Domestic Firefly flights from KLIA by early 2011

PETALING JAYA: Firefly, which now operates turboprops from Subang, will begin flying jets on several domestic routes from the KL International Airport (KLIA) as early as January or February. The idea is to beat competition with a low-cost model rather than a full service one and Firefly will take over some of the B737-400 aircraft from parent Malaysia Airlines (MAS) to ply the domestic routes. “It will have four to six B737-400 aircraft to begin with and more will be added to the system over time. Firefly is likely to do more of the cross-over flights to Sabah and Sarawak,’’ said a source.

Firefly is slated to make an announcement on its expansion plans on Monday. It could not be confirmed if the jets will take off from KLIA or the Low-Cost Carrier Terminal in Sepang but, given the need to connect passengers from domestic to international routes, it would it easier to fly out of KLIA. Certainly the jets would not fly from Subang, a source said. He added that Firefly was also to fly to Asean destinations using the jets but the airline had to first get the necessary approvals from the authorities.

Firefly’s operations in Subang would continue as usual. The airline currently operates seven ATR 75-200s for domestic routes, Singapore, Thailand and Indonesia. It will take delivery of two ATRs by the year-end and a third by January. Firefly is able to take over some of the B737-400 aircraft from MAS as the latter has ordered 55 new B737-800.

On Monday, MAS took delivery of the first such aircraft,which came with a roomier interior, higher ceiling and mood lighting. Even the economy class is fitted with personal screens for in-flight entertainment and the aircraft can fly 5½ hours non-stop. The new interior done by Boeing is part of a package of improvements to the 737 family, which include a 2% fuel burn improvement and the updated CFM56-7BE engine, thus bringing down maintenance cost for the airline.

Meanwhile, MAS is to take delivery of two B737-400 before the year is out. The national carrier will use the first aircraft, which is a 160-seater, for the KL-Kota Kinabalu-Haneda route to be launched on Nov 15. The aircraft is powered by engines from Pratt & Whitney. On Tuesday, US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton witnessed the signing of a sale and purchase agreement for the purchase of 50 engines by MAS from Pratt & Whitney.

Yesterday, at Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport in Subang, where MAS showcased its new B737-800, Clinton said the “partnership between MAS and Boeing, Pratt & Whitney and General Electric is a win-win relationship which would create high paying skill jobs in both countries.’’
Also present at the event was Transport Minister Datuk Seri Kong Cho Ha and MAS senior team. Besides the 737-800, the airline has ordered 25 A330-300 and six A380.
-thestar online.