ROUTES ASIA: Firefly Welcomes First 737-400

Malaysia Airline’s regional subsidiary Firefly has taken delivery of the first of two Boeing 737-400s it is leasing to boost its network. “The aircraft will cater for our current development stage and after that we will convert them to larger 737-800 models,” said Eddy Leong, Managing Director, Firefly at the inauguration ceremony for the aircraft last week.

The aircraft’s arrival will enable Firefly to open a new base at Sultan Ismail International Airport in the town of Senai, near Johor Bahru, part of the airline’s plan to develop its activities in the region alongside the project at Iksandar Malaysia, the southern economic development corridor in Johor. “The reason we are setting up a southern hub is because of this. We actually wanted a hub here back in 2007 but between then and 2011 many things happened, like the sub-prime financial crisis,” added Eddy Leong.