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For other uses, see Firefly (disambiguation).

Flyfirefly Sdn Bhd
IATA ICAO Call sign
FY FFM FIREFLY
Founded16 March 2007; 17 years ago (2007-03-16)
Commenced operations3 April 2007; 17 years ago (2007-04-03)
Hubs
Secondary hubsKota Kinabalu
Fleet size15
Destinations12
Parent companyMalaysia Airlines
HeadquartersPetaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia
Websitewww.fireflyz.com.my

Firefly (stylised as firefly) is a low-cost airline subsidiary of Malaysia Airlines that offers flights within Malaysia, as well as to Indonesia, Singapore, and Thailand. [1] Firefly operates from its main hub at Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport in Subang and Penang International Airport, as well as its secondary hub at Kota Kinabalu International Airport. The airline's first flight was on 3 April 2007, from Penang to Kota Bharu. The company slogan is Beyond Convenience.

History

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[2]

2007–2010: Formation and Early Expansion

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Firefly began its operations on 3 April 2007, with its first flight from Penang International Airport to Kota Bharu. The airline’s initial strategy was to serve domestic routes, utilizing ATR 72-500 turboprop aircraft. The ATR 72 was chosen for its efficiency on short regional routes, and the airline's primary goal was to improve connectivity to and from smaller towns, thereby stimulating regional economic growth and tourism. Firefly focused on routes that connected less-served markets such as Langkawi, Alor Setar, and Kuala Terengganu with major hubs like Penang and Subang.

In 2008, Firefly expanded its fleet by adding more ATR 72-500 aircraft, enabling the airline to further increase its frequency on existing routes and introduce new connections. By 2009, Firefly took a step towards modernizing its fleet, incorporating the ATR 72-600 model, which offered improved fuel efficiency, higher seating capacity (up to 78 passengers), and better passenger comfort compared to the ATR 72-500. The introduction of these aircraft allowed the airline to enhance its operational capabilities and respond to growing passenger demand, especially as the airline expanded its domestic route network. By the end of 2009, Firefly’s fleet consisted of ten ATR 72-500s and two ATR 72-600s.

2010–2011: The Introduction of Jet Operations

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In 2010, Firefly made a strategic decision to diversify its fleet and operations by entering the jet market. The airline placed an order for 30 Boeing 737-800 aircraft, marking a significant shift in its business model. The new Boeing jets were intended to provide the airline with the capacity to operate on longer domestic and regional routes, allowing Firefly to compete with established low-cost carriers such as AirAsia. The first Boeing 737-800 was delivered in December 2010, and by January 2011, Firefly had begun operating its first jet routes, focusing primarily on domestic destinations like Kuala Lumpur, Kuching, and Kota Kinabalu, along with regional flights to Jakarta.

However, the decision to enter the jet market proved challenging. The competitive landscape in Malaysia's aviation sector became more intense, especially with the rapid expansion of budget airlines like AirAsia and the emergence of Malindo Air in 2013. Firefly struggled to maintain profitability with its jet operations, as aggressive pricing strategies from competitors put significant pressure on the airline’s yields and load factors. The challenges were compounded by operational inefficiencies and high costs associated with running a dual fleet of turboprop and jet aircraft.

As a result, in August 2011, Firefly announced that it would cease its jet operations by the end of the year. The decision to withdraw from the jet market was made in consultation with its parent company, Malaysia Airlines, and in response to a restructuring agreement between Malaysia Airlines and AirAsia. The airline officially returned all Boeing 737-800 aircraft to Malaysia Airlines and refocused its operations on turboprop services using ATR 72 aircraft.

2012–2019: Consolidation, Market Positioning, and Financial Struggles

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Following the cessation of jet operations, Firefly resumed its focus on regional turboprop services. The airline continued to expand its domestic network, especially on routes to smaller towns and cities across Malaysia. Firefly also concentrated on providing a reliable and efficient service, connecting secondary cities with key hubs such as Penang, Subang, and Langkawi. However, the Malaysian aviation market became increasingly competitive, particularly with the growth of Malindo Air, which launched in 2013 and expanded rapidly in the domestic and regional markets.

In this period, Firefly's market share began to decline. Competitors like AirAsia, Malindo Air, and others implemented aggressive pricing strategies, which reduced Firefly’s ability to compete effectively, particularly on high-demand routes. The airline also struggled with profitability, with rising fuel costs and the pressures of maintaining a fleet of older turboprop aircraft. By 2018, Firefly reported a net loss of RM49.41 million, and its market share shrank significantly. During the same period, Malaysia Aviation Group (MAG), Firefly’s parent company, launched a strategic review of its subsidiaries to identify areas for improvement.

In 2019, MAG unveiled its Long-Term Business Plan (LTBP), which identified Firefly as a key player in the recovery of Malaysia’s aviation sector. The plan sought to leverage Firefly's strength in regional markets and its ability to serve underserved routes. Firefly was tasked with regaining market share, particularly in the domestic market, and to explore the possibility of reintroducing jet operations to better compete in the low-cost carrier segment.

2020–2021: Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic and Resumption of Jet Operations

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The global COVID-19 pandemic, which began in early 2020, caused a severe disruption to the airline industry worldwide, and Firefly was no exception. The pandemic led to widespread travel restrictions, resulting in significant reductions in both domestic and international flight frequencies. In response, Firefly pivoted to focus on cargo operations, utilizing its fleet to transport essential goods and medical supplies during the pandemic.

As the pandemic situation gradually improved and travel demand began to recover, Firefly resumed its jet operations in January 2021. The airline introduced Boeing 737-800 aircraft to its fleet once again and focused on domestic routes from Penang International Airport to key destinations like Kota Kinabalu, Kuching, and Johor Bahru. This marked a new phase for Firefly, as the airline sought to capitalize on the growing demand for domestic travel in the post-pandemic recovery period.

Firefly’s strategy in 2021 emphasized point-to-point flights on secondary routes, catering to both business and leisure travelers. The airline aimed to differentiate itself from other low-cost carriers by focusing on underserved destinations and offering competitive pricing while maintaining operational efficiency.

2022–2024: Fleet Expansion, Regional Growth, and Strategic Goals

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In 2022, Firefly continued to expand its fleet with the addition of more Boeing 737-800 aircraft. The airline’s plan was to operate up to ten narrow-body jets by 2025, enhancing its capacity for both domestic and regional operations. Firefly introduced new routes from Penang to various destinations, including direct flights to Kota Kinabalu and Kuching, and began preparations for resuming international flights as travel restrictions eased further.

In 2023, Firefly announced the establishment of Kota Kinabalu International Airport as a secondary hub, aimed at enhancing connectivity in Borneo and increasing flight frequencies on key domestic routes. The airline also focused on expanding its regional footprint, preparing for new international routes to destinations like Singapore and Thailand, as well as exploring new markets in Southeast Asia. Firefly also began to rebuild its customer base by improving service quality and providing competitive pricing.

By 2024, Firefly had set ambitious goals for profitability, aiming to recover lost ground and achieve sustainable growth. The airline planned to further expand its network, targeting new markets in Japan and South Korea by 2025. Additionally, Firefly sought to enhance the customer experience by improving onboard services and optimizing its operations. The airline’s strategic goals for 2024 included increasing profitability, expanding its market share, and positioning itself as a key player in Southeast Asia's aviation market.

Future Prospects

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Firefly's focus in the coming years remains on expanding its network and optimizing its fleet to better serve domestic and regional markets. With a hybrid fleet of both ATR turboprop aircraft and Boeing 737 jets, the airline plans to offer a diverse range of services to meet the needs of different passenger segments. Firefly's ambitions include expanding further into Southeast Asia, with a particular emphasis on emerging markets in the region. As part of Malaysia Aviation Group's broader strategic objectives, Firefly is expected to play a significant role in the recovery and growth of Malaysia's aviation industry in the post-pandemic era.

Development and expansion

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Firefly offers domestic flights from Penang to Langkawi, Kota Bharu, Subang, and to the international destinations Changi in Singapore, Banda Aceh in Indonesia, and Phuket and Suvarnabhumi in Thailand. Its flights from Subang serve Penang, Langkawi, Alor Setar, Johor Bahru, Kuala Terengganu, Kota Bharu and Seletar and Changi in Singapore.

The airline briefly operated jet aircraft in 2011, offering flights to Kota Kinabalu, Kuching, Sandakan and Sibu from Kuala Lumpur International Airport and internationally to Bandung and Surabaya via Johor Bahru. Acting as a low-cost arm for Malaysia Airlines, the airline planned to include destinations in Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Philippines, China, India and Taiwan by 2015.[3]

Domestically, the airline previously served an extensive intra-peninsula connection from its turboprop secondary hub in Penang and Johor Bahru to most major cities in Peninsular Malaysia. Nonetheless, following the major restructuring of the company, the airline decided to axe its jet operations by the end of 2011 and halt its planned turboprop expansion to Bangkok–Don Mueang (via Kota Bharu),[4] Bengkulu, Jambi and Pangkal Pinang.

Firefly operates scheduled passenger flights from Singapore's Seletar Airport since 2019 and Changi Airport since March 2023, flying to its Subang hub using turboprop aircraft.[5][6] In the same year, the airline announced its interest to commence a new operation to Betong Airport in Thailand from Kuala Lumpur-Subang.[7][8][9]

In October 2020, the company has announced the resumption of its jet service from January 2021. Concentrating secondary routes from Penang International Airport, the airline selected Kota Kinabalu, Kuching and Johor Bahru as its pioneer destinations. In March 2022, Firefly announced that they will be flying from Penang to Kota Kinabalu and Kuching using their B737-800 aircraft starting April 2022. On 11 April 2022, Firefly had its B737-800 inaugural passenger flight from Johor to Penang.

Other than that, Firefly said they also have plans to make Kota Kinabalu International Airport their secondary hub by 2023.[10]

From May 2023, Firefly has begun to operate intra-Borneo jet services previously operated by its parent company Malaysia Airlines. Flights from Kota Kinabalu to Kuching, Tawau and Sandakan will be operated by their fleet of single-class B737-800s, with frequencies all increasing to once-daily return services (from 2-5x weekly before).[11] The move is believed to be part of efforts to counter the dominant position held by low-cost carrier AirAsia.[12]

The airline has codeshare services with its parent Malaysia Airlines with capability to collect Enrich frequent flyer points along with MH Flypas being redeemable on selected firefly flights.[13]

Destinations

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As of September 2024, Firefly have served these following destinations:

Country City Airport Notes Refs
China Chengdu Chengdu Tianfu International Airport Charter
Chongqing Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport Charter [14]
Haikou Haikou Meilan International Airport [15]
Nanjing Nanjing Lukou International Airport Charter [16]
Indonesia Banda Aceh Sultan Iskandar Muda International Airport
Bandung Husein Sastranegara Airport Terminated
Batam Hang Nadim International Airport Terminated
Medan Kualanamu International Airport Terminated
Padang Minangkabau International Airport Terminated
Pekanbaru Sultan Syarif Kasim II International Airport Terminated
Macau Macau Macau International Airport [17]
Malaysia Alor Setar Sultan Abdul Halim Airport
Ipoh Sultan Azlan Shah Airport Terminated
Johor Bahru Senai International Airport [18][19][20]
Kerteh Kerteh Airport Terminated
Kota Bharu Sultan Ismail Petra Airport [21]
Kota Kinabalu Kota Kinabalu International Airport Secondary hub
Kuala Lumpur Kuala Lumpur International Airport
Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport Hub [22]
Kuala Terengganu Sultan Mahmud Airport
Kuantan Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah Airport Terminated [23]
Kuching Kuching International Airport
Langkawi Langkawi International Airport
Malacca Malacca International Airport Terminated
Miri Miri Airport
Penang Penang International Airport Hub
Sandakan Sandakan Airport
Sibu Sibu Airport Terminated
Tawau Tawau Airport
Singapore Singapore Changi Airport [24]
Seletar Airport
Thailand Bangkok Don Mueang International Airport Terminated
Suvarnabhumi Airport
Hat Yai Hat Yai International Airport Terminated
Hua Hin Hua Hin Airport Terminated
Koh Samui Samui Airport Terminated
Krabi Krabi International Airport Terminated
Phuket Phuket International Airport

Codeshare agreements

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Firefly has codeshare agreements with these airlines:

Fleet

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Current fleet

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As of July 2024, Firefly operates the following aircraft:[27]

Firefly's current livery on the Boeing 737-800
Firefly fleet
Aircraft In service Orders Passengers Notes
ATR 72-500 9 — 72
Boeing 737-800 5 3 189 Transferred from Malaysia Airlines.
Total 14 3

Cabin

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Firefly current seat installed on the Boeing 737-800

Firefly ATR-72 cabin seat is equipped with very basic legroom pitch of 30inch. On the Boeing 737-800 firefly has introduced slimline seats of the Safran z110i and comes equipped with USB A and C charging ports.

Former fleet

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Former Firefly 9M-FZA Boeing 737-400
Firefly former fleet
Aircraft Total Introduced Retired Notes
ATR 72-500 3 2008 2020
ATR 72-600 8 2013 2016
Boeing 737-400 2 2011 2014
Boeing 737-800 6 2011 2011
Fokker 50 3 2007 2009

Fleet history

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Firefly ATR 72-500
Former Firefly Boeing 737-800

A revival of the airline's route was commenced in 2021, now operated via Penang International Airport as its main hub.

Firefly started operations with two 50-seater Fokker 50 aircraft. It also took delivery of a third leased Fokker 50 aircraft to expand its services.

On 26 June 2007, Malaysia Airlines signed an agreement for the acquisition of ten ATR 72-500 aircraft with options for ten more (which was exercised), to replace the Fokker 50s.[28] The aircraft started to arrive from 11 August 2008,[29] with five delivered in 2008, five in 2009, four in 2010 and the rest in 2011.[30] All Fokker F50s retired by the end of 2008.

On 25 August 2010, Firefly announced that it would take up four ATR 72s in the option clause of the purchase agreement.[31] On 8 November 2010, Firefly announced an order for 30 Boeing 737-800 aircraft from year-end to 2015 as part of its expansion into east Malaysia initially, and into regional markets in the future. Firefly's first Boeing 737-800 arrived in December 2010 and began its operations on 15 January 2011.[32][33]

On 16 August 2011, Firefly announced that it would only operate the ATR aircraft from Subang and Penang, and cease its Boeing 737-800 and Boeing 737-400 flights.[34] Jet operations were discontinued in accordance with a restructuring-of-services agreement made between Malaysia Airlines (Firefly's parent company) and AirAsia. On 16 September 2011, Firefly ceased the Johor Bahru – Kuching route. Other Boeing 737 services, including Kuala Lumpur – Kuching, Kuala Lumpur – Kota Kinabalu and Kuala Lumpur – Jakarta, were transferred to Malaysia Airlines in October 2011.[35] Its two remaining Boeing 737-400 were instead kept under its charter division until 2014.[36][37]

On 18 December 2012, MASwings' parent company, Malaysia Airlines, ordered 36 ATR 72-600s for its subsidiaries. Twenty of the ordered aircraft will be delivered to Firefly while the remaining sixteen will enter service with MASwings. However with the ongoing contract dispute with the Ministry of transport Malaysia and MASwings on the usage of the new aircraft for RAS subsidies along with the financial turmoil parent company Malaysia Airlines was facing in 2015, subsequent pending deliveries for the ATR72-600 were halted and cancelled. Firefly also retired all eight of its newly delivered ATR72-600 by 2016 as most of its expansion plans were put on hold.[38]

In October 2020, the Malaysia Aviation Group (MAG) announced that the airline would recommence its jet operations in the first quarter of 2021. There will be ten jets in the fleet.[39]

In April 2022, Firefly resumed jet aircraft operation with the Boeing 737-800 and has set up Penang and Kota Kinabalu to be their hub of operation for the aircraft fleet.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Contact Info Archived 14 August 2016 at the Wayback Machine." Firefly. Retrieved on 21 April 2016. "Principal Office FlyFirefly Sdn Bhd, Lot R-01, 3rd Floor, CITTA Mall, No: 1, Jalan PJU 1A/48, Ara Damansara, 47301 Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia."
  2. ^ "Airport had the longest runway", New Strait Times, 21 September 2020, retrieved 13 November 2024
  3. ^ "Firefly embarks on 5-year expansion drive". Firefly. 24 August 2010. Archived from the original on 4 May 2021. Retrieved 21 April 2021.
  4. ^ "Kota Bahru BKK Flight Deferred". Firefly. 8 January 2014. Archived from the original on 4 May 2021. Retrieved 21 April 2021.
  5. ^ "Seletar Airport Prepares for Turboprop Service". aviationweek.com. Retrieved 5 February 2018.
  6. ^ "Singapore 2018: Seletar Airport set for turboprop move - Air & Cosmos - International". Air & Cosmos - International. Retrieved 6 February 2018.
  7. ^ "Betong airport runway will be extended, says army chief". Bangkok Post. Retrieved 11 February 2020.
  8. ^ "Three airlines eyeing Betong airport". Bangkok Post. Retrieved 11 February 2020.
  9. ^ "Nok Air in talks with authorities on flights to Betong airport". The Nation (Thailand). 27 September 2019. Retrieved 11 February 2020.
  10. ^ "Firefly plans KK hub". Borneo Post Online. 3 March 2022. Retrieved 3 March 2022.
  11. ^ "Malaysia Aviation Group (MAG) Transfers Intra-Borneo Services to Firefly". www.malaysiaairlines.com. Retrieved 22 June 2023.
  12. ^ Chua2023-04-12T03:21:00+01:00, Alfred. "Malaysia Airlines exits intra-east Malaysia operations in 'strategic' route rejig". Flight Global. Retrieved 22 June 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  13. ^ "MHflypass Malaysia By Malaysia Airlines is Now Available on Codeshare Firefly Flights". www.malaysiaairlines.com. Retrieved 6 November 2023.
  14. ^ "FIREFLY SCHEDULES CHONGQING CHARTERS FROM JULY 2024". Retrieved 9 July 2024.
  15. ^ "FIREFLY SCHEDULES KUALA LUMPUR – HAIKOU FROM MID-JUNE 2024". AeroRoutes. Retrieved 6 June 2024.
  16. ^ "Fireflyz Tawau-Nanjing Charter flight". Trip.Com. 26 November 2023.
  17. ^ "Firefly adds Tawau – Macau from July 2024". Aeroroutes. Retrieved 8 July 2024.
  18. ^ "New Kota Bharu to JB Connections | Firefly Airline". www.fireflyz.com.my. Archived from the original on 19 September 2020. Retrieved 15 November 2020.
  19. ^ SiennyLovesDrawing (20 November 2019). "Firefly Airlines Expands Its Network Route Directly Connecting Johor Bahru & Kota Bharu". Medium. Archived from the original on 16 November 2020. Retrieved 15 November 2020.
  20. ^ "Fabulous Cats Performs at Senai Airport | Firefly Airline". Archived from the original on 19 September 2020. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
  21. ^ "New Kota Bharu to JB Connections | Firefly Airline". Archived from the original on 19 September 2020. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
  22. ^ "Fabulous Cats Performs At Senai Airport | Firefly Airline". www.fireflyz.com.my. Archived from the original on 19 September 2020. Retrieved 15 November 2020.
  23. ^ "Firefly tentatively resumes Penang-Kuantan in NS24". AeroRoutes. 3 May 2023. Retrieved 17 January 2024.
  24. ^ "Firefly to launch flights from Penang to Changi Airport on March 26 |". www.straitstimes.com. Retrieved 2 March 2023.
  25. ^ "Firefly expands codeshare with Malaysia Airlines".
  26. ^ "Firefly and MASWings begins codeshare".
  27. ^ "Firefly Fleet Details and History". planespotters.net. Retrieved 25 March 2022.
  28. ^ "MAS inks RM62m deal". Archived from the original on 30 June 2007. Retrieved 16 December 2019.
  29. ^ "Firefly - Get to Know Our Fleet". fireflyz.com.my. Archived from the original on 19 September 2020. Retrieved 2 July 2008.
  30. ^ "Positioning itself - Carving out its own seat". Archived from the original on 22 May 2011.
  31. ^ Marina Emmunuel. "Firefly to double ATR fleet to fuel expansion". Business Times Malaysia. Archived from the original on 26 February 2014. Retrieved 25 August 2010.
  32. ^ "Firefly expands with 737-800". Firefly (Malaysia). Archived from the original on 28 March 2016. Retrieved 8 November 2010.
  33. ^ Jeeva. "Firefly plans to expand services and take up 30 B737-800s". The Star (Malaysia).
  34. ^ Firefly to only run turboprop planes Archived 26 September 2011 at the Wayback Machine The Sun Daily
  35. ^ flyfireflyz (16 September 2011). "NEWS: FireFly starts cancelling routes to Sarawak".
  36. ^ "Firefly has commenced a new charter flight to the city of Nanning, in southern China's Guangxi region". 22 April 2012.
  37. ^ "Firefly offers direct Kuala Lumpur-Haikou connections via charter division". 27 November 2012.
  38. ^ "Firefly revamps to get through tough times". 30 December 2016.
  39. ^ "Firefly reverts to jet operations amid broad restructuring".

Bibliography

[edit]
  • Karim, F.N., "Firefly to start services April 2", Business Times, 15 March 2006
  • Yeow, J. & Francis, I., "MAS to launch Firefly", The Sun, 15 March 2006
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