Firefly to replace current fleet within eight years

GEORGE TOWN: FlyFirefly Sdn Bhd will buy a new range of aircraft to replace its existing range as part of its business expansion plan over the next five to eight years.
Chief executive officer Ignatius Ong said the company planned to replace the current fleet of 12 ATR 72-500 planes with new generation of fuel-fficient and low carbon footprint aircraft. “These could be new generation of ATR 72-500 aircraft or some other models,” Ong said at the launch of the three-times-per-week flight from Penang to Koh Samui by Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng on Saturday. Also present was Malaysia Airports senior general manager (operations) Datuk Azmi Murad.

Ong said the company planned to add a couple more ATR 72-500 aircraft in two to five years.
“We are now talking to the French manufacturer of ATR 72-500,” he said. The present price of an ATR 72-500 aircraft is around US$20mil.
Ong also said the company was now monitoring the rise in fuel price. “If it continues to go up, we will have to increase fuel surcharges, which will have an impact on the price of air tickets,” he said. The current jet fuel price is around US$125 per barrel, compared with about US$105 per barrel two months ago.

Ong said the commencement of the weekly flights to Koh Samui from Penang was due to the economic growth in Penang in the past two years. “The Penang-Koh Samui flights started in 2007 but was discontinued a year later due to plan to rationalise the company’s aircraft network. “Our target is to achieve a 85% flight load factor on this route,” he said.

Meanwhile, Lim said the resumption of this route would open the gates to international travellers, business and industrial-related tourists from the local community and expatriates of southern Thailand to Penang.
-thestar online.