Malaysia Airlines To Add Three New Destinations

Christoper Yek Takes Over As New Regional Manager

Jyoti Koul - New Delhi

L-R: Christopher Yek, the new regional manager (South Asia) along with Syed Abdillah Aziz, the outgoing regional manager, Malaysia Airlines

To be able to benefit from India's limited open skies policy, Malaysia Airlines has charted out its expansion plan for 2006. The airline will add three new destinations to its network - Amritsar, Kochi and Tiruchirapalli - with three flights each per week. It has also announced three additional direct flights on the Delhi-Kuala Lumpur route making it a daily service with an additional capacity of 882 seats per week. These flights will commence operations from the winter schedule.

By this move the airline is expecting to grow by 15 per cent. It had increased the number of flights from 18 to 30 in 2004. After incorporating its new expansion plan, Malaysia Airlines will operate 39 flights per week in total. Apart from these expansions, the airline is also planning to open office at an undisclosed offbeat location in the country to support its future expansion activities. Syed Abdillah Aziz, the outgoing regional manager (South Asia) at Malaysia Airlines, said, "Our new plans are a significant increase in our activities and this also shows our confidence in the market. We have already got the government approval to operate our three new flights."

Aziz will be substituted by Christopher Yek who has officially taken over from June 2005. During his first public appearance Yek said, "India is a major station for growth and I see a lot of growth opportunities for the airline. My objective is to tap the region for maximum potential." On a lighter note he said that he hoped he is able to maintain the momentum that Aziz established during his tenure.

Yek further said, "India has one of the fastest growing aviation economy in the world and with a forecasted growth potential of over 18 per cent per annum on the international passenger air traffic." With regard to competition, Yek said that the advent of new players would further mature the aviation market, which has scope to sustain and grow. To this, Aziz said, "India, with a billion people, will provide huge opportunities. It is a big cake to share." Yek however added, "Despite this, we expect a rationalisation of the industry in terms of size of operation, types of aircraft used, and routes flown to."