ID :
15651
Tue, 08/12/2008 - 15:17
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/15651
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FIREFLY TO OFFER ATTRACTIVE PACKAGES WITH NEW ATR72-500 TURBOPROP AIRCRAFT
PETALING JAYA (Malaysia), Aug 12 (Bernama) - Firefly, Malaysia's community airline will be able to offer more affordable travel packages and expand their routes to cover selected destinations in Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand with five new turbo-propeller aircraft, ATR72-500 (ATR) by the end of this year.
Firefly managing director, Eddy Leong, said with the new aircraft they will be able to reduce their operating cost by almost 20 percent and increase revenue significantly with the availability of 50 percent more seats.
"Our operating cost will be lower, for example to fly from Subang to Penang (Pulau Pinang) ATR uses same amount of fuel as Fokker-50 (but) with 22 more passengers. The aircraft (ATR) is bigger with 72 seats compared to Fokker with 50 seats.
"Some of the new destinations are to Banda Acheh and Medan from northern Penang state, and to Pekanbaru, southern Johor Baharu-state and Koh Samui from Subang, using the new aircraft beginning this October," he told reporters after a ceremony here Monday to take delivery of the new aircraft.
Leong said since its launch in April last year, Firefly has been operating with three Fokker-50 turbo-propeller aircraft flying to nine destinations out of Penang and Subang.
"From October 26 we will be introducing two new flights from Subang to Medan and Haadyai. And at the end of 2009 we would be operating with a total of 10 ATR72-500, launching more routes to cater for not only the increase in demand but also offer new services.
"The ATR is to replace Fokker-50 that we have today. With the new ATR72-500 we will retire one of the Fokker-50, and when another ATR comes it will take over another Fokker and so on," he said.
Leong said Firefly was expected to break-even by this financial year.
"Let's not speculate on the numbers (profit target) yet, let us achieve the numbers first. We will disclose it in due time. But I think the critical mass is next year, by the time we finish taking delivery of five aircrafts in December this year and we will disclose the numbers when the time is right," he said.
He said Firefly will soon be introducing in-flight refreshment as part of its continuous effort to improve products and services.
"We will still continue with our in-flight sales of food and beverages with an improved menu of hearty meals," he said.
When asked if there was any plan to fly to Singapore, Leong said they were waiting for guidance from the Ministry of Transport as it was a government to government arrangement.
Firefly managing director, Eddy Leong, said with the new aircraft they will be able to reduce their operating cost by almost 20 percent and increase revenue significantly with the availability of 50 percent more seats.
"Our operating cost will be lower, for example to fly from Subang to Penang (Pulau Pinang) ATR uses same amount of fuel as Fokker-50 (but) with 22 more passengers. The aircraft (ATR) is bigger with 72 seats compared to Fokker with 50 seats.
"Some of the new destinations are to Banda Acheh and Medan from northern Penang state, and to Pekanbaru, southern Johor Baharu-state and Koh Samui from Subang, using the new aircraft beginning this October," he told reporters after a ceremony here Monday to take delivery of the new aircraft.
Leong said since its launch in April last year, Firefly has been operating with three Fokker-50 turbo-propeller aircraft flying to nine destinations out of Penang and Subang.
"From October 26 we will be introducing two new flights from Subang to Medan and Haadyai. And at the end of 2009 we would be operating with a total of 10 ATR72-500, launching more routes to cater for not only the increase in demand but also offer new services.
"The ATR is to replace Fokker-50 that we have today. With the new ATR72-500 we will retire one of the Fokker-50, and when another ATR comes it will take over another Fokker and so on," he said.
Leong said Firefly was expected to break-even by this financial year.
"Let's not speculate on the numbers (profit target) yet, let us achieve the numbers first. We will disclose it in due time. But I think the critical mass is next year, by the time we finish taking delivery of five aircrafts in December this year and we will disclose the numbers when the time is right," he said.
He said Firefly will soon be introducing in-flight refreshment as part of its continuous effort to improve products and services.
"We will still continue with our in-flight sales of food and beverages with an improved menu of hearty meals," he said.
When asked if there was any plan to fly to Singapore, Leong said they were waiting for guidance from the Ministry of Transport as it was a government to government arrangement.
