Firefly (FY, Penang) plans to add seven more aircraft in phases over the next two to three years to boost its domestic, ASEAN, and Asia-Pacific capacity, according to Izham Ismail, Chief Executive Officer of Firefly parent Malaysia Airlines (MH, Kuala Lumpur International).

“Domestic travel and short distance flights are expected to be in high demand, and this will meet the northern region’s growing demand with Penang as Firefly’s new hub,” he told reporters after seeing off the resumption of a B737-800 service from Penang on April 11, 2022.

“Additional Firefly aircraft in the next two to three years are expected to expand its flight network and at the same time introduce new markets to draw passengers to Malaysia via Penang to boost the economy, trade, [and] tourism industries,” he said.

Firefly briefly had narrowbody operations from Penang with B737-800s from its parent last year, but put the idea on hold after just three flights and returned all aircraft to Malaysian Airlines in July 2021.

The regional subsidiary of Malaysia Airlines currently has two B737-800s operating from Penang, according to the ch-aviation fleets module. 9M-MLG (msn 31779) and 9M-MLH (msn 31723) on April 11 started flying from Penang to Kota Kinabalu, Johor Bahru, and Kuching, Flightradar24 ADS-B data shows.

Ismail said frequencies from Penang would increase from:

  • 2 daily return flights to Johor Bahru, upping to 3x daily from April 25, 2022;
  • one daily return flight each to Kota Kinabalu and Kuching, increasing to 2x daily from April 25, 2022.

Firefly also operates a fleet of twelve ATR72-500s out of Kuala Lumpur Subang.