Friday, June 4 2010

PHUKET: In a show of confidence in tourism to Phuket, Firefly Airlines launched a host of new destination travel packages and promotional campaigns, including the ability to book tickets through mobile phones.

Angelina Fernandez, Firefly’s Head of Marketing & Communications, told a press conference at The Metropole hotel late last week that she didn’t think Phuket had been too badly affected by the recent unrest in Bangkok.

Firefly would maintain its current flight schedule of four round-trip flights a week between Penang and Phuket, and from October 31 will start operating daily flights to Samui.

“That tells you how confident we are about Thailand,” Ms Fernandez said.

Ms Fernandez said that the load factor on the Phuket-Penang route currently stands at 65% to 70%.

“We have no directional problems. The number of all leisure travelers and holidaymakers flying from Phuket to Penang compared with those flying from Penang to Phuket is very balanced,” she explained.

The new packages, launched under the pre-existing Firefly Holiday campaign, saw the Selangor-based ‘community’ airline greatly expand its range of destinations through increased integration with its parent company, Malaysia Airlines (MAS).

“Firefly Holiday has been around since we began operations, but it promoted only destinations Firefly served directly. But now it is integrated with MAS domestic services and to MAS destinations worldwide,” she explained.

To mark the launch, Ms Fernandez announced that Firefly is offering round-trip flights from Phuket to Penang for 3,560 baht, and further abroad to Melbourne, via a stopover in Kuala Lumpur, for 33,350 baht, all inclusive.

Customized packages to cater to wedding trips, adventure holidays and romantic getaways, for example, were also available through the options offered on Firefly’s website, she added.

From a Phuket perspective, the new packages are perfect for foreigners in Phuket looking for a getaway or needing to make a ‘visa run’ to Penang, where there is a Thai consulate.

Firefly has no immediate plans to expand services.

“We simply do not have any more aircraft… We have just completed Phase I of our expansion. We now have seven aircraft and all of them are fully utilized. We will embark on Phase II when the board of directors and the management of Malaysia Airlines plans to have new aircraft.”

Firefly currently serves directly eight destinations in Malysia and 10 regional destinations.

The new packages are also available through Firefly’s new mobile phone booking service, also launched on May 25.

People can now book from literally anywhere, anytime, said Ms Fernandez.

The facility accepts payment by credit card, allowing people to book and pay for tickets for others.

“Parents can now book and pay for tickets for, say, their children or their grandparents, or even as a gift for someone,” she said.

To mark this service, Firefly offered a limited number of promotional one-way tickets between Phuket and Penang for just RM1 (one ringgit, about 12 baht).

Firefly currently flies Phuket-Penang with FY3605 departing at 2:05pm Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays, with return flight FY3604 departing Penang at 1:15pm on the same days. The flight takes 75 minutes

Ipoh, 24 March 2010 –The state government of Perak today signed a five-year strategic collaboration with Firefly, winner of the Best Value Airline of the Year at the recent 2010 Frost & Sullivan Asia Pacific Aerospace & Defense Awards, to promote tourism and foreign investment in the state.

The signing ceremony, witnessed by the Menteri Besar of Perak, Y.A.B. Dato’ Seri Dr. Zambry Abd. Kadir, was conducted at Bangunan Perak Darul Ridzuan. The state government of Perak was represented by the State Secretary of Perak, YB Dato’ Dr. Abdul Rahman bin Hashim whereas signing on behalf of Firefly was its Managing Director, Dato’ Eddy Leong.

Dr. Zambry, who has been instrumental in making this strategic collaboration a reality, was full of praise for this joint effort, as Firefly’s foray in connecting Singapore and Ipoh has indeed been a beneficial move for Perak. The tourism industry is flourishing with the increased number of inbound tourists, and the business interest from Singapore has improved tremendously. Despite last year’s H1N1 flu outbreak, the state stopped just shy of their three million tourists’ target.

 The strategic collaboration is focused on achieving the following key result areas:

- To enable international air connection between Lapangan Terbang Sultan

Azlan Shah (LTSAS) in Ipoh and Changi International Airport in Singapore

- To promote Perak as a destination for mass and premium tourism

- To encourage new investment and business developments which will spur economic development of Perak State

 Dr. Abdul Rahman said that in this joint exercise, the Perak state government for its part, will spend RM2.4 million for Firefly to jointly market and promote tourism in the state for the first year, whereas another RM1.8 million will be spent in the second year.

“To induce and attract tourists and investment into the state, advertising and media campaigns in Singapore, Malaysia and other countries need to be done, and this spending is crucial to cover such costs. Apart from that, the costs will also be mainly for material and creative production fees; events and road shows; familiarization trips for media, travel agents and business counterparts; international marketing via international trade fairs; and other activities related to marketing, advertising and promotions of tourism for the state of Perak,” added Dr. Abdul Rahman.

“Firefly’s scheduled Singapore-Ipoh operation began on 12 July 2009 with 4-weekly flights on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. Within 2 months, Firefly increased its frequency to daily flights to meet high demand from both Singaporeans and Malaysians. We even mounted extra flights during the recent Chinese New Year to meet the demand of those going home to celebrate this festivity with their families. Presently we are looking at increasing the frequency to 2 x daily flights as soon as we procure additional aircraft.” said Eddy.

 Eddy also added that Firefly has been marketing Perak state aggressively via the code-share arrangement with Malaysia Airlines in the international market. During the recent international trade fare at ITB Berlin, Firefly received many sales inquiries regarding the Singapore – Ipoh route. Its travel agency arm, Firefly Holiday, offers online bookings at www.fireflyholiday.com which offers immediate holiday confirmation for customers around the world.

Thursday, 16 July 2009

by Sylvia Looi

SINGAPORE: The Perak Government hopes to attract 20% of Singapore tourists to the state following the introduction of Firefly’s Ipoh-Singapore service.

Perak state executive councillor Datuk Dr Mah Hang Soon said the Malaysia Tourism Promotion Board’s records showed that 11.43 million Singaporeans visited Malaysia last year.

He said the four times weekly flights have been fully booked for the next two months while flights for November were 85% booked.

Urging Singapore investors to grab the opportunity to invest in the state following the introduction of the air service, Dr Mah said the time needed to travel between Ipoh and Singapore had now been shortened considerably.

“The Firefly flights augur well with the state’s plans to attract more investors,” he said after hosting a dinner here on Monday evening for invited guests.

Dr Mah had led a delegation of state dignitaries and newsmen to visit the island republic following the introduction of the air service.

Singaporeans contributed 18% of the RM3bil in investments received by the state.

Malaysia’s High Commissioner to Singapore Datuk Md Hussin Nayan, who was present, welcomed the service as it would provide an opportunity for Singaporeans and Ipoh folks to visit each other.

He also urged tourism players in Perak to provide better services to tourists.

During the delegation’s three-day visit, dialogues were held with the Urban Redevelopment Authority, Land Transport Authority, Preservation of Monuments Board and Singapore’s Trade and Industry Minister S. Iswaran.