MAS Offers Special Fares And Holiday Packages At MATTA Travel Fair

March 14, 2012 20:50 PM

KUALA LUMPUR, March 14 (Bernama) -- Malaysia Airlines System Bhd (MAS) is offering attractive domestic and international travel airfares, MASholidays packages and travel-related products at the MATTA Travel Fair from March 16-18, 2012.

In a statement Wednesday, MAS said all-inclusive discounted airfares for economy and business class would be available through its appointed agents participating in the fair while MASholidays would offer domestic and international holiday package promotional fares.

"Business class travellers can enjoy all-inclusive return air fares from RM1,899 to Phnom Penh, Manila and Hanoi, RM3,699 to both Beijing and Hong Kong, RM4,899 to Seoul and Male and RM10,015 to Los Angeles.

"Similar fares to London start from RM20,999 and passengers will enjoy the travel comfort of the Airbus A380-800 on selected days starting from July 2012," it said.

MAS said its unit, Firefly, would also offer great deals to destinations like Koh Samui, Langkawi, Terengganu, Kota Bahru, Penang, Kota Kinabalu and Kuching. MAS said those interested and not be able to make it to the PWTC to grab these deals could get them via its website at www.malaysiaairlines.com, call centre at 1-300-88-3000 and ticket offices nationwide.

-- BERNAMA

MAHB Close To Completing Negotiations With Two To Three New Carriers

October 13, 2008 16:48 PM

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 13 (Bernama) -- Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) is close to completing negotiations with two to three new carriers to start operations in Malaysia before end of this year, says its managing director Datuk Seri Bashir Ahmad Abdul Majid.

"MAHB is confident that during the Routes conference the airport group is close to completing negotiations with two to three new carriers to start operations in Malaysia before year-end, so watch this space," he said in a statement today.

Since beginning of the year, MAHB has welcomed over 55 new routes from 12 airlines, generating around 200 additional weekly flights, a significant achievement given the current economic climate and the impact of high oil prices on the world's airlines.

At the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA), national carrier Malaysia Airlines has started flying to Karachi and Yogyakarta while low-cost carrier AirAsia has launched flights to Guangzhou, Yogyakarta, Singapore, Ho Chi Minh City, Hong Kong, Haikou, Guilin, Batam and Pekanbaru.

MAHB said AirAsia's long haul sister company AirAsia X has launched flights to Hangzhou and Gold Coast.

KLIA has also attracted two new low-cost carriers on the deregulated Singapore route, Jetstar Asia and Tiger Airways, it said.

The airport operator said the Penang International Airport had received three new routes from Sriwijaya Air and Indonesia AirAsia as well as increased frequencies from Cathay Pacific.

In East Malaysia, the Kota Kinabalu International Airport has gained four new air services comprising Jakarta, Denpasar (both operated by Indonesia AirAsia), Manila (Cebu Pacific) and Labuan (AirAsia).

Indonesia AirAsia has also launched new services from Kuching to Jakarta and Denpasar.

MAHB said the Langkawi International Airport also attracted a number of new carriers operating short charter programmes.

It said the rest of the year continues to look bright with another seven destinations already announced to start before the end of the year.

MAHB said no new carriers are not expected on the fully deregulated Kuala Lumpur-Singapore trunk route from Dec 1, 2008.

However, it said that Tiger and AirAsia have already announced considerable frequency increases with both carriers adding an additional four daily frequencies, with AirAsia up to six daily from two daily and Tiger up to five daily from one daily. MAHB manages and operates 39 airports in Malaysia, including five international, 16 domestic and 18 short take-off and landing airports.

Source: BERNAMA

Press Release: NEW FLIGHTS FROM MALAYSIA

Monday 13/10/2008

October 13, 2008-- Malaysia Airports Continues To Attract New Routes To Its Five Largest Airports Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Kota Kinabalu, Kuching And Langkawi. Since The Beginning Of The Year, Malaysia Airports Has Welcomed Over 55 New Routes From 12 Airlines, Generating Around 200 Additional Weekly Flights, A Significant Achievement Given The Current Economic Climate And The Impact High Oil Prices Is Having On The World's Airlines.

At Kuala Lumpur International Airport, national carrier Malaysia Airlines has started Karachi and Yogyakarta, whilst Asia's fastest growing low cost carrier Air Asia has launched Guangzhou, Yogyakarta, Singapore, Ho Chi Minh City, Hong Kong, Haikou, Guilin, Batam and Pekanbaru (Indonesia Air Asia). Air Asia's long haul sister company Air Asia X has launched Hangzhou and Gold Coast. Kuala Lumpur has also attracted two new low cost carriers on the deregulated Singapore route, Jetstar Asia and Tiger Airways.

Penang Airport has received three new routes from Sriwijaya Air and Indonesia Air Asia as well as increased frequencies from Cathay Pacific. In East Malaysia, Kota Kinabalu has gained four new air services: Jakarta, Denpasar (both operated by Indonesia Air Asia), Manila (Cebu Pacific) and Labuan (Air Asia). Indonesia Air Asia has also launched new services from Kuching to Jakarta and Denpasar.

Langkawi has attracted a number of new carriers operating short charter programmes, for example, Hong Kong Airlines has operated a short programme this summer to Hong Kong.

The rest of the year continues to look bright with another 7 destinations already announced to start before the end of the year. From Kuala Lumpur, Air Asia X will continue their network expansion to Australia starting services to Melbourne and Perth in November. Air Asia will start Tiruchirapally and Air Niugini, a new carrier to Kuala Lumpur, is planning to start new services to Papua New Guinea. Firefly will also start two new points from Penang to Medan and Banda Aceh.

There is not expected to be any new carriers on the fully deregulated KL - Singapore trunk route from 1st December 2008. However, Tiger and Air Asia have already announced considerable frequency increases with both carriers adding an additional 4 daily frequencies, Air Asia up to 6 daily from 2 daily and Tiger up to 5 daily from daily. This means there are an additional 56 weekly flights on top of the current 129 weekly flights between KL and Singapore, an increase of over 40%.

Dato' Seri Bashir Ahmad Abdul Majid, Managing Director of MAHB commented that "Malaysia Airports is also confident that during the Routes conference the airport group is close to completing negotiations with two to three new carriers to start operations into Malaysia before the end of the year, so watch this space!"


Notes:-

Malaysia Airports manages and operates 39 airports in Malaysia, including 5 international, 16 domestic and 18 Short Take-Off and Landing (STOL) airports. In 2007, Kuala Lumpur International Airports handled a total of 26.453 million passengers of which 16.965 million were international passengers. KLIA is capable of handling 35 million passengers and 1.2 million tonnes of cargo a year in its current phase. The Low Cost Carrier Terminal (LCCT-KLIA) is an extension of the existing facilities of the KLIA. It was opened in March 2006 and has a capacity of 10 million passengers annually. KLIA is an award-winning airport, with recent wins including World's Best Airport in the 15-25 million passengers per annum category and Second place in the Best Airport in the Overall Category and Best Airport in the Asia-Pacific category for the Airport Council International (ACI) 2007 Airport Service Quality Awards.


FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT :
NAME : NORLIZA KAMARUDDIN
GENERAL MANAGER CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS
CELLPHONE: +6019-2000887
EMAIL : norliza@malaysiaairports.com.my

NAME : NOOR HAFIZA RUSLAN
MANAGER, COMMUNICATIONS & INFORMATION SERVICES,CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS
CELLPHONE : +6012 - 211 4773
EMAIL : hafiza@malaysiaairports.com.my

NAME : FAISALLY AHMAD RUSDY
SENIOR EXECUTIVE (MEDIA RELATIONS), CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS CELLPHONE : +6012-6846575
EMAIL : faisally@malaysiaairports.com.my

DATE OF RELEASE : 13 OCTOBER 2008
RELEASED BY BERNAMA MEDIA RELATIONS & EVENT MANAGEMENT

AirAsia To Launch Kuching-Singapore Direct Flight On Nov 1

October 08, 2008 18:24 PM

KUCHING, Oct 8 (Bernama) -- AirAsia, which has secured rights to fly from Kuching direct to Singapore, will launch its first flight on the Kuching-Singapore sector on Nov 1 as part of the efforts to enhance air connectivity to Sarawak.

Its group chief executive officer Datuk Seri Tony Fernandes said on Wednesday the low-cost carrier, which obtained the approval only yesterday, would open for sale 5,000 free seats beginning midnight today until Oct 19 this year, excluding surcharge and airport tax, on the new route.

"We fought for six years (for the further liberalisation of aviation industry, especially between Malaysia and Singapore) and have a very aggressive marketing campaign in Singapore," he told a media briefing here, which was also attended by Sarawak Urban Development and Tourism Minister Datuk Michael Manyin.

Fernandes said AirAsia would initially have one flight daily but would expand the frequencies in future once its proposed low-cost carrier terminal (LCCT) here was established.

It was also looking at the direct flight connectivity between Kota Kinabalu and Sibu, following numerous requests from the state's tourism industry and people to service that sector as well as reinstate the daily Kuching-Macau route within three months after the flight was scheduled to be suspended on Oct 26, he said.

Fernandes said when the airlines started its operations in Sarawak, it was committed to developing both the state's tourism and business industry by opening up new air links with other regional destinations but the lack of support from Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd in granting certain concessions had caused it to review and rationalise some of its routes from here recently.

He said the Kuching-Bali direct flight was being stopped because the high charges and bureaucratic management had hampered its efforts to changing market conditions, especially when the airlines industry was experiencing a tough period due to the global fuel hike.

AirAsia, which flies a total of 182 flights weekly into and within Sarawak, has carried more than 3.6 million passengers in the state so far, with its market share of the Kuala Lumpur-Kuching sector growing to 68 percent at present from 33 percent in 2003.

Fernandes said almost one million passengers were recorded in the Sarawak sector so far this year, generating about RM718 million in revenue.

He projected that some five million passengers would have flown AirAsia into and out of the state by 2013.

Source: BERNAMA

AirAsia To Operate New Routes Between Singapore And Cities In Sabah, Sarawak

October 04, 2008 19:04 PM

KOTA KINABALU, Oct 4 (Bernama) -- Low-cost carrier AirAsia has been given the green light to operate new routes between Singapore and three cities in Sabah and Sarawak.

Transport Minister Datuk Ong Tee Keat said those cities are Kota Kinabalu, Kuching and Miri.

"Detailed negotiations between my ministry and the Singapore authorities will be finalised this month and we hope AirAsia can operate those routes as soon as possible. Definitely this year," he told reporters after attending the Sabah MCA convention here.

Ong also said that the negotiations would involve increasing AirAsias frequency between Kuala Lumpur and Singapore by December.

Currently, AirAsia is operating the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore route twice daily.

Meanwhile, Ong quashed misconceptions that Malaysia was not practising the open sky policy.

"People seem to have a misconception on the open sky policy when it is actually in place," he said.

"We have reached agreements with other countries to practise this policy in Sabah and Sarawak as well as at our secondary airports," he added.

Source: BERNAMA

Minister To Meet AirAsia CEO On Reinstatement Of Flights

October 04, 2008 20:58 PM

KUCHING, Oct 4 (Bernama) -- Sarawak's Tourism Minister, Datuk Michael Manyin, will meet AirAsia Bhd group chief executive officer, Datuk Tony Fernandes, to discuss the reinstatement of the Kuching-Bali and Kuching-Macau direct flights.

Manyin, who expected tough talks with Fernandez on Wednesday, said AirAsia decided to suspend the routes due to low passenger load.

"They have asked us to give an assurance that the passenger loads on the flights be between 60 and 70 percent if we want the routes to be reinstated.

"How can we give the assurance when we were given only two months to market the Kuching-Bali route, which was introduced in May this year and suspended in August," he told reporters at the Hari Raya Open House of state Second Minister of Planning and Resource Management Datuk Seri Awang Tengah Awang Ali Hassan here today.

The Kuching-Macau flights will be suspended from Oct 26.

Manyin proposed that AirAsia stop flying directly back to Kuching and instead have one stop-over on the return flight for the two routes.

He said AirAsia could also use smaller aircraft for the return flights.

"The outbound flights do not pose problems as there are passengers. However, the return flights from the two routes have low passenger loads," he said.

Meanwhile, Manyin said the target of four million tourist arrivals was unlikely to be achieved this year due to the current global economic turmoil.

Source: BERNAMA

Adopt A Sea Turtle At Sarawak's Turtle Island

October 02, 2008 14:02 PM

KUCHING, Oct 2 (Bernama) -- "Adopt A Sea Turtle" is a wildlife conservation programme in Sarawak that gives locals and foreigners a chance to experience turtle conservation activities at the turtle island of Pulau Talang-Talang Besar near here.

According to the latest issue of "Perkasa", the Sarawak Timber Industry Corporation's bi-monthly newsletter, participants will be able take part in conservation activities including tagging and measuring the turtles, patrolling the beach, transferring the eggs to hatchery, releasing the hatchlings, recording data as well as assisting in other research and educational activities.

"As one of the state's extensive efforts in wildlife protection, the turtle adoption programme is also a way of incorporating and involving locals and foreigners to value and celebrate what Sarawak has done thus far in sea turtle conservation," it said.

Launched by the then State Urban Development and Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Wong Soon Koh on April 30 this year, the four-day three-night programme is being conducted from May to September yearly at the island, which is part of the Talang-Satang National Park.

So far, eight species have been found at the national park, where 99 percent of nesting sea turtles recorded in Sarawak are of the Green Turtle species.

Following the listing of all sea turtles under the totally-protected species list in the Wildlife Protection Ordinance, 1993 (Amended 2003), a proposal was made to the state government to gazette sea grass beds and coral reefs at the Kuala Lawas area, which had been identified as feeding ground for green and hawksbill turtle as totally protected area.

Perkasa said other conservation efforts included the Reef Ball project, which was found to be successful in reducing the number of sea turtle mortality rate and ensuring its nesting areas are further protected besides benefiting the local fishermen by contributing significant increase in their catches.

However another 5,000 reef balls are still needed to protect the sea turtles' critical habitat, their swimming areas, nesting beaches and feeding ground and migration pathway along the 1,000-kilometre coastline of Sarawak.

"This is where other conservation orientated organisations and the private sector can play their role and show support," it said.

Legislations pertaining to sea turtles in Sarawak are also in place and have been regularly revised to suit the current needs in managing sea turtle reseach and conservation.

Source: BERNAMA

AirAsia offering more flights out of KK and Kuching

Friday January 19, 2007

KUALA LUMPUR: Budget airline AirAsia will fly to Macau daily from Kota Kinabalu next month.

At the same time, it will also fly four times weekly from the Sabah capital and Kuching to Penang.

AirAsia executive vice-president (commercial) Kathleen Tan said the flights to Macau from Feb 6 were an expansion of the Kota Kinabalu hub’s international connectivity and a response to market demands.

“Our low fares are expected to attract traffic from not just Macau but also from southern China,” she said, adding that visitors from Sabah and Sarawak could now take direct flights to Macau.

“We added our third frequency to Macau early last month from our Kuala Lumpur hub due to exceptionally-high demand for the route.

“We are confident that our new flights from Kota Kinabalu will be another winner,” she said.

The flights to Penang will be on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays, with the first flights from both Kota Kinabalu and Kuching on Feb 7.

Tan said: “The rapid expansion of flights connecting Sabah and Sarawak to the peninsula will help boost tourism and stimulate economic growth.

“The current market has increased demand for the two hubs to connect to Penang,” she said.

The introductory fares for the Kuching-Penang flight will start from RM19.99 while the Kota Kinabalu-Penang flight will cost at least RM29.99. Tickets from Kota Kinabalu to Macau will start from RM49.99.

Source: The Star

Cargo aircraft crash-lands, airport runway forced to close for six hours

Sunday January 14, 2007

KUCHING: A cargo aircraft from Kuala Lumpur crash-landed at Kuching International Airport here early yesterday, causing the airport runway to be closed for six hours.

The Boeing 737-200 aircraft belonging to Gading Sari Aviation Services Sdn Bhd was trying to land at 5.52am when it skidded and spun 180 degrees before coming to rest on a grassy area off the runway.

Its wheels and right engine came off during the crash-landing and the fuselage was badly damaged. Several taxiway and runway lights were also destroyed.

The four crew members on board the plane were unharmed in the incident.

The aircraft was operating as a mail courier for Pos Malaysia Bhd and had left Subang airport at 4am.

Deputy Transport Minister Datuk Douglas Uggah said the plane skidded to a stop about 1,500m from the start of the runway.

“It was about 80m from the centre of the taxiway and 87.5m from the centre of the runway. Its position was affecting incoming and outgoing flights, so airport authorities had to close the runway to allow the aircraft to be towed away and debris to be cleared,” he told reporters at the airport.

The closure delayed 16 Malaysia Airlines and 14 AirAsia flights, affecting some 2,200 passengers.

“We apologise to all passengers,” Uggah said, adding that the airport was re-opened at noon.
According to Uggah, debris including engine parts, tyres and broken pieces of lights had been strewn across the runway.

“Luckily, the runway surface was not damaged.”

The Department of Civil Aviation will investigate the cause of the incident.

In Petaling Jaya, Pos Malaysia chief operating officer Mohd Zarif Hashim said Pos Malaysia uses one aircraft to send mail from Kuala Lumpur to Sabah and Sarawak on Monday and two from Tuesday to Saturday.

Pos Malaysia Bhd and Gading Sari Aviation Services are now rushing to get approval from the authorities which would allow an aircraft to be brought in from Indonesia as a stop-gap measure.

“There will be minimal disruptions in mail services to Sabah and Sarawak,” said Mohd Zarif.
He said if efforts to get the replacement plane fail, Pos Malaysia would give priority to its Poslaju service on its single flight.

Source: The Star - Nation

Perak Prepares More Than 60 Events For Visit Malaysia Year 2007

December 30, 2006 11:17 AM

IPOH, Dec 29 (Bernama) -- Perak has prepared more than 60 events for the Visit Malaysia Year 2007 (VMY 2007) to woo some three million tourists into the state next year.

Perak Agriculture, Tourism and Culture Committee chairman Datuk Mohd Radzi Manan said among the events are Ipoh International Run, Perak International Dances Championship, International Orchid Festival, Pulau Sembilan Fishing Safari and Perak Agrofest.

"We will also organise Malaysia Skydive Perak next year after its maiden show this year garnered encouraging response and praise from the participants," he told a press conference here Saturday.

He said Perak's VMY 2007 will be officially launched by Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Tajol Rosli Ghazali this Jan 7 at Lumut Square.

"But the VMY 2007 celebrations will start on Jan 1 with Temenggor Assemblyman Datuk Hasbullah Osman welcoming tourists at entry points in Pengkalan Hulu, while Pangkor Assemblyman Datuk Dr Zambry Abd Kadir at Lumut jetty," he said.

In KUCHING, a giant-size book on tourist attractions in the state, entitled "Pictorial of Sarawak", has been flown to Dubai to be exhibited at the Dubai Shopping Festival.

The book's author, Ang Beng Ling, said the three-metre long and 2.2-metre wide wonder was sent via a MASkargo delivery service and is expected to arrive in Dubai Sunday.

The book contains about 200 tourism-related pictures in Sarawak and will be exhibited at several parts of the country by a Dubai-based non-governmental organisation.

"It will be exhibited for the first time at the Dubai Shopping Festival to promote Malaysia and Sarawak. I do not intend to bring it back home as it will bring more benefits to leave it outside the country," Ang told reporters at the MASkargo office, here Saturday.

Last Sept 18 September, the book was announced by the Malaysia Book of Records as the largest book in the country.

In KUALA LUMPUR, Deputy Home Affairs Datuk Tan Chai Ho reminded taxi drivers to maintain the country's good image when dealing with tourists during the VMY 2007.

He said they must be at their best appearance and behaviour while interacting with these visitors.

"Taxi fares must be according to the meters and should not be arbitrarily set by them," he told reporters here after launching a taxi drivers' expedition to Teluk Batik, organised by the Kuala Lumpur Taxi Drivers' Welfare Association Saturday.

The expedition is to promote Teluk Batik to tourists.

Tan suggested taxi drivers to attend tourism courses conducted by Tourism Malaysia to improve their communication skills.

He also praised the association's effort for organising the expedition which would expand the taxi drivers' knowledge of Malaysia's tourist destinations apart from promoting them.

Source: BERNAMA

Keywords: Malaysia, Tourism Malaysia, Malaysia Tourism, Visit Malaysia Year 2007, VMY 2007, VMY'07, VMY2007

External Links:
Tourism Malaysia - http://www.tourismmalaysia.gov.my
Virtual Malaysia - http://www.virtualmalaysia.com

KL Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Service Begins

December 28, 2006 18:34 PM

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 28 (Bernama) -- Malaysia's first double-decker tour bus service, the KL Hop-On Hop-Off bus, begins Thursday, offering free rides and tour of the city until Saturday.

Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor, who launched the service today, believed the service would make it easier for tourists to tour the city as well as visit places of interest.

"Besides targeting foreign tourists, the bus service is hoped to also attract domestic tourists to tour the city," he told reporters after the launch.

The KL Hop-On Hop-Off tour bus service is managed by Elang Wah Sdn Bhd. Its buses are equipped with facilities for the disabled.

Tengku Adnan, who also boarded one of the buses, hoped that a similar service could be introduced in other places like Langkawi, Penang, Kota Kinabalu and Kuching.

Meanwhile, Elang Wah Sdn Bhd managing director Syed Azhar Syed Nadzri said the KL Hop-On Hop-Off bus route would take passengers to 42 destinations in the city, including the Istana Negara, National Mosque, Bird Park, Orchid Park and Titiwangsa Lake Park.

A complete tour of the city for those who do not get off the bus at the respective destinations, takes about 45 minutes. Tickets purchased for the bus ride are valid for 24 hours.

Syed Azhar said four buses would be operational from today with another six buses by the middle of next year.

The service is between 8.30am and 8.30pm with a 30-minute interval.

The ticket is RM38 for foreigners and RM17 for children and senior citizens while children below five years of age get a free ride.

The tickets can be purchased at special counters, hotels and selected travel agents.

Source: BERNAMA

Keywords: Malaysia, Tourism Malaysia, Malaysia Tourism, Visit Malaysia Year 2007, VMY 2007, VMY'07, VMY2007, Kuala Lumpur, Tourism Minister, Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor, KL Hop-On Hop-Off, Langkawi, Penang, Kota Kinabalu, Kuching, Istana Negara, National Mosque, Bird Park, Orchid Park, Titiwangsa Lake Park

External Links:
KL Hop-On Hop-Off - http://www.myhoponhopoff.com/