Firefly hopes to make bigger impact this year

KUALA LUMPUR: Firefly is all geared up with its expansion plans in place as 2013 crawled in with brand new aircraft and increasing weekly flights.

Following the recent signing of an agreement between its parent company, Malaysia Airlines, and ATR, the French-Italian aircraft manufacturer, Firefly will gradually take on 20 brand new ATR 72-600s, beginning in June this year.

The additional enhanced series of turboprop planes will be used to complement the growing demand for Firefly’s services with newly-added frequencies on its popular routes and bloomimg socio-economic destinations while monitoring potential new routes.

Firefly will also be increasing its 28 weekly flights between Subang and Johor Baru to 38 flights with effect from Feb 19. “With the progression of a new airport and new player, we believe this will be an interesting and aggressive year for the industry,” Firefly chief executive officer Ignatius Ong said in a statement yesterday. He said Firefly would continue to cash in on the growth of its turboprop business and targeted niche market, while staying focused on matching capacity to unfulfilled demand, especially for primary business and secondary leisure routes.

Firefly currently flies to domestic and regional destinations in the Asean network serving more than 25 destinations within Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Indonesia.

“We aim to continue in making a major hub from our ultra-convenient Subang Airport, the city airport of Kuala Lumpur, where we take pride in offering a hassle-free travel experience, expand to serving our birthplace hub in Penang as well as developing new exciting hubs within Malaysia, especially in the southern and eastern states in the peninsula.

“Our jet charter service will continue to break new ground for the company and the group for 2013,” Ong added. – Bernama