18.09.2023 - 23:03 UTC
New Zealand successfully concluded negotiations for an air services agreement with ASEAN during a final round of talks in Siem Reap, Cambodia, on September 13.
The ASEAN-New Zealand Air Services Agreement (ANZ-ASA) will allow airlines from signatory countries to operate more passenger and/or cargo services between and beyond ASEAN and New Zealand. ASEAN member states include Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, Singapore, Brunei Darussalam, Viet Nam, Laos, Myanmar, and Cambodia.
Per Protocol 1 of the ANZ-ASA, eligible airlines can operate between ASEAN countries and New Zealand with unlimited 3rd and 4th freedom traffic rights. In addition, eligible airlines will be able to fly up to seven weekly services with 5th freedom traffic rights in addition to existing bilateral entitlements between individual ASEAN states and New Zealand for one year from the date of entry into force of the agreement and up to 14 weekly services with 5th freedom traffic rights in addition to existing bilateral entitlements after one year from the date of entry into force of the agreement.
Tom Forster, Manager of Economic Regulation at New...
13.09.2023 - 02:30 UTC
Sarawak Premier Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg says his planned state-owned airline would likely fly to Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines.
Speaking to local media on the sidelines of a September 6 transport conference in Kuching, the premier said the Sarawak state government was advancing its plans to takeover MASwings (MY, Kota Kinabalu) and establish it as a Sarawak-based airline. MASwings is currently owned by the Malaysia Aviation Group (MAG). The Malaysian government ultimately owns that entity.
"The strategic advantage of having a Sarawak airline will allow us control over route preferences," he said. “We will not be limited to the decisions of private airlines because we can tailor our flight offerings to cater to destinations in the Philippines, Indonesia and also to Bandar Seri Begawan."
Openg has campaigned for a locally-based airline for some time now. He argues Sarawak residents need better connectivity and more competitive airfares. However, Sarawak's capital, Kuching, is home to one of Malaysia's busiest airports. According to ch-aviation PRO airports...
10.09.2023 - 23:11 UTC
Hong Kong's Competition Commission has closed an investigation into a proposed joint venture agreement between Cathay Pacific (CX, Hong Kong International) and Malaysia Airlines (MH, Kuala Lumpur International) after the two airlines abandoned the idea.
In a September 7 statement, the regulator said the two airlines had wanted to enter into a metal-neutral joint business agreement for all their scheduled passenger services between Hong Kong and Malaysia. Distinguishable from a simple codeshare agreement, the joint venture, first flagged in May 2022, would have seen the two airlines sharing revenue and costs on a given route regardless of which carrier operated the actual flight. The proposed agreement would have also involved:
- Network planning and schedule coordination;
- Pricing coordination;
- Inventory management coordination;
- Distribution systems coordination;
- Joint sales and marketing;
- Service and product cooperation; and
- A frequent flyer agreement.
However, in late July 2023, Malaysia Airlines and Cathay Pacific told the Competition Commission that they would not proceed with the joint venture plan.
ch-aviation schedules data...
24.07.2023 - 06:32 UTC
The Malaysian government says MASwings (MY, Kota Kinabalu) will continue to receive a MYR209 million ringgit (USD45.8 million) annual subsidy to maintain rural air service (RAS) flights even if it changes hands from Malaysia Aviation Group to the state of Sarawak.
Malaysia's federal transport minister, Loke Siew Fook, signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Sarawak state officials in Kuching on July 20, according to the Free Malaysia Today outlet. Subsidies are in place until 2025, but Fook told media on the day that the MoU included a provision for the subsidies to be re-negotiated and continue past then.
"The MoU signed this afternoon is about our commitment to provide the subsidy to the rural air services in the event that Sarawak takes over MASwings. This MOU is important to give our commitment to Sarawak," he said. "The most important thing is that rural air services won't be disrupted. It must go on so that passengers will not be affected."
The takeover of MASwings has the "in-principle" support of the federal government. The...
