SKS Airways Ready To Take Off For Domestic Flights

 By Anthony Tan
VIRGIN Communications
email:  anthonykhtan@yahoo.co.uk

Established since 1983, the Johor-based SKS Group has diversified over the years into property development, investment holding, hospitality and credit finance in Malaysia and Australia. Its latest venture in setting up SKS Airways, a new commercial airline in Malaysia, saw the company SKS Airways Sdn Bhd being incorporated on 13 November 2017.

SKS Airways was also awarded the Air Operator’s Certificate (AOC) by the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM) effective 1 October 2021 and finally awarded a full Air Service Licence (ASL) by Malaysian Aviation Commission (MAVCOM) effective 1 January 2022. 

An ASL is required to transport passengers, mail or cargo on a fixed schedule by air between two points within Malaysia. 

"With the ASL licence approval, SKS Airways is now officially in business and looking forward to serve its customers while maintaining the highest hygiene and safety standards,” says its director Datuk Rohman Ahmad.

The new commercial airline will be focusing on domestic short-range leisure and commuter flights to unserved and underserved routes or destinations in Peninsular Malaysia.

SKS Airways will complement existing airlines and regional carriers that are unable to reach these destinations with their larger aircraft.

De Havilland DHC6 300 Twin-Otter 19-seater

It will initially secure four De Havilland DHC6 300 Twin-Otter 19-seater, a tough and reliable turboprop aircraft with Short Take Off Landing (STOL) capabilities. 

The interior of the 19-seater aircraft 

These aircraft are deemed reliable in alternative air transportation providing especially to remote island resorts or inland destinations which are only accessible via long distant roads, dirt tracks or by boats. SKS Airways reportedly took delivery of its first aircraft, a DHC-6-300, on 12 December 2019.

It plans to serve underserved tourist destinations such as Pulau Pangkor, Pulau Redang and Pulau Tioman and base its operations out of Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport in Subang, Selangor while flights from Senai Airport in Johor are in its final stages for take-off. 

Its future plans will extend to destinations such as Kota Bharu, Ipoh, Pulau Langkawi and Taman Negara. SKS Airways also intends to fly out from Singapore’s secondary airports to unserved and underserved  tourist destinations in the near future.

First SKS Airways DHC6 Twin Otter arrives home! Sion to Subang (SZB) | 11.29 pm, 12 Dec 2019

SKS Group’s latest venture will further strengthen the tourism industry given its existing investment into the hospitality industry. The group currently owns the following hotels in Johor:

Capri by Fraser, Johor Bahru –                      316 rooms

Holiday Inn Johor Bahru City Centre –          335 rooms

Four Points by Sheraton Desaru –                 311 rooms

AmanSari Residence Resort –                       4-star, 150 rooms 
                                                                        and apartments

AmanSari Hotel Desaru –                              3-star, 238 rooms

AmanSari Hotel Nusajaya –                           3-star, 322 rooms

Fives Hotel Johor Bahru City Centre –          243 rooms

SKS Airways will be collaborating with major tourism industry players in developing attractive and affordable holiday packages to fast track the recovery of the tourism industry.

Intending travellers can book their flights at www.sksairways.com as the airline plans to start flying from Subang to Pulau Pangkor and Redang on 26 and 31 January respectively.

A quick check in its website on 7 January, the airfares for the inaugural flight to Pangkor from Subang cost RM159.34 for one-way and RM318.68 inclusive of taxes for the return fare.

For the inaugural flight from Subang to Redang on 31 January, it cost RM275.94 for one-way and the round trip return fare is RM551.88.

NOTE: Pictures and Video Clip with courtesy of SKS Airways websites