Malaysian Carriers continue to expand

This year will be the busiest year for Malaysian carriers, as the carriers have already announced their new routes across Malaysia and regional destinations. Anyhow, Air Asia Group and Malindo Air are the carriers, that will introduce more flights than Malaysia Airlines and Firefly.

Air Asia Group

Early this month, Air Asia (Malaysia) will operate new direct flights from Kota Bharu to Kuching.  The new service will start to operate from 22nd March 2014, with thrice weekly flights. Kuching will be the second city in Borneo (East Malaysia), after Kota Kinabalu, that connect from Kota Bharu (since 16th November 2013). Latest news, the airline will four domestic routes. They are: Kuching-Langkawi (4x weekly flights), Penang-Miri(4x weekly flights) and Kuala Terengganu-Miri (3x weekly flights) and Kota Bharu-Kuching.

 

Besides that, Air Asia's long haul unit, Air Asia X also has announced to add second daily flights to Seoul/Incheon because of increasing demands from both cities, starting from 2nd July 2014. Moreover, the airline is also introducing new four weekly nonstop flights to Nagoya, effective from 17th March 2014. Nagoya will be third getaway cities in Japan that added into the Air Asia X's network.

Malindo Air

Lion Air Group's unit in Malaysia, Malindo Air has announced a major expansion in Malaysia, operating out of Subang Airport and Penang. In Subang Airport, Malindo Air will introduce an additional route from Subang - Batam. The operation will serve from 27th January 2014, with 4x weekly flights. In additions, as the carrier is adding two more ATR 72-600s fleet, Malindo Air has also raise its frequencies on routes to cities of Alor Setar, Kota Bharu, Langkawi and Johor Bharu (see summary below). All additional daily flights will begin on 19th January 2014.

Summary 

SZB-AOR, from twice to thrice daily flight

SZB-JHB, from 3rd to 4th daily flight

SZB-KBR, from 4th to 5th daily flight

SZB-BTH, effective from 27th January 2014

SZB-LGK, from 1 to 2nd twice daily flights, effective 9th Jan 2014

Besides that, Penang Airport will gain more capacity to Langkawi and Kota Bharu as Malindo Air is introducing new direct flights between Penang to Langkawi and Kota Bharu. Each route serves on a daily basis, using ATR 72-600 starting 27th January 2014.

 

Malaysia Airlines

A member of OneWorld alliance has also announced to introduce new nonstop flights to Krabi, starting late February 2014. Krabi, is located nearer to Phuket, is also well known as holiday destinations. The cities will become the third Thai has added into the Malaysia Airlines route network and increases flights to Thailand into 60 flights per week. The airline will serve the new flights from 3rd February 2014, operate by 160 seats of a Boeing 737-800, with a frequency of four weekly flights.

Firefly

Malaysia Airline's regional arm will introduce new direct international flight from Kota Bharu, to Bangkok/Don Muang Airport (four weekly flights). Initially, Firefly will begin its service in late February, the current political situation in Thailand has caused the airlines,deferred its introduction flights to 28th May 2014.