Singapore and Malaysia extend bilateral ASA

[MAN Flyer]

Changes coming thick and fast now, and not before time either:


SINGAPORE: Singapore and Malaysia have agreed to expand a bilateral air services agreement that will allow low-cost carriers to operate between Singapore and three cities in East Malaysia.

The new agreement will take effect from November 1, when low-cost carriers of both countries will be given the right to operate seven flights per week between Singapore and the Malaysian cities of Kota Kinabalu, Kuching and Miri.

The frequency would be increased to 14 flights per week to each city from March next year.

The new agreement will help to address the high demand for air travel between Singapore and East Malaysia, according to a statement from Singapore’s Ministry of Transport on Monday.

The statement also said that officials from the two transport ministries have agreed to meet again during the first quarter next year to discuss further expansion of air services between the two countries.

BG (NS) Choi Shing Kwok, Permanent Secretary for the Transport Ministry, who led the Singapore delegation in the consultations, said: "This is a significant step forward for Singapore and Malaysia, coming shortly after both countries have agreed to fully liberalise the Singapore-Kuala Lumpur sector from 1 December 2008 onwards."

At present, SilkAir and Malaysian Airlines operate eight and 10 weekly flights respectively to Kota Kinabalu, and seven weekly flights each to Kuching.

[Javaman]

having just done KUL - BKI on an LCC, I doubt Kota Kinabalu could cope with more traffic. Three Air Asia flights including myself and it was chaos at 9 in the morning. Departure was equally chaotic, with both sides of the LCCT crammed to capacity.
So unless there is some serious altering of slots....I'm not sure that cheap seats alone would be enough.
Granted, I'm probably not their target audience, but tourism is big for KK, correct? Cheap and easy access = increased tourism revenue. But if the experience is, erm, "painful", how long before it impacts the bottom line?
I won't fly with most of the UK LCC's anymore because of experience.....I would not want rapid increases in pax to overwhelm KK's capacity.

[flyguy]

am not sure if Tiger air and Jetstar asia can even launch services to East Malaysia due to their limited aircraft fleet and already fairly high utilisation rates and in light of these 2 launching extra flights to KUL come 1st Dec.
Air Asia would likely be able to launch these flights ex-SIN as they now have a fairly substantial fleet of 50 airbus A320s.

[MAN Flyer]

having just done KUL - BKI on an LCC, I doubt Kota Kinabalu could cope with more traffic. Three Air Asia flights including myself and it was chaos at 9 in the morning. Departure was equally chaotic, with both sides of the LCCT crammed to capacity.

I have never used T2 (the AK terminal) at BKI, but am surprised it's at capacity as it's only recently undergone a major rebuild.

I flew out of T1 on MI last time I was there and they had (literally) just opened the first part of the extension which will increase the capacity there by a fair bit.

[SQflyergirl]

I'm not sure that cheap seats alone would be enough.

The Malaysian public is easily swayed with cheap fares. Once, i remember blindly selecting flights on AK to PEN for a day trip based on price, until the system reminded me my selections were invalid because the inbound flight departed BEFORE the outbound flight.

[flyguy]

air asia is quick to open up servie from sin to east malaysia - whereas doubt tiger or jetstar have the extra cpapcity in terms of aircrafts avail to do it in nov or even in Jan 09 :

from Star news :


Thursday October 9, 2008

Free flights from Kuching to Singapore for 5,000


KUCHING: AirAsia is offering 5,000 free seats for its new Kuching-Singapore route which commences next month.

Tickets went on sale on the airline’s website yesterday at midnight with the free seats available for booking between now and Oct 19.

AirAsia chief executive Datuk Tony Fernandes said that the Kuching-Singapore route would give Sarawak a huge tourism boost.

“We’re currently doing a very aggressive marketing campaign in Singapore and our first flight will be on Nov 1.

“We will start with one flight a day and from March onwards we will increase the frequency,” he said at a media briefing here yesterday.

On the Kuching-Macau flight, which will be suspended on Oct 26 due to low passenger load, Fernandes said AirAsia would look into reinstating it in three months’ time.

He also announced that AirAsia would increase the frequency of its Kuala Lumpur-Bintulu route from seven to 11 flights a week and Kuching-Bintulu from seven to 14 flights weekly beginning Oct 26.

State Urban Development and Tourism Minister Datuk Michael Manyin said Sarawak would work together with Sabah to jointly promote the two states.

“For example, we will promote Mulu and Mount Kinabalu together as both have been listed as Unesco World Heritage Sites.

“We will also promote our indigenous festivals together, with plans for tourists to go to Sabah first for Kaamatan before continuing on to Sarawak for Gawai Dayak,” he said.

[Javaman]

I have never used T2 (the AK terminal) at BKI, but am surprised it's at capacity as it's only recently undergone a major rebuild.

I flew out of T1 on MI last time I was there and they had (literally) just opened the first part of the extension which will increase the capacity there by a fair bit.

Can't comment on T1 - the hotel driver took us there by mistake, but it did look good.
T2 is small. REALLY SMALL.
Only two luggage carousels for arrivals. And with two flights in both halves of the departure lounge, it was standing room only. 1 little cafe shop, 1 small duty free, and one super pokey tourist junk shop.......total amusment time measured in nano-seconds.
Assuming I get my memory card back from my travelling partner, I'll post a pic of T2 departures. Planes park practically nose-up against the glass doors.

[huaiwei]

am not sure if Tiger air and Jetstar asia can even launch services to East Malaysia due to their limited aircraft fleet and already fairly high utilisation rates and in light of these 2 launching extra flights to KUL come 1st Dec.
Air Asia would likely be able to launch these flights ex-SIN as they now have a fairly substantial fleet of 50 airbus A320s.

I am pretty sure Tiger is not doing fantastically well in all routes, so its resources can be shifted to open new routes, as it has done several times in the past. Flights to four Thai destinations were cut in favour of new routes to India, for example. Instead of ramping up services to Bangkok and Phuket as recently announced, they may do better opening to the East Malaysian routes instead given the turmoil which continues to engulf Thailand.

[flyguy]

guess they could but its still not a sure thing until it receives its new planes as when Thailand's troubles are over and begins to pick up - then Tiger will reinstate the flights there plus Tiger will launched 4 more flights to KUL - hence there still would be a equipment shortfall.

[dsim]

Noted on JetStar booking page ... 'All bookings made using an electronic form of payment will automatically have a facilitation fee of SGD3.00 per passenger per segment applied." Is there similar charge for TR flights?

Checked-baggage:
TR charges for all checked baggage starting at 15kg, except cabin baggage of less than 7kg. I have the impression that 3K offers 20kg with no extra charge?

Airport at SIN:
TR use the budget terminal, while 3K uses T1?

Sorry, never been on LCC, hence confused with all these chargeable and non-chargeable "frills"

[flyguy]

Jetstar and air asia uses T1 at Changi