Malaysia’s Firefly flights to Singapore are back, permanent Restricted Area over Pasir Gudang suspended

Malaysia – Singapore’s Transport Minister Khaw Boon Wan and his Malaysian counterpart Anthony Loke released a joint statement on Apr 6 regarding the commencement of Firefly flights to Singapore effective Apr 2019.

On Dec 2018, Malaysian budget airline Firefly halted its flights to Singapore after failing to obtain Malaysia’s aviation regulator’s approval to transfer operations from Changi Airport to Seletar Airport. In a bid to optimise the use of its resources, Changi Airport Group had announced the relocation of its turboprop operations to Seletar.

In addition to Firefly resuming its flights to Singapore, issues relating to the ongoing airspace disputes were addressed.

According to the joint statement by Singapore and Malaysia’s transport ministers, both countries “have agreed that in the spirit of bilateral cooperation, Singapore will withdraw the Instrument Landing System (ILS) procedures for Seletar Airport and Malaysia will indefinitely suspend its permanent Restricted Area (RA) over Pasir Gudang,” wrote Loke via a Facebook post.

“This agreement was implemented by the civil aviation authorities of both countries on 5 April 2019, at 2359hrs,” he added.

Furthermore, both transport ministers noted that a high-level committee had been established “to review the Operational Letter of Agreement between Kuala Lumpur and Singapore Area Control Centres Concerning Singapore Arrivals, Departures and Overflights 1974.”

“Both Transport Ministers welcome these positive steps and look forward to further strengthening bilateral cooperation,” said the post.

Read related: Malaysia’s airspace dispute with Singapore is not good for Malaysian company Firefly Airlines – S$6.6m a month not good

Read related: “Seletar cannot use Malaysia’s airspace”—M’sian Foreign Minister Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah

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