Firefly’s ATR 72-500 fleet to be the new catalyst of growth

Eddy (centre) flanked by pilots and crew as they bid adieu

to the last Fokker-50 retiring from Firefly service

Captain Roland posing in front of the ATR 72-500

FO Awangku Abdul Hariz Pengiran Abu Bakar (left), seconded from RBA,

receiving the certificate of appreciation

One last shot with the Fokker-50 which has served many in East Malaysia

Firefly’s ATR 72-500 fleet to be the new catalyst of growth
Text and photos by Anthony Tan

Community airline Firefly is now operating its flights solely with the new ATR 72-500 turbo-prop aircrafts having retired all three of its Fokker-50.

This has been made possible after the 100% owned subsidiary of Malaysia Airlines (MAS) received its fifth ATR 72-500 from Toulouse on 15 December, which saw this new aircraft commencing its first service on 20 December.

Following Firefly’s aggressive network expansion in 2008, the airline will be receiving another five ATR 72-500 from April to August in 2009 to serve its existing and new routes.

Firefly managing director Eddy Leong said, “Plans are afoot to work on a code-share agreement with MAS by the first quarter of next year.”

He added, “Compared to the Fokker-50, the 72-seater ATR 72-500 gave us 44% additional revenue capacity while reducing operating cost by as much as 20%, especially on fuel and maintenance.

“Consequently, on 16 December, we decided to remove the fuel surcharge for all our flights.”

Besides a pair of fuel efficient engines, he said the new aircraft is equipped with a state-of-the-art cabin interior, comfortable two-abreast leather seats with ample leg room and low cabin noise due to modern acoustic technology.

Eddy recalled when Firefly commenced operations on 2 April 2007, it started with two Fokker-50s (9M-MGI and 9M-MGK) leased from MAS.

Its third Fokker-50 (9M-MGD) was subleased from MASWings, another MAS subsidiary which operates in Sabah and Sarawak, in December 2007.

The airline had returned 9M-MGD to MASWing on 3 September while 9M-MGK, returned on 30 September to MAS, had been sold while 9M-MGI would be returned to MAS by 31 December.

Speaking to pilots, flight crew, technical and ground staff, and a selected group of media, at a special ceremony to bid farewell to its last Fokker-50, at Hanger 1 of the Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport in Subang on Sunday morning (21 December), Eddy pointed out that this was the first Fokker-50 the airline had. He first laid his eyes on it when it was featured on the Internet.

“It is indeed a historical and emotional day for us at Firefly. The Fokker-50s have served us well during our initial start-up of Firefly.”

He deemed the Fokker-50 to be still “very reliable” although the manufacturer of this 19-year old aircraft has since stopped operations.

When MAS put the aircraft up for sale, Eddy said it was snapped up because the aircraft was still used in some parts of Europe and in good condition.

Eddy also took the opportunity to present certificates of appreciation to Firefly’s nine Fokker-50 pilots. Among them is Captain Roland Thomas, considered to be the most decorated captain who will be semi retiring.

The rest are two first officers (FOs) seconded from Royal Brunei Airlines (RBA), four captains seconded from MAS and two FOs from Firefly.

LG sponsors Penang Cultural Night at Fort Conwallis

Ko (centre) and Lim (second from right) received a painting each

from Penang artistes standing beside them

No difficulties in getting a seat as there was not much crowd

Emcee Douglas Lim asking a tourist from Australia a question

on Penang during the game show, She won herself

a LG stainless steel steamer for the right answer.

This lady won herself a LG mobile phone during the lucky draw

The winner (centre) for the lucky draw's grand prize

The Alleycats still going strong, appealing to both the young and old

after more than 30 years

LG sponsors Penang Cultural Night at Fort Cornwallis
Text and Photos by Anthony Tan

As part of LG Electronics (M) Sdn Bhd’s (LG) corporate social responsibility (CSR) programme, the company came forward to support one of the programmes lined up to celebrate George Town’s new found status as a Unesco World Heritage Site.

Those who attended the Penang Cultural Night (PCN) at Fort Cornwallis on 6 December stood a chance to win five lucky draw prizes comprising LG mobile phones and one liquid crystal display flat screen television.

LG also sponsored 20 others prizes for the games held in between the performances, which featured some of outstanding musicians who hail from Penang. They include James Rozells & Kathleen Rodrigues, James Boyle & Ragged TNBT and The Alleycats.

The Alleycats started in 1969 by two Arumugam brothers, David and Loganathan (fondly known as Loga), made a name for themselves in the international music circuit. Loga passed away last June.

To keep the legacy of the late Loga’s alive, his daughter Dasha Logan, an up-and-coming rhythm and blue singer rendered three beautiful numbers, including one written and made popular by her father.

James, the son of the late Jimmy Boyle, also played some of his father’s famous numbers.

Joen Youngse Trio, a jazz group from Korea, lent some international flavour to the PCN, which had started at about 7.45pm with an opening act featuring Silat Gendang followed by traditional Malay dances with the performers dressed in colourful costumes.

The VIPs who graced this event included the Penang chief minister Lim Guan Eng, state exco-members and LG’s managing director Ko Tae Yeon.

Less than 1,000 people attended the PCN due to lack of publicity although it was free admission. According to a group of old timer fans of James Rozells & Kathleen Rodrigues, the crowd turnout could have been better if the organiser had done some pre-event publicity.

Another reason for the poor turnout to the PCN is the clash with the three-day Penang Island Jazz Festival held at Batu Ferringhi, another part of this small island state.

The site of the PCN at Fort Cornwallis was originally a stockade made from the trunks of nibong palm. It was put up by Captain Francis Light from the East India Company when he first landed in Pulo Pinang (Penang) in 1786. Captain Light rebuilt and enlarged the stockade to a fort with brick and mortar, of which a large part of it has remained intact until today.

Malaysia Airports holds annual media treasure hunt

Two treasure hunters (in red T-shirt) climbing the steep steps to the top

of Batu Caves to collect a clue to solve one of the treasure hunt's puzzles

Mentakab town is one of the stopovers to look for treasure

A time to relax for members of the media after a hard day on the road

Malaysia Airports holds annual media treasure hunt
Text and photos by Anthony Tan

In appreciation of the close working relationship with the local print and electronic media, Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) organises an annual media treasure hunt. This year saw participation from about 200 media in 56 cars.

The distance covered in its recent Media Explore Hunt was slightly longer than previous years. It took at least nine hours for many of us to reach our destination, Awana Kijal Beach Resort & Spa in Kijal, Terengganu and some took much longer.

The destination for the MAHB’s media treasure hunts was different each year. Its first hunt in 2002, which finished at the KL International Airport was only half a day affair.

After skipping for one year, MAHB’s treasure hunt took the media to other parts of Peninsular Malaysia. The finishing point was at A’Famosa in Melaka in 2004, Swiss-Garden Resort & Spa Kuantan in Pahang (2005), Bayview Beach Hotel at Batu Ferringhi in Penang (2006) and Holiday Villa Beach Resort & Spa in Langawi (2007).

Last year’s format was different from the previous years where the media were taken on a six-hour long overnight bus journey which was not made known to us. When we stop at dawn, we discovered that we have arrived at Kuala Perlis jetty. We were transferred by ferry to Langkawi where the proper hunt event was held after we had breakfast and given a briefing on the treasure hunt. The format of this treasure hunt this time incorporated some elements of the popular TV series “The Amazing Race”.

The Media Explore Hunt at Langkawi was more interesting than the previous hunts, which had us spending most of the time on the road. In Langkawi, the treasure hunters were various tasks to accomplish. They included taking a cable car ride to the peak of Gunung Mat Chinchang, a ride on an elephant and canoe rowing at Pantai Tengah.

This year’s Media Explore Hunt, which had the physical aspects toned down, was flagged off by MAHB chairman Tan Sri Dr Aris Othman and its managing director Datuk Seri Bashir Ahmad Abdul Majid at the former Subang Terminal 2, which had been converted into MAHB administration offices after the Subang International Airport been closed.

The treasure hunters were given tulips (route directions) preset by the clerk-of-course for the participants to follow unlike Indiana Jones’ old treasure maps that lead to the unearthing of hidden gold treasures and artifacts of the lost world.

The tulips took us treasure hunters to places such as Damansara Jaya, Bandar Sri Damansara, Batu Caves, Karak, Mentakab, Temerloh, Maran, Gambang, the Sultan Ahmad Shah Airport in Kuantan before we headed for Cherating, Kemaman to reach our final destination, Awana Kijal Beach Resort & Spa.

Today’s “treasure hunt” might look like simple but it is more a mind twisting game with multiple riddle questions to solve. Part the hunt’s task is to collect or buy “treasure items” from shops along the way based on the riddles that you are supposed to figure out.

MAHB corporate communications general manager Norliza Kamaruddin was assisted by her department staff, including media relations senior executive Faisally Ahmad Rusdy, in organising this year’s treasure hunt.

The team with the highest cumulative marks is declared the champion and rewarded with cash and prizes in kind at a media party that is held later at night on the same day where the results will be announced.

The highlight of this year’s gala dinner and prize presentation was the performance by the popular local band NRG.

MAHB’s annual hunt not only generates friendly quarrel along the way but the creation of team spirit among the media members is important. It also provided an opportunity for members from different media to mingle with one other and to catch up with ex-colleagues during the weekend.

This incentive event also helps to promote domestic tourism by introducing new destinations each year. Awareness of these destinations is created when the media who had participated in the event write in their respective media about their experiences and the outback places that they had passed through during the treasure hunt.

Looking forward to next year’s Media Explore Hunt, the treasure hunters are already speculating where the next destination would be.

AirAsia Enters Indian Market

A splendid dance performance from the Temple of Fine Arts

AirAsia flight AK 232 arrived at LCCT with the first batch of guests from Trichy were given a warm welcome

AirAsia team dressed in Indian theme. HE Ashoke is in Western attire as

he was not informed of the dress code like other guests

Tony grabed in Indian attire for the KL-Trichy-KL launch

HE Ashok said the launch timing is just right in view of rapidly growing

trade relations and tourist arrivals

AirAsia enters Indian market
Text and Photos by Anthony Tan

AirAsia’s foray into India, with the start of its direct daily return flights from Kuala Lumpur-Tiruchirappalli(Trichy) -Kuala Lumpur on 1 December, has inevitably led to questions on when the low cost carrier (LCC) will begin flights to the other parts of the country.

AirAsia Bhd group chief executive officer (CEO) Dato’ Seri Tony Fernandes’ response is, “We hope to put five to six more flights in India in the next 18 months.

He believes it is viable for AirAsia and AirAsia X to compliment each other to fly to 10 Indian destinations such as Bombay, New Delhi, Madras, Cochin and Tiruvananthapuram within the next 18 months.

Describing the maiden Trichy flight into KL as “the most spectacular launch AirAsia has ever had”, Tony said it answered the question of recession where most airlines are cutting back and not expanding.

Barely three weeks after opening the ticket sales for its new KL-Trichy route using the new 180-seater Airbus A320, he said AirAsia has recorded 100% load factor from 1-18 December. This worked out to be an average of over 80% load factor both ways for December.

“We have created new demands for the market and are very proud to service an underserved sector. The continuous strength of this network will allow AirAsia to rapidly drive growth, perhaps even ramping up more frequencies in the future so that our guests can continue to enjoy our revolutionary low fares.”

He told reporters later that there is definitely a demand for a second flight to Trichy, adding that “it is a matter of whether we put another flight to Trichy or look at another Indian destination".

Trichy, which represents AirAsia’s entry into the India, is the fourth largest city in South India’s Tamil Nadu state. Sited on the banks of the sacred Cauvery River, the best time to visit Trichy is between October and February as you can enjoy cool weather.

Its most famous landmark is the Rockfort Temple, a spectacular monument perched on a massive rocky outcrop. It is one of the world’s oldest rock formations that rise abruptly from the plain to tower over the old city. You need to climb 437 steps to reach the temple.

Trichy, a thriving commercial centre in Tamil Nadu, is also famous for artificial diamonds, cigars, handloom cloths, glass bangles, wooden and clay toys.

AirAsia departs from the LCC Terminal (LCCT) in Sepang, Selangor at 7.40am and arrives at Trichy at 8.55am (local time). The return flight leaves Trichy at 9.25am (local time) to arrive at the LCCT at 3.40pm.

The airline had performances from local Indian dance troupes to welcome its maiden flight from Trichy to KL.

Among those present were the High Commissioner for India to Malaysia, His Excellency (HE) Ashok K Kantha, AirAsia deputy group CEO Dato’ Kamarudin Meranun, AirAsia regional head of commercial Kathleen Tan and Malaysia Airport Bhd’s officials.

Before the start of the event, a minute of silence was observed as a mark of respect for the innocent lives lost at the recent terrorists’ crisis in Mumbai.

HE Ashok said the terrorists underestimated the resilience and strength of Mumbai and that India will remain a land of great opportunities.

“The fight against terrorism is a global campaign that we do not stand alone.”

He also thanked Tony for keeping his promise by starting the Trichy route. Tony had said he would start the flights in 2008 when HE Ashok popped the question to him a year ago.

Tony, who was dressed in Indian attire (for the first time in a public function) together with his team to celebrate this new route, admitted he had not heard of Trichy until at a funeral.

With no market study, he said he sent two staff to Trichy who returned saying it was a great route.

“One phone call to HE and two days later we got the permit to fly (to Trichy),” said Tony, who has been advised not to do a celebration launch for its Trichy flight in India yet due to the Mumbai unrest.

“AirAsia will go ahead with Trichy’s launch in India in mid-December and would not be deterred by outside influences.”

Amid a looming global recession and the recent unrests in Mumbai and Bangkok, Tony said he was not worried about it.

His solution is, “Be positive and market aggressively. We have to be innovative and find new ways to stimulate travel. People still have to fly. Our job is to give them values.”

To find out more on the low fare hot deal for your flight check: http://www.airasia.com/