Friday, October 20, 2006 Malaysia Airlines to double number of flights bet. Cebu, Kuala Lumpur
MALAYSIA’S flag carrier announced its plan to increase its flights between Cebu and Kuala Lumpur, from twice to four times a week.
Transnational Aero Corp. (TAC) general manager Rene Philip Banzon said Malaysia Airlines is confident about its passenger share despite the growing number of budget airlines servicing Manila and other Asian countries, including Malaysia.
TAC is the Malaysia Airlines’ general sales agent in the Visayas and Mindanao.
Banzon said there are passengers who remain to be particular about getting in-flight services provided by Malaysia Airlines and other leading carriers.
“(Besides) low-cost carriers are mostly in Manila, and not in Cebu,” Banzon said during a press conference last Thursday at Table 7.
Malaysia Airlines will fly between Cebu and Kuala Lumpur every Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday starting Oct. 30.
“We felt that we need to add the frequencies to improve our product and for our passengers to have more choices on the number of flights,” Banzon said.
He said daily flights from Cebu to Malaysia is “in the pipelines,” but it will depend on the profitability of the four-a-week flight service.
Also, Malaysia Airlines has not yet reached a formal understanding with Philippine Airlines regarding the former’s plan to have daily flights between Cebu and Kuala Lumpur, he said.
In principle
“This has only been approved in principle during talks held here with Philippine Airlines as they did not object but nothing formal as of the meantime,” he said.
Malaysia Airlines expects an increase in both inbound and outbound traffic with its decision to have more flights between Cebu and Kuala Lumpur.
“Around 70 percent of the passenger volume will be a combination of immigrants, those who want leisure trips, business trips and overseas Filipino workers,” Banzon said.
As Cebu is positioning itself as a shopping hub and tourism destination in Asia, Banzon said the company is targeting traffic coming from Europe, Australia and Malaysia.
Malaysia Airlines first took off from Cebu in Oct. 29, 1993, operating a B737-300 series twice a week.
According to Banzon, Malaysia Airlines reported a 600-percent growth in sales revenues since 1998. The carrier flies to over 100 destinations in six continents. (MMM)
