Firefly unsure of flights

Firefly silent flight cancellation left passengers and tour operators fuming!

KUCHING: Firefly, Malaysia Airlines’ (MAS) community airline, has apparently begun cancelling some of its flights to and from Sarawak since yesterday.

This is ahead of Firefly’s rumoured pullout from the state by end of October.

The Star learnt that at least one Kuching-Kuala Lumpur flight was cancelled late last night, with passengers put onboard a MAS flight instead. The unannounced move has left more than a few ticket holders unhappy.

“My Kuching-KL flight yesterday evening was cancelled after I booked it online just a few days earlier,” said Ng CH in an e-mail.

During Firefly’s peak around mid-year, the airline was flying multiple daily flights between Kuching-KL, Kuching-Johor and Sibu-KL. It had a reported load factor of 70%.

But Firefly is now all but certain to cease flights from Sarawak and Sabah to Peninsular Malaysia by the end of October. On Malaysia Day on Sept 16, the Kuching-Johor sector became the first Firefly route to be axed.

According to the MAS official, it was very likely all three Firefly routes involving Sarawak would be terminated by Oct 31.

Read all about it on The Star

NEWS: TV3 Reports 40 passengers disappointed over JHB-BKI cancellation

A group of 40 government servants and their families from Johor Bahru were disappointed that their flight to Kota Kinabalu was cancelled. They have booked tickets for 40 pax since March 2011 costing RM7000.

They were told the “Government had stopped Firefly” as if Firefly no longer exists. Firefly offers to refund their money back but the group of 40 refused as they want Firefly to be responsible by offering seats on other airlines. This is because their 30th September trip was planned earlier on and they have paid deposit of RM13,000 for hotel and accomodation.

Firefly must be responsible and answerable to such predicament. If you are affected or know anyone who has booked a Firefly B737 ticket, please support and share this group.

JOIN FIREFLY PASSENGERS DESERVE BETTER

Firefly B737 flights that risks cancellation

So far we have heard confirmed that Firefly has stopped its Johor Bahru to Kuching and Kota Kinabalu routes. Knowing that Firefly confirms that they are stopping B737 flights, here is the list of Boeing 737 flights that risks cancellation.

• Kuala Lumpur – Kota Kinabalu
• Kuala Lumpur – Kuching
• Kuala Lumpur – Sibu
• Kuala Lumpur – Sandakan
• Kota Kinabalu – Kuala Lumpur
• Kuching to Kuala Lumpur
• Sibu to Kuala Lumpur
• Sandakan to Kuala Lumpur

Some flights are no longer available to book which means they are pretty much cancelled. If you can’t find your flights in the booking system, it is likely that it has been cancelled for good. Some flights like Sibu to Kuala Lumpur is still available but actual fate is still unknown.

What can you do?

1. Call 03-78454543 to inquire for status of your flight. Demand for replacement flight if your trip is an important one. Last minute tickets are normally expensive if purchased last minute.
2. Comment on Firefly official facebook page. (Note: Firefly may delete your comments)
3. Join the Facebook Page: Firefly Passengers Deserves Better.

Read on for full list of Firefly B737 flights.

NEWS: Firefly intended to drop B737 flights as early as August

The news about Firefly cancelling B737 wasn’t a sudden one. Back in August 16, it was reported by the Sun Daily that Firefly will stop flying jets and will focus on being a full service turbo-prop airline.

However, a new full-service regional airline will be set up and will take over the existing Boeing jets of Firefly.
Firefly managing director Datuk Eddy Leong said the new executive committee (exco) of the national carrier has decided to retain Firefly’s brand and strengthen its presence in the regional services.
“However, Firefly will stop flying the jets (such as its Boeing 737-800s and 737-400).
“Our resources will be used to start a new full-service regional airline named Sapphire,” he told SunBiz yesterday.

If Firefly has made a decision to stop, why didn’t inform passengers before talking to the press? Which is more important now? Your paying customers or the press?

Yes, it is exciting to see that they are dropping low-cost operations for a full fledged airline called Sapphire but Firefly owes its customers explaination.

We all know if Firefly drops low cost passengers on Firefly jets, they will make more money per seat when they launch Sapphire which is a full-service airline. From business point of view, it is a smart move to drop low fare paying passengers and resell the seat a full service price. But from a community and responsibility stand point, is this fair?

Please support the group Demanding Firefly to treat its passengers better.

FireFly Bad experience with cancellation

How does it feel like being informed that your flight is cancelled? Pity those with connecting flight to catch.

If you know anyone that’s travelling on FireFly, please call their hotline at 03-78454543 and SHARE this Facebook Page.

FireFly deletes Fan comments and ban customers

FireFly – Your Community Airline is something most customers would look up to. Being a community airline means they are different from other airlines that tries hard at cutting corners without looking into your personal needs and attention.

Guess what? FireFly Facebook page has started deleting facebook comments and even resorts to deleting users that question on their flight cancellation. If you know social networking, FireFly action of deleting or banning users is considered cardinal sin.

Complain FireFly cancellation to Ministry of Transport

Someone has suggested something on FireFly Facebook page. For those affected and not satisfied, you are urged to lodge an official complaint to Ministry of Transportation. If you can, please highlight to your local Member of Parliament (YBs, Datuks) for more pressure. Drop an email to pertanyaan@mot.gov.my.

FireFly being a community airline should not avoid its responsibility as an airline and come clean with their future plan. If they no longer offer Boeing 737 routes, they should immediately INFORM all passengers and stop selling tickets which they can not guarantee.

Please LIKE our FB page which demands FAIR SOLUTION from FireFly. Please tell your family and friends too.

NEWS: FireFly flight cancellation affect Sarawak Tourism

In The Star reports, FireFly flights between Peninsular and Sarawak has 70% flight load which is quite a big volume for air travel. With FireFly cancelling flights, this will impact the air transport which is the only way to travel between West and East Malaysia.

“Yes, it is about 70%. If it cancels all its flights, it will have a big impact on Sarawak’s domestic tourism growth of 12% this year.”

In terms of arrivals, it has been a good year for the industry after a brief slump last year. Non-Malaysian arrivals increased by more than 20%.

“The latest news has made me very concerned,” said Rashid when asked about Firefly’s cancellation of its Kuching-Johor Baru flights from Sept 16.

Today on Malaysia Day, FireFly has stopped Kuching to Johor Bahru flights and soon they will also stop Kuala Lumpur to Kuching flights.

NEWS: FireFly B737 planes to be used for Sapphire Airlines

Since FireFly is cancelling its Boeing 737 planes which serves West to East Malaysia routes, many people are asking what happen to the planes? Not many people know that there is a new airline called Sapphire Airlines which is likely take over all of FireFlyBoeing 737 planes. This news is known in the aviation industry but not many people especially FireFly passengers are aware.

Local media reported that the Firefly management team will manage the Sapphire and Firefly brands. Firefly could not be reached for comment.

Firefly operates 10 ATR 72-500 turboprops, data in ACAS shows. The carrier has five ATR 72-500 turboprops on order and an additional five ATR 72-500 turboprops on option. Firefly also owns two Boeing 737-400 aircraft and six Boeing 737-800 aircraft.

If FireFly is managing Sapphire, we have our own set of question:

1. Why can they plan the rebranding properly?
   If it is still operated by FireFly, why can’t they transfer its passengers over to the new airline seamlessly? Is it because many seats are sold at cheap price that they take opportunity to refund and resell the seats at full price?
2. Why so secreative?
   FireFly should make this known to all passengers as it affects people travel plans. Even so, why can’t they offer FireFly passengers replacement seats on Sapphire Airline?