MASWings Start Operating October 1, 2007

Miri: MASWings will operate an extra 193 flights per week across Sarawak and Sabah when it takes over rural air services in the two states from Fly Asian Xpress (FAX) on Oct 1.

Of these, 113 flights per week will be for destinations served by the 50-seater Fokker50 aircraft, while the remaining 80 flights would be in sectors serviced by the 19-seater Twin Otters.

Among the sectors in Sarawak an Sabah that will benefit are Miri-Limbang (from 14 flights weekly to 21), Miri-Bintulu (seven to 21), Miri-Sibu (seven to 28), and Kuching-Bintulu, Kuching-Sibu, Kota Kinabalu-Sandakan and Sandakan-Tawau.

MASWings, a subsidiary of Malaysia Airlines (MAS), will also operate flights in sectors not flown by FAX now, such as Kota Kinabalu-Miri and Kota Kinabalu-Bintulu.

Announcing this, MASWings Managing Director Dr. Amin Khan said the airline wanted to resolve the air connectivity woes in the two states by increasing flights frequency, improving timing, and also efficiency.

With that in mind, he announced that MASWings would spend RM40mil to repair and restore the current fleet of FAX aircraft.

MASWings would also replace the entire fleet of Fokkers by 2009 and upgrade the Twin Otters by 2011, he said, adding that other measures included absorbing as many FAX staff as possible.

Dr. Amin said a special management team would be created to buy new aircraft, adding that the plan was to acquire 10 new ATR72 planes (70-seater capacity each) by 2009 and five new Twin Otters 400 aircraft by 2011.

"Meanwhile, we will have to spend RM40mil to restore the FAX aircraft (seven Fokkers and Five Twin Otters 300 series) to good condition. We hope to get this done by December.

"Starting three weeks ago, MAS has taken over the maintenance of all FAX aircraft. We will discuss with the government on how to foot the RM40mil bill," he told a press conference here.

Dr. Amin said MASWings would use MAS offices and facilities to handle flight bookings. He said MASWings would also review fares for specific sectors such as Miri-Sibu. MASWings is now accepting bookings for seats after Oct 1 (call centre: 1-300-88-3000) - Source: Daily Express, August 22, 2007