malaysian GLC's have been able to make profits is if the government distorts the market in their favour. Exactly what they're doing right now protecting the KUL-SIN shuttles. I hope everyone understands that the ones who are not benefitting, who are worse of are the Malaysians and Singaporeans. Look at those insanely high artificial fares. It'll be cheaper to fly via Bangkok with Airasia from Singapore i.e. SIN-BKK-KUL than it is to do a direct SIN-KUL route, how silly is that?

There is very wrong with the short sighted protectionists policy - killing MAS and KLIA.
We need a aggressive entrepreneur (like air asia) to run them
Building a stronger immune system by opening up for competition!

Work on airport to start early next year

BY CHRISTINA TAN

WORK to expand the runway of Batu Berendam Airport in Malacca will start early next year, Transport Minister Datuk Seri Chan Kong Choy said.

“Everything is going smoothly so far. Once the expansion of the runway is completed, the airport will be able to handle Boeing 737 and Airbus A320 aircraft,” he said after a dinner organised by Bukit Katil MCA division recently.

He said the RM120mil project would boost Malacca’s tourism industry further.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam said the master plan of the expansion project had been completed and work could begin soon.

“We are waiting for approval of the master plan and the engagement of contractors by the Transport Ministry.

“The works can start right after we received the green light,” he said after launching the new manufacturing plant of Impressive Edge Group Berhad in Cheng on the same day.

He said state government had completed land acquisition work for the project.

The expansion project was expected to take one and a half years to two years to complete.

Mohd Ali said the airport would be upgraded to an international airport, which could handle fights from South-east Asia, China and India.

“Airasia, Malaysia Airlines and Indian Airlines are expected to land here,” he said, adding that the state would also welcome Singapore Airlines to land in Malacca.

Air Transport forecasts
Source : International Air Transport Association (http://www.iata.org/index.htm) (IATA)

http://img485.imageshack.us/img485/1237/87254238vh.jpg

http://img485.imageshack.us/img485/4276/422142zs.jpg

ASSB To Invest US$20 Mln To Build Global MRO Centre In M'sia
By Hsu Chuang Khoo, 06 Dec 2005 4:10 PM


SHAH ALAM, Jan 5 (Bernama) -- Aero Blade Repair Joint Venture Airfoil Services Sdn Bhd (ASSB) will invest US$20 million to build a global integrated centre of excellence for aircraft airfoil services, which will be a first in Malaysia's aviation business.

The facility to be located on 5.9-acre site in Science Park 1, Kota Damansara, Selangor, is expected to start operations by early 2007.

ASSB is a joint venture between Lufthansa Technik (LHT) and MTU Aero Engines.

Its managing director Detlev Jeske said both LHT and MTU planned to significantly expand their second generation airfoil services in Malaysia by introducing new repair technologies via ASSB.

"This will generate significant additional business volume," he told reporters after the signing ceremony of a lease agreement between Perbadanan Kemajuan Negeri Selangor (PKNS) and ASSB here Thursday.

The event was witnessed by SSIC Bhd's general manager Datuk Mohd Jabar Ahmad Kembali.

ASSB has been operating since 1991 in Section 27, Shah Alam, with its main activities focusing on the maintenance and servicing of the components being used in the aerospace industry.

Its headquarters has plans to expand its activities to components manufacturing as well as research and development with the intended investment totalling about US$38 million.

ASSB's intention was forwarded by SSIC to the Selangor State Government and received approval on the additional investment in the Science Park, which is under the supervision of PKNS.

Jeske said LHT and MTU had chosen Malaysia for its expansion because of its strategic location with high potential employees and stable wage rates.

LHT, a 100 percent subsidiary of the Lufthansa aviation group, is by revenue the largest service provider for aero engine maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) worldwide.

MTU is Germany's leading engine manufacturer and the world's largest independent provider of commercial engine services.

Jeske said the investment was also for specialised training of local skilled employees.

He said the project was expected to generate 235 highly qualified new jobs in the aerospace industry and provide opportunities for the supplier industry.

Touching on the growth of ASSB, Jeske said the company expected its turnover to increase by four-fold once the new facility was completed.

He added that for 2004, ASSB's turnover was US$5 million.

Jeske said the new operations would boost regional demand for high-technology processes, machinery and equipment.

He said Malaysia also stood to gain as it would have access to unique and new aerospace technology and know-how in terms of technology transfer.

Airfoils from major engines will be repaired using high-technology processes at ASSB.

These include GE engine parts, CFMI engine parts, IAE engine parts and in future, Rolls Royce engine parts.

Previously, MTU and Lufthansa had announced that ASSB would expand not only in turbine blades and vanes but also in compressor blades and vanes of different types of engine.

Direct flight from Penang to Chengdu
Friday January 6, 2006


MALAYSIANS can now fly direct to Chengdu in China from Penang from Chinese New Year on Jan 29.

The direct flight by Air China was introduced and endorsed by the state government and the Sichuan province.

The 6D/5N package includes a two-day stay in Langkawi (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=189901&page=4).

State Tourism Development and Environment Committee chairman Teng Chang Yeow said the charter flight from Penang to Chengdu would later be made a permanent route for the airline.

“We hope to woo more China travellers to Penang,” he said.

The flight, he added, was cheaper and would save about six hours of flying time.

The Air China maiden flight to Chengdu will depart Penang at 12.40pm on Jan 29 and arrive there about four hours later. The return flight will depart Chengdu at 11.20pm on Feb 3 and reach here at 3.30am the next day.

On another matter, Teng said the national-level Chinese New Year open house jointly organised by the Culture, Arts and Heritage Ministry and Penang government would be held in George Town on Feb 4.

Airbus A380 at KL Airport
by palangsi

http://static.flickr.com/34/64686372_95088f2e5c_b.jpg

Direct flight from Penang to Chengdu
Friday January 6, 2006


MALAYSIANS can now fly direct to Chengdu in China from Penang from Chinese New Year on Jan 29.

The direct flight by Air China was introduced and endorsed by the state government and the Sichuan province.

The 6D/5N package includes a two-day stay in Langkawi (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=189901&page=4).

State Tourism Development and Environment Committee chairman Teng Chang Yeow said the charter flight from Penang to Chengdu would later be made a permanent route for the airline.

“We hope to woo more China travellers to Penang,” he said.

The flight, he added, was cheaper and would save about six hours of flying time.

The Air China maiden flight to Chengdu will depart Penang at 12.40pm on Jan 29 and arrive there about four hours later. The return flight will depart Chengdu at 11.20pm on Feb 3 and reach here at 3.30am the next day.

On another matter, Teng said the national-level Chinese New Year open house jointly organised by the Culture, Arts and Heritage Ministry and Penang government would be held in George Town on Feb 4.

Well the reporters better get their facts right. There is an existing scheduled service by China Eastern Airlines on that route. However, the frequency is only once a week. This flight is not a new service. It merely complements the exising service. Penang already has scheduled air links with four other chinese cities(hong kong, xiamen, guangzhou and taipei). Hong Kong and Taipei are served by daily flights whereas Guangzhou and Xiamen are served by thrice weekly flights. I think there are demands for flights to Beijing and Shaghai as well. I dont know when are they going to launch it. I am very unhappy about the fact that MAS cancelled all their international flights from Penang (especially Chennai , Tokyo, Nagoya and Osaka)because they want to strengthen KLIA as an international hub. There are demands for those flights. All international flights out of Penang is operated by foreign carriers (except Singapore and London)although the MH code will appear in some of them. However, that doesnt count because MAS is not using their planes for those routes.

not sure the pax demand between Penang to China's cities..
but recently Korean Air reduced the frequency between Incheon and Penang to 2x weekly...
but MH007 is doing very well .LHR-PEN-KUL route..

not sure the pax demand between Penang to China's cities..
but recently Korean Air reduced the frequency between Incheon and Penang to 2x weekly...
but MH007 is doing very well .LHR-PEN-KUL route..

woah, MH's bond flights are doing well! Thats good news! What about the other LHR-KUL flight via LGK, how's that doing? or has it been terminated?

woah, MH's bond flights are doing well! Thats good news! What about the other LHR-KUL flight via LGK, how's that doing? or has it been terminated?

MAS actually terminated Kansai - LGK services because of low pax. I wouldnt know how well the LHR - LGK flights are performing. I still cant understand why the LHR - LGK and LHR - PEN are one way flights. There are no PEN - LHR or LGK - LHR flights. What's the rationale of doing that. Langkawi lacks international flights big time. The only international destinations from LGK are SIN and LHR whereas penang has about than 10(Medan, Singapore, Bangkok, Hong Kong, Taipei, Kunming, Guangzhou, Xiamen, Seoul , London.There were more before MAS suspended it's international connections from PEN and leave them to foreign carriers.

Transmile targets more China destinations
Updated : 21-01-2006
Media : The Star
Story By : KATHY FONG



SHANGHAI: Transmile (http://www.transmile.com/) Group Bhd is targeting more destinations in China in a bid to tap one of the world's fastest growing air-cargo markets.

Besides Shenzhen, the air-cargo service provider now flew to Chongqing from Kuala Lumpur via Bangkok, a Transmile spokesman said, adding that Shanghai would be the next destination on the mainland.

The three landing points will enable Transmile to cover the southern, central and eastern parts of China. Shenzhen and Shanghai are important logistic centres that cater to the nearby large manufacturing zones.

¡§We believe China is a market whose potential we can't afford to ignore,¡¨ the spokesman told StarBiz.

Last year, China Southern Airline's cargo volume soared 42% to 774,550 tonnes while China Air's rose 10% to 732,817 tonnes.

Transmile started its maiden flight from Chongqing to KL on Monday. This is the first and only direct cargo flight service from the city to South-East Asia.

Chongqing is a centre for iron and steel production, motorcycle manufacturing and shipbuilding, as well as for the chemical and pharmaceutical sectors. It is seen as a gateway to the west of China, which is still relatively undeveloped.

Transmile believes there is potential for air-cargo service in central and inner China. It has earmarked Chongqing as the base from which to serve inland China.

However, the company reckons it would take some time to develop this market. With the strong support from the Chongqing government, we believe we will be able to develop this market quickly and increase our service frequency,¡¨ the spokesman said.

International courier service groups such as DHL and UPS are reportedly interested in setting up operations in Chongqing following the relaxation of the city's navigation rights. Additionally, the central government now allows foreigners to fully own air transport companies in China.

Over the past two years, Transmile has made great efforts to expand its coverage beyond South-East Asia.

Transmile has started flying to the United States via Hong Kong, taking advantage of the fifth freedom rights (the right to take traffic from one foreign point to another foreign point as part of a continuous operation to and from its home base) to Los Angeles last year. It has also begun flights to Bangalore and Madras in India.

Transmile's earnings are growing in tandem with its expansion.

The group's pre-tax profit nearly tripled from RM30.9mil in 2001 to RM86.6mil in 2004. Its revenue surged to RM346.2mil from RM180.7mil during the period.

For the nine months ended Sept 30, Transmile posted a pre-tax profit of RM56.9mil on turnover of RM299.5mil.

Earning per share rose to 19.67 sen from 15.32 sen in the previous corresponding period.

The group attributed the strong earnings growth to the brisk trade volume in the region coupled with the wide adoption of the just-in-time¡¨ concept and outsourcing in the manufacturing sector, which required time-sensitive freight service.

The rise in earnings has lifted its share price substantially. The stock, which was traded at RM8.85 a year ago, climbed to a record high of RM11.30 last Monday. It closed at RM11 yesterday.

Analysts who track the counter are optimistic about Transmile's prospects, although its earnings in first three quarters fell short of their forecasts.

Many are anticipating a good set of results in the fourth quarter with the four newly acquired MD-11 aircraft.

Nonetheless, some are cautious in view of the high fuel prices and the group's large borrowings.

http://images.airliners.net/photos/photos/0/5/2/967250.jpg

AirAsia - Boeing 737
by M Radzi Desa

http://images.airliners.net/photos/photos/0/6/2/989260.jpg

Airbus A320
by JKSC

http://images.airliners.net/photos/photos/6/2/8/988826.jpg

Boeing 777
by Raymond Ngu

http://images.airliners.net/photos/photos/2/3/5/965532.jpg

Airbus A380
by JKSC

http://images.airliners.net/photos/photos/9/4/0/961049.jpg

Boeing 747
by TK

http://images.airliners.net/photos/photos/5/3/3/933335.jpg

Boeing 777
by TK

http://images.airliners.net/photos/photos/2/9/7/815792.jpg

Garuda terminates KL-Jogjakarta service
By KANG SIEW LI
February 2 2006


INDONESIAN flag carrier Garuda Indonesia has terminated its direct flights between Kuala Lumpur and Jogjakarta in favour of a new service.

It has replaced the thrice-weekly direct flights with daily flights via Singapore.


Garuda Indonesia general manager for Malaysia, Ryanto A. Winarso, said the carrier started offering the new service from January 12 this year.

"For starters, we are using a Boeing 737-300, which consists of 16 business class and 94 economy class seats.

"But if the passenger traffic grows, we may change to the bigger B737-400," Ryanto told Business Times recently.

He said the carrier has studied the traffic from Kuala Lumpur to Jogjakarta and found it promising.

However, due to the limited aircraft available, it decided to combine flights of Kuala Lumpur and Singapore to offer daily flights to Jogjakarta.

Ryanto said the carrier has been enjoying a passenger load factor (the number of seats filled) of 85 per cent on the Kuala Lumpur-Jogjakarta sector and 60 per cent on the Jogjakarta-Kuala Lumpur sector.

"Currently, 60 per cent of the total passengers who fly from Kuala Lumpur to Jogjakarta are Indonesian workers, with 30 per cent leisure travellers and the rest business, student and those who visit friends and relatives.

"However, we hope to increase the number of business and leisure travellers on our flights soon," he added.

To attract Malaysians to Jogjakarta, Ryanto said the carrier plans to promote the city as a second alternative destination in Indonesia after Bali.

Jogjakarta is located in central Java and is home to a thriving handicrafts market, the Borobudur Buddhist temple, Prambanan Temple and Merapi Volcano, among others.

It is also popular among students from Malaysia who attend the Gajah Mada University.




http://www.btimes.com.my/Current_News/BT/Thursday/Corporate/BT543613.txt/Article/Current_News/BT/Images/dailyn/garuda.jpg




Apart from Jogjakarta, Garuda Indonesia operates daily flights from Kuala Lumpur to Jakarta and thrice-weekly flights from Kuala Lumpur to Surabaya.

It also code-shares with Malaysia Airlines, which offers thrice-daily flights between Kuala Lumpur and Jakarta and 11 times a week between Kuala Lumpur and Surabaya.

Airport expansion works to start next month


MALACCA, Mon.

Work on the much-anticipated expansion of the Batu Berendam airport will commence next month, Transport Minister Datuk Seri Chan Kong Choy said today.

Chan said the concept and design of the upgraded airport had been completed and the ministry was now in final talks with the contractor on the cost of the project.

"The project is budgeted at RM120 million and we expect it to be completed within 18 months," said Chan after a meeting with Malacca Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam at his official residence in Ayer Keroh.

Chan also thanked Ali for helping the ministry in reclaiming land in Batu Berendam for the project.

Chan said the expansion would include a new terminal and a longer runway to accommodate larger aircraft like the Boeing 737 and Airbus A320.

yerp...cant wait for the Batu Berendam project..i try do full coverage for this project later on..
the company i work with just completed on the Batu Berendam Runway analysis last week..just to evaluate the runway strength of the airport..

here's the photo of the machinery ..Heavy weight deflectometer ( HWD )

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y59/payrol/DSC05458.jpg
this photo taken during analysis at KLIA for the Airbus A380 last June..

^^ Wah Cool! They use Rexton!!! :eek: :D

That shows Diesel cars got lotsa torque hehehehe :D

Should use Juara! :D

yerp...cant wait for the Batu Berendam project..i try do full coverage for this project later on..
u have any renderings? hope it wont be another KLIA copy-cat..

BBIA Badak.. ehh silap, Batu Berendam Intl Airport aka BIBIK Airport ;)

No offense here but I didn't even know malacca had an airport! :runaway:

isn't malacca The place for training pilots? I got a friend who got trained there

No offense here but I didn't even know malacca had an airport! :runaway:

Well I am not suprise...

It is a small and old airport. It was build by the Japs during WW2 for military use before converted into a commercial airport post WW2.

musang...i dont have the renderings..but i'll try to post updates if there's any...wonder who's the contractor....

guys..actually there are commercial flight to/from Batu Berendam Airport..
Riau Airlines of Indonesia serves the airport 5x a week with their Fokker 50 and Berjaya Air serves the airport 4x a week

Gulf Air Keen To Form Partnership With MAS


KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 16 (Bernama) -- International airline Gulf Air is keen to form a partnership with Malaysia Airlines (MAS) in a move to offer more benefits to customers.

"It has been going on for the past couple of years. We are still continuing a dialogue with MAS to find how we can work with them," said Gulf Air president and chief executive officer James Hogan who was on a visit to Malaysia.

"What is important to me is how we can offer customers more than a destination and be able to operate in Kuala Lumpur," he said.

"That is the type of scenario we are going to discuss with airlines like Malaysia Airlines. The opportunity is there and the thinking is wide," he told reporters at a media briefing on Gulf Air's plans and strategy for Malaysia here Thursday.

Also present was the airline's general manager for Asia Pacific, John Verhelst, head of global alliances and schedule distribution, Adam Philips, and general manager for Malaysia and Brunei, W. Lindsay White.

The Bahrain-based airline announced a new service for direct flights between Kuala Lumpur and Muscat, Oman, beginning March 28 this year.

The move, Hogan said, was part of the company's ongoing development network in response to the customers' preference for increased, non-stop and frequent access to growing business and leisure destinations.

White said the direct flights were also part of the airline's expansion plan to improve its flight connections from Kuala Lumpur to popular regional and international routes like the Middle East, South Africa and Europe.

"With the growing bilateral relations between Malaysia and the Gulf in business and tourism, we believe that the time is right to refocus on our Middle East and European destinations," he said.

White said the airline aimed to capture more of the corporate market consisting of frequent business travellers and first-class passengers while continuing to serve the leisure market.

"With the direct service to Muscat, we envisage the development of Oman as a key gateway to the Gulf region and Europe. The recently launched new services to Dublin and Johannesburg from Bahrain will further open up new leisure destinations to the Malaysian market," he added.

The new Kuala Lumpur-Muscat service will start with three flights per week on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

On another development, Hogan said Gulf Air expects to conclude the arranged funding for the US$900 million investment to replace its nine ageing Boeing 767s by May this year.

He said that this was part of the strategy to recapitalise the airline.

Earlier this year, Gulf Air unveiled its new three-year plan following the board reorganisation after the withdrawal of one of its shareholders, the Abu Dhabi government.

The airline now is jointly owned by the goverments of Bahrain and Oman.

"The new two-hub strategy will result in significant cost reductions and bring major improvements to our key operational indicators, including punctuality, as well as greater fleet flexibility and an even more effective set of connections," Hogan said.

"The airline will reinforce its position as a world-class service brand with the strongest regional network in the Middle East," he said.

Gulf Air's network stretches from Europe to Asia and covers 44 cities in 30 countries and its fleet comprises 34 aircraft.

Three More Asian Airlines Confirm Investigations
16-02-2006

SEOUL (AP)--Three more Asian airlines confirmed Thursday they were being probed amid an investigation by U.S., European and Asian regulators into alleged collusion in the air cargo industry to fix prices on surcharges for fuel, security and insurance.

South Korea's Asiana Airlines Inc. (020560.KQ), Japan's Nippon Cargo Airlines Co. and Singapore Airlines Ltd. (S55.SG) all said they had either been visited or contacted by regulators or court officials this week.

Singapore Airlines said in a statement Thursday that its cargo division had "received requests for information from the U.S. and European authorities, and has provided the information sought. SIA Cargo will cooperate fully with the authorities."

Asiana confirmed its offices in Seoul were visited and documents were inspected by South Korean antitrust authorities on Tuesday, according to spokesman Jason Kim.

Nippon Cargo Airlines said officials from the U.S. District Court of the District of Columbia left papers at the company's office at New York's John F. Kennedy airport Tuesday to appear at the court by April, according to spokesman Yuhei Yamashita. The papers did not say why they were being asked to show up, he said.

Japan Airlines Corp., Nippon Cargo and All Nippon Airways said they have not been contacted by Japanese regulators so far.

Kim Joo-hyuck, a spokesman at the Korea Fair Trade Commission, refused to provide the names of airlines investigated Tuesday in South Korea. The commission released a brief statement on Wednesday saying checks of local and foreign airlines took place in cooperation with similar actions by authorities in the United States and Europe.

Korean Air Co., South Korea's largest airline and the world's biggest international cargo carrier, confirmed Wednesday only that commission officials visited the airline. Calls to the airline's corporate communications department went unanswered all day Thursday.

Japan Airlines spokesman Yoshiteru Suzuki said the airline was searched and questioned Tuesday in Frankfurt and New York by EU antitrust authorities, U.S. Justice Department anti-monopoly officials and the FBI.

The investigation was about cargo operations and seemed to be based on suspicions of a cartel, he said.

For the October-December quarter of 2005, JAL's revenue in international cargo totaled Y53.2 billion yen - nearly 10% of overall revenue for that period.

With details of the probe still unclear, analysts in Asia were reluctant to speculate about what the impact on the industry might be.

"We're not even sure what's prompting the regulators to get upset," said Peter Hilton, regional transport analyst at Credit Suisse in Hong Kong. "It's clearly an issue that warrents monitoring for sure."

Kim Seung-chul, an analyst at Kyobo Securities in Seoul, cautioned, however, that for airlines like Korean Air and Asiana where cargo operations account for a significant amount of total sales, penalties could have an impact on profitability.

The 17-member Association of Asia Pacific Airlines based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, said the regional airlines with the highest percentage of cargo revenue as a portion of total sales in 2004 were Eva Air and China Airlines, both of Taiwan, at 46.6% and 43.5 percent, respectively.

They were followed by Korean Air at 32.7 percent, Asiana at 29% and Cathay Pacific at 28.5 percent.

KUCHING: Nearly 40 flights were affected following the temporary closure of the Kuching International Airport after the nose wheel of an Airbus 330 slipped off the runway.

None of the 282 passengers and 18 crew onboard flight MH2507 were hurt during the incident at 11.22am yesterday.

Deputy Transport Minister Datuk Douglas Uggah, who was onboard the aircraft that was supposed to depart for Kuala Lumpur, said none of the passengers panicked when the aircraft stalled.

“The passengers were calm and very patient. The support team came 15 minutes later,” he told reporters.

All the passengers and cabin crew were evacuated from the aircraft in MAS vans in less than 30 minutes.

The runway was reopened after the Airbus was towed away at about 3.30pm. The first plane left for Sibu at 4pm.

Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Alfred Jabu said the aircraft was making a U-turn to prepare for take-off when its nose wheel slipped out of the runway.

He said 16 incoming flights were delayed and one cancelled while 18 departing flights were re-timed and two cancelled due to the mishap.

Jabu said an investigation team from the Department of Civil Aviation would conduct a full inquiry into the incident.

http://www.thestar.com.my/archives/2006/2/20/nation/n_25mas.jpg
LOOKING FOR CLUES: Officials and workers taking a closer look at the section where the nose wheel is supposed to be to find out what went wrong at the Kuching International Airport yesterday. — Bernamapic

what are the chances that AirAsia might fly KL-DARWIN? or KL-PERTH?

Valuair was the last LCC in the region to operate the Perth sector, as we all know, Valuair doesn't exist anymore, it was gobbled up whole by Jetstar asia. Valuair did suspend flights to Perth and in its new merged form, Jetstar asia does not fly to Perth.

Tiger Air however does fly SIN-Darwin. Round trip would cost about SGD377.
The reason I ask is because cheapskates, backpackers and especially students, are very price sensitive and considering the large Malaysian student population and the consistently high fares MAS extorts, I'd say Air Asia could make a killing flying to Darwin. Whereby Students can fly to their respective Australian cities via Australian LCC's like Virginblue or Jetstar proper. According to my calculations from the respective LCC websites, a SIN-DAR-BNE for example with Tigerair and connecting with Virgin would cost about roughly AUD$ 700, much cheaper than what MAS offers, I remember the last time I took MAS cattle class, it ended up being AUD$1200 for a BNE-KUL-BNE sector, this was before the LCC phenomena in the region.

So Cheapskate Malaysians, students in particular, if you're kinda broke and longing for our tanah air over the holidays, Try the (SYD/BNE/MEL/PER)-DRW-SIN route, then connect with a KTM train or the numerous bus services from Singapore to various towns and cities on the peninsula, there are bus services from Singapore to Alor Setar and Kota Bahru for example. The whole journey will take longer, will be more hassle, but might possibly save you hundreds of dollars, that could be wisely spent on student needs. Besides its not the destination that matters, its how you get there, the journey.

Anyways I know some Malaysians who take SIA because they were far cheaper than MAS and connected with bus services out of Singapore or had their relatives pick them up from Changi.

So if someone works in the Malaysian aviation sector, AirAsia in particular or are chums and bussom buddies with Tony Fernandes, could they pass this idea along, atleast explore the possibility and opportunity. I can see this being very popular with large Malaysian community specifically the Malaysian students, it'll help ease the financial burden on their parents.

P.S. I'll be transitting KUL from VIE on the way to SYD, will have some transit time to kill so anyone up for teh?

i'm not sure about the service from KL-Perth will ever materialised, cause it will take about more than 5 hrs at least by A320
...Air Asia range is only for flight not more than 3hrs..and the furthest at the mo. is to Macau.
but the idea of KL-Darwin is great!! and maybe Air Asia can start service from Jakarta - Perth
my 2cents, ;)

i'm not sure about the service from KL-Perth will ever materialised, cause it will take about more than 5 hrs at least by A320
...Air Asia range is only for flight not more than 3hrs..and the furthest at the mo. is to Macau.
but the idea of KL-Darwin is great!! and maybe Air Asia can start service from Jakarta - Perth
my 2cents, ;)


Yeah, KUL-Perth might be wishful thinking. Valuair flew SIN-PER on a flight that took 6 hours, whilst SIA does the same flight for 4 hrs. The main problem was ETOP's for Valuair's A320's. Valuair's A320's had to fly large portions of the sector over the Australian mainland, whilst SIA's 777's did not face this restriction.

But anyways fairul, CGK-PER with Indo AirAsia might be possible, closer distances, Garuda does the Perth route with a baby Boeing 737 for example.
Besides if Air Asia fly KUL-Macau, then atleast KUL-Darwin might be do able right?

Demands for Indonesia - Australia flights will not be as high as demands for malaysia-Australia flights. Jakarta doesnt even have daily flights to Melbourne or Sydney whereas there are multiple flights between KL/SIN and SYD/MEL. Indonesian citizens always face a absurdly difficult when it comes to getting an Australian visa. I have an indonesian friend who is an Australian PR and his mum waited for 2 months before her tourist visa was granted. He also told me that 80% of all passengers on Indo - Aus flights are Australian citizens whereas the proportion is more even on Malaysia australia flights. This is not a fair policy on behalf of the Australian government but what can we do? Things will only get more difficult in the wake of the second bali bombing

Yeah, KUL-Perth might be wishful thinking. Valuair flew SIN-PER on a flight that took 6 hours, whilst SIA does the same flight for 4 hrs. The main problem was ETOP's for Valuair's A320's. Valuair's A320's had to fly large portions of the sector over the Australian mainland, whilst SIA's 777's did not face this restriction.

But anyways fairul, CGK-PER with Indo AirAsia might be possible, closer distances, Garuda does the Perth route with a baby Boeing 737 for example.
Besides if Air Asia fly KUL-Macau, then atleast KUL-Darwin might be do able right?


Valuair's SIN-Perth took 6hrs..with no PTV ..I couldnt survive on such flight..hehehe....

i do think that Air Asia will deploy their new Airbus to tap Indian market...not sure when its gonna start though...

my wishlist for Indo Air Asia
CGK-PER
CGK- DRW
DPS - PER

Valuair's SIN-Perth took 6hrs..with no PTV ..I couldnt survive on such flight..hehehe....




Well.....considering that I've suffered a Taipei-LAX leg without PTV I think 6 hrs are peanut :lol:


ANyway I would probably not sleep the night before or something like that so I could sleep my way thru :D

Well.....considering that I've suffered a Taipei-LAX leg without PTV I think 6 hrs are peanut :lol:


ANyway I would probably not sleep the night before or something like that so I could sleep my way thru :D

I've suffered a 12 hour KLM leg from AMS to KUL, doesn't bother me too much, the lack of PTV's give me time to explore other entertainment opportunities, like a good book or chatting up some hot flight attendants.

Well.....considering that I've suffered a Taipei-LAX leg without PTV I think 6 hrs are peanut :lol:

ANyway I would probably not sleep the night before or something like that so I could sleep my way thru :D


I've suffered a 12 hour KLM leg from AMS to KUL, doesn't bother me too much, the lack of PTV's give me time to explore other entertainment opportunities, like a good book or chatting up some hot flight attendants.

if its on a 747-400 i wouldnt mind though but its A320 and its a little bit cramped and whatnot for a 6hrs flight?...don't you guys think?

Sze, what carrier did you use for the TPE-LAX route? if there's no PTV i dont think that you use MAS right?

if its on a 747-400 i wouldnt mind though but its A320 and its a little bit cramped and whatnot for a 6hrs flight?...don't you guys think?

Sze, what carrier did you use for the TPE-LAX route? if there's no PTV i dont think that you use MAS right?


it should be either China airlines or United. MAS has PTV's on all seats for flights to US, Europe and most destinations in AUS. I think most of MAS A330 only has PTV for business class but they are mostly used on regional routes in Asia. Dont ever fly China airlines though. I and my cousin flew different airlines to Honululu from Taipei recently and there is a world of difference. I flew Eva Air and he flew China Airlines. Eva Air has PTV on all seats whereas China Airlines used very old aircrafts and all they showed was some louzy movies on their mainsreen TV. If you want to be assured of PTV. Fly any of the three airlines below

Cathay Pacific, Singapore Airlines , Eva Air

These airlines have very new planes and all of them were fitted with PTV on all seats. I've flown with them many times. In fact, the smallest plane operated by those airlines is an Airbus 330. I think Emirates might be one of them as well but i cannot be 100% sure coz i've never been on their planes.

it should be either China airlines or United. MAS has PTV's on all seats for flights to US, Europe and most destinations in AUS. I think most of MAS A330 only has PTV for business class but they are mostly used on regional routes in Asia. Dont ever fly China airlines though. I and my cousin flew different airlines to Honululu from Taipei recently and there is a world of difference. I flew Eva Air and he flew China Airlines. Eva Air has PTV on all seats whereas China Airlines used very old aircrafts and all they showed was some louzy movies on their mainsreen TV. If you want to be assured of PTV. Fly any of the three airlines below

Cathay Pacific, Singapore Airlines , Eva Air

These airlines have very new planes and all of them were fitted with PTV on all seats. I've flown with them many times. In fact, the smallest plane operated by those airlines is an Airbus 330. I think Emirates might be one of them as well but i cannot be 100% sure coz i've never been on their planes.

yerp..MAS has the 6.5in PTVs for their economy class and the larger one for the First and Business class.
of all MAS A330's, the A330-300 do not have PTVs but the leased A330-200 do, because the previous owners had them installed.

yerp..MAS has the 6.5in PTVs for their economy class and the larger one for the First and Business class.
of all MAS A330's, the A330-300 do not have PTVs but the leased A330-200 do, because the previous owners had them installed.

Who leased MAS the A330-200? I wouldnt be surprised if it is cathay or emirates. Not many airlines installed PTV in every seat when they ordered A330. I hope MAS replaces their 40 737 with A320 soon. The 737's that they are using now are old gas guzzlers that are just going to exacarbate their financial woes in the face of high fuel prices

ILFC leasing compny lease MAS A332.............and MH 737 highly will replace with 737NG

Who leased MAS the A330-200? I wouldnt be surprised if it is cathay or emirates. Not many airlines installed PTV in every seat when they ordered A330. I hope MAS replaces their 40 737 with A320 soon. The 737's that they are using now are old gas guzzlers that are just going to exacarbate their financial woes in the face of high fuel prices

VG Airlines leased the 3 A332 to MAS back in 2003.

with the current financial woes, not sure when MAS will replace their ageing 734...
a friend of mine who works at MAS says that they are not too happy with the 737-800 that they leased..
anyway, would love to see A320 with MAS livery...

VG?Is that Varig of Brazil?MAS made a horrendous error in leasing 737-800 instead of A320. The A320 family is outselling the B737 now be because of better fuel efficiency and longer range. U can operate a transcontinental flight with an A320 eg Australia- Malaysia but not with a B737.

VG?Is that Varig of Brazil?MAS made a horrendous error in leasing 737-800 instead of A320. The A320 family is outselling the B737 now be because of better fuel efficiency and longer range. U can operate a transcontinental flight with an A320 eg Australia- Malaysia but not with a B737. Air Asia made a very wise choice in replacing their leased B737 with A320.

VG?Is that Varig of Brazil?MAS made a horrendous error in leasing 737-800 instead of A320. The A320 family is outselling the B737 now be because of better fuel efficiency and longer range. U can operate a transcontinental flight with an A320 eg Australia- Malaysia but not with a B737. Air Asia made a very wise choice in replacing their leased B737 with A320.

VG Airlines based in Brussel and most of the crew are from ex-Sabena. I think VG Airlines no longer exist.
MAS did deploy their 737-400 for KUL-DRW route years ago.
the thing about Airbus is that they are very generous enough to lower down the price of the plane..

VG Airlines based in Brussel and most of the crew are from ex-Sabena. I think VG Airlines no longer exist.
MAS did deploy their 737-400 for KUL-DRW route years ago.
the thing about Airbus is that they are very generous enough to lower down the price of the plane..

Darwin is a bit different in the sense that it is the nearest Australian city to KUL with a distance of less than 3000km from KUL. 3000km i believe is the max range of the 737 and the A320 is capable of 5000 or 6000km. There is no way a 737 can fly from KUL to Perth wheares a A320 can even do KUL - Brisbane.

Transmile (http://www.transmile.com/) gears up for Shanghai-US route
By Jimmy Yeow, 08 Mar 2006 9:14 PM

http://www.theedgedaily.com/cms/storage/images/com.tms.cms.image.Image_d9fa8974-cb73c03a-11ff4510-3afd4a0a/1/Transmile_inside.jpg



Transmile Group Bhd, the niche airfreight operator, will see its bottom line boosted by the soon-to-be-launched Kuala Lumpur-Shanghai-US route targeted for this month, industry sources said.

The service will enable Transmile to tap into the lucrative China air cargo market following the liberal Malaysia-China air services agreement for freighter flights. Malaysian carriers can operate to five inland cities of their choice with unlimited frequencies and up to twice daily flights from Beijing and Shanghai.

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has forecast that Asia-Pacific air cargo traffic is set to grow at 8.5% a year until 2009 with China providing the main thrust. It also said the freight traffic between China and Malaysia is predicted to grow at 16.2% annually between 2004 and 2008.

Billionaire Tan Sri Robert Kuok Hock Nien is the single largest shareholder in Transmile with a 20% stake through the Kuok Group while the company's chief executive officer Gan Boon Aun ” a co-founder of the company ” has a 3.3% stake.

With the new routes, analysts said Transmile might require up to four additional freighters with the B747-200 that has 100 tonnes capacity as the likely choice instead of MD-11s, which are in short supply, to serve China's burgeoning air cargo market.

I don't think there would be any delay by Transmile in launching their flights despite securing the rights last April, a source said. He explained that although it was time consuming to plan for the route — which includes getting the necessary approvals, planes and schedules ” he was optimistic that the company would get the service off the ground.

They are still on schedule to start flying into the US via Shanghai using their fifth freedom rights this quarter.
The source said it took Transmile one-and-a-half years to launch their inaugural transpacific flights to the US via Hong Kong last September.

They will continue to serve the Hong Kong-US route when the Shanghai service is launched, the source added.

Transmile officials, when contacted, declined to comment.

Industry sources said Transmile is likely to link with a third party for the China route. DHL and Pos Malaysia are Transmile's two major clients.

On the new planes for the latest routes, an observer said: Transmile has two options to either acquire or lease such aircraft to serve the new route.

Transmile also has plans to boost its Asian network with Thailand, India, China and Japan.

On its Thailand operations, Transmile recently acquired the entire stake in Transmile Thailand Sdn Bhd, whose unit K-Mile Air Co Ltd has been given the green light by the Thai authorities to operate local and international air cargo operations, the source said.

Transmile's net profit, according to Reuters Estimates, is expected to jump to RM179.83 million for the year ending Dec 31, 2006 from RM85.85 million in financial year 2005 (FY05), rising to RM223.51 million in FY07 driven by the increased number of planes and services it will mount starting this year.

Earnings per share have been forecast at 74.44 sen in FY06, 92.16 sen in FY07 and 119.94 sen in 2008.

http://photos.airliners.net/photos/middle/3/6/5/1015563.jpg

Interesting picture from A.net, this Valuair was photographed at KLIA? Did Valuair or currently JetstarAsia operate the SIN-KUL route? I doubt it, if so what was this valuair A320 doing in KUL? Was it a charter?

link: http://www.airliners.net/open.file?id=1015563&size=M&width=1200&height=912&sok=JURER%20%20%28pbhagel%20%3D%20%27Znynlfvn%27%29%20%20beqre%20ol%20cubgb_vq%20QRFP&photo_nr=31&prev_id=&next_id=

Valuair in KUL...maybe as an SQ flight...lower pax so SQ asks Valuair to fly on behalf of SQ...

Just joking...

<Source: www.appledaily.atnext.com>

Unfortunately this article is in Chinese, but basically A380 is proposing STANDING SEATS in A380, to boost capacity from 550 to 853 pax. This is arguably a good idea.... the text are as follows

《 紐 約 時 報 》 報 道 ， 提 出 「 企 位 艙 」 這 個 革 命 性 構 想 的 ， 正 是 成 功 製 造 出 空 中 巨 無 霸 A380 客 機 的 歐 洲 飛 機 製 造 商 空 中 巴 士 （ Airbus ） 。 空 中 巴 士 今 年 第 4 季 將 交 付 A380 給 各 大 航 空 公 司 ， 原 先 只 配 備 550 個 座 位 ， 為 了 吸 引 更 多 買 家 ， 於 是 提 出 在 機 尾 部 份 設 立 企 位 艙 的 方 案 ， 以 用 盡 這 款 雙 層 豪 華 客 機 的 空 間 ， 令 載 客 量 提 高 至 853 位 的 極 限 。
根 據 空 中 巴 士 向 全 日 空 （ All Nippon Airways ） 和 日 本 航 空 （ Japan Airlines ） 提 交 的 方 案 ， 企 位 艙 其 實 不 是 要 乘 客 全 身 站 起 來 ， 每 個 企 位 有 1 張 傾 斜 的 短 和 靠 背 ， 讓 乘 客 們 半 站 立 式 挨 ， 扣 上 安 全 帶 。 企 位 艙 每 個 企 位 距 離 62.5 厘 米 ， 比 現 時 經 濟 艙 每 個 機 位 距 離 窄 15 厘 米 ， 載 客 空 間 更 多 。


香 港 民 航 處 指 可 能 實 現
A380 可 設 企 位 ， 理 論 上 其 他 客 機 都 可 設 企 位 。 而 企 位 艙 的 設 計 ， 更 特 別 適 合 廉 價 航 空 公 司 ， 因 為 它 們 的 客 機 通 常 不 設 飛 機 餐 ， 企 位 正 好 節 省 安 裝 餐 桌 的 空 間 ， 而 且 它 一 般 只 飛 短 途 線 ， 那 樣 乘 客 就 不 用 站 得 太 久 ， 站 到 雙 腳 發 軟 。 此 外 ， 如 果 客 機 原 來 的 經 濟 艙 乘 客 全 部 安 排 到 機 尾 企 位 區 ， 機 艙 就 能 騰 出 更 多 空 間 ， 放 置 更 多 賺 錢 的 商 務 客 位 ， 或 提 供 其 他 收 費 設 施 。
對 於 客 機 設 立 企 位 的 構 思 ， 本 港 民 航 處 副 處 長 梁 汝 強 認 為 很 創 新 ， 而 且 「 未 必 無 可 能 實 現 ， 只 要 個 位 能 夠 通 過 撞 擊 力 測 試 就 得 。 」 他 指 出 ， 在 本 港 註 冊 的 航 空 公 司 若 想 引 入 企 位 客 艙 ， 要 先 經 民 航 處 審 批 ， 證 明 飛 行 安 全 。



學 者 指 短 程 一 定 多 人 搭




熟 悉 飛 機 工 程 的 皇 家 航 空 學 會 香 港 分 會 委 員 詹 永 年 解 釋 ， 新 型 號 客 機 的 座 位 必 須 在 發 生 撞 機 意 外 時 可 抵 受 到 16G 的 撞 擊 力 ， 才 能 通 過 安 全 測 試 ， 但 客 機 座 位 不 一 定 指 乘 客 要 曲 腳 坐 下 的 那 種 ， 若 企 位 靠 背 設 計 得 有 點 像 座 位 ， 並 設 有 安 全 帶 ， 又 能 通 過 撞 擊 力 測 試 ， 「 理 論 上 有 機 會 通 過 航 空 法 例 的 要 求 」 。
從 市 場 角 度 看 ， 嶺 南 大 學 市 場 及 國 際 企 業 學 系 副 教 授 呂 漢 光 認 為 ， 客 機 設 企 位 不 是 天 方 夜 譚 ， 而 且 在 少 於 兩 小 時 的 短 程 航 線 上 設 企 位 ， 一 定 有 市 場 。 「 內 陸 機 引 入 企 位 機 會 好 大 ， 只 要 個 企 位 設 計 得 有 似 高 ， 比 較 舒 適 ， 一 定 好 多 人 會 搭 。 」 他 又 說 ， 只 有 1 、 2 小 時 航 程 ， 「 坐 經 濟 艙 位 又 迫 、 又 要 屈 住 對 腳 」 ， 如 果 企 位 價 錢 廉 宜 ， 他 寧 選 企 位 。



法 航 ： 企 位 不 可 逾 一 小 時
日 航 和 全 日 空 證 實 空 中 巴 士 推 銷 過 企 位 艙 的 構 思 。 雖 然 企 搭 飛 機 有 噱 頭 有 市 場 ， 但 日 航 發 言 人 說 ： 「 我 們 無 意 將 載 客 量 增 加 到 那 個 水 平 。 」 全 日 空 發 言 亨 德 森 也 說 ： 「 空 中 巴 士 跟 我 們 討 論 過 800 個 座 位 的 配 置 ， 方 案 不 適 合 我 們 的 發 展 計 劃 。 」
本 港 的 國 泰 航 空 也 表 示 不 考 慮 引 入 有 企 位 的 客 艙 ， 原 因 除 了 擔 心 飛 行 安 全 ， 更 因 為 國 泰 以 提 供 舒 適 服 務 為 主 ， 引 入 企 位 與 公 司 的 營 運 理 念 相 違 。
英 國 航 空 （ British Airways ） 和 法 國 航 空 （ Air France ） 同 樣 有 保 留 ， 法 航 發 言 人 說 ： 「 方 案 未 列 入 我 們 的 議 程 ， 企 位 不 可 能 適 合 超 過 一 小 時 航 程 的 航 線 ， 搭 載 這 麼 多 乘 客 會 消 耗 更 多 燃 料 ， 究 竟 可 以 帶 來 多 少 收 益 不 是 一 個 簡 單 的 算 術 問 題 。 」
美 國 《 紐 約 時 報 》 / 英 國 《 泰 晤 士 報 》 / 本 報 記 者

Bring more business to KL and I`m sure KLIA can attract at least 40 million pax a year in the next 5 years. Aiya , Malaysians must work hard la !

Prestigous airlines like BA and Qantas still not coming back to KL what.. What happened ?!

Bring more business to KL and I`m sure KLIA can attract at least 40 million pax a year in the next 5 years. Aiya , Malaysians must work hard la !

Prestigous airlines like BA and Qantas still not coming back to KL what.. What happened ?!

and that means in the near future, if more business coming to KL...MAS need to increase Business class seats... :)

AirAsia To Launch New Routes From Its KK Hub This July
May 22, 2006 18:03 PM


KOTA KINABALU, May 22 (Bernama) -- National low-cost AirAsia will fly to more local destinations with the opening of its operations hub in Kota Kinabalu (KK) International Airport Terminal 2 in July.

"In July we will open our hub here starting with one plane. We will also begin the KK-Miri, KK-Kuching and KK-Tawau flights," its chief executive officer Datuk Tony Fernandes told reporters after the groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of low-cost carrier (LCC) terminal, here Monday by Transport Minister Datuk Seri Chan Kong Choy.

Fernandes said AirAsia, which expected to record rapid growth with the completion of the LCC terminal by year-end, was also looking to launch its new international routes from KK to Macau, southern part of China and Jakarta.

"I believe there is big demand from Chinese tourists to come to KK. When we start KL-Macau, Bangkok-Macau flights, most people thought we were crazy. Now we have five flights a day from Kuala Lumpur International Airport and Bangkok.

"Most of these tourists are from southern China. So we believe if we start in Macau, KK will get many people from Guangzhou, Zhuhai and Hong Kong as well," he said.

Meanwhile, Chan said the new LCC terminal could accommodate up to three million passengers a year compared with about 500,000 passengers now.

-- BERNAMA

^ I want KK to Bangkok :D

MAS wants JB-Kuching route
By Ashwin Raman, 22 May 2006 8:53 PM
THEEDGEDAILY


Malaysian Airline System Bhd (MAS) wants to continue operating the Johor Bahru – Kuching route, which it is scheduled to hand over to AirAsia Bhd on Aug 1 under the domestic route rationalisation.

“We have written to the government to say that we would like to fly that route in response to a request from the Johor government,” said MAS managing director Idris Jala.

MAS hopes to receive a response from the government before Aug 1, he said at a press conference on the carrier’s mutual separation scheme (MSS) in Petaling Jaya on May 22

Under the rationalisation exercise of domestic routes, MAS is to relinquish 99 routes to AirAsia.

Idris also said MAS was discussing with Singapore authorities and AirAsia to continue the coach service between Senai airport in Johor and Singapore. Singapore had previously rejected AirAsia’s proposal to use the service as it is not a national carrier.

On interlining issues with AirAsia, Idris said the transfer of baggage remained a big challenge due to the location of KLIA and the low-cost carrier terminal. However, he said the two airlines were working on resolving this issue.

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http://img139.imageshack.us/img139/2903/52350ti.jpg


Sandakan airport?