Firefly to make Kota Kinabalu International Airport full hub
Published on: Friday, April 07, 2023
Liew (fourth left) presenting a token of appreciation to Ahmad Luqman. Third from left is Malangking.
Kota Kinabalu: Kota Kinabalu International Airport which is currently the second busiest will see even more activity with Firefly’s (FY) plans to set up its full-fledged hub here next month. This augurs well for the tourism sector, says State Minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment Datuk Christina Liew. Firefly and MASwings are sister airlines of MAS.
ADVERTISEMENT
She was briefed on FY operations into East Malaysia (BKI Hub) by Malaysia Aviation Group (MAG) Chief Executive Officer (Airline Business) Ahmad Luqman Mohd Azmi, recently.
On Thursday, the nation’s new low-cost carrier, MyAir, said it would be making Kota Kinabalu its second hub, after KLIA2.
“I was informed that Firefly will create its hub here by May 15 this year, where its B738 aircraft’s capacity is 189 pax. Plans are for FY to operate three routes taking over from Malaysia Airlines (MAS), namely Kota Kinabalu-Sandakan, Kota Kinabalu-Tawau and Kota Kinabalu-Kuching.
“More importantly, the presence of a FY Hub will facilitate direct China flights to Sabah,” said Liew, who looks forward to MAS direct flights from Xiamen and inland cities like Nanning and Chongqing, among others.
ADVERTISEMENT
According to Ahmad Luqman, only in the second quarter of 2023 would there be FY direct flights from China to Sabah.
“For a start, we have charter flights from China to Kuala Lumpur only (using MAS services), but not to Kota Kinabalu.
ADVERTISEMENT
“For instance, we started weekly charter flights from Xiamen to KL first, in January this year. Based on discussions with the charterers, charter flights from Xiamen to KK will start with Firefly.
“Direct China flights to Sabah will only commence once we have the Firefly Hub in Kota Kinabalu. We will then have a lot more direct connectivity with China and North Asia-Pacific,” he said.
He enlightened the Minister on MAG’s overall current and last year’s performance on the development of MAG’s operations into and out of Sabah on Malaysia Airlines (MAS) and Firefly, and also on MASwings’ operations within Sabah, Sarawak and Labuan Federal Territory.
Liew commended MAS for its improvement on inflight services such as food service.
Answering a question from Liew on MAS current operations into Sabah and flight frequency, Ahmad Luqman said there are 70 weekly flights from Kuala Lumpur to KK, 14 flights from Kuala Lumpur to Tawau and 10 flights from Kuala Lumpur to Sandakan.
Asked whether the twice
weekly flights from Kota Kinabalu to Narita (Japan) would be increased, the MAG CEO said it is possible if there is a demand.
Ahmad Luqman also gave an update on MAG’s new structure and leadership line-up with Suresh Singam as the new Chief Operating Officer (COO) for MASwings and Captain Hamdan Che Ismail (Chief Operating Officer, Firefly).
The six-member delegation included Puan Nita Malek (Senior Manager,
Government Relations), Tuan Chali Awang (Head, Sales East Malaysia - Airline Business) and Rozanah Robert (Marketing, Communication & Branding - Airline Business).
Also present were the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary Datuk Mohd Yusrie Abdullah, Deputy Permanent Secretary I Mary Malangkig and Sabah Tourism Board (STB) Chief Executive Officer Noredah Othman.
Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
Daily Express Malaysia
