MASwings aims for higher passenger load factor

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(From left) Ritzerwan and Shauqi attending questions from the media during the lauching of the super air fare event at a hotel here yesterday. — Photo by Jeffery Mostapa.

KUCHING: MASwings Sdn Bhd (MASwings) expects to increase its passengers load factor to 70 per cent by carrying more passengers this year.

MASwings chief commercial officer Shauqi Ahmad revealed that the regional airline operating Sabah and Sarawak routes is targeting an increase of more than 10 per cent in passengers volume to achieve the goal.

“Currently, MASwings (passenger) load factor is about 67 per cent. We are expecting our load factor to hit 70 per cent this year by carrying an estimate of more than 10 per cent of passengers,” he told a press conference yesterday.

“This year, we are targetting to carry 1.8 million of passengers from an improved passengers volume of 1.6 million (in 2014).

“On average, every month, MASwings carry about 130,000 passengers.” He disclosed that MASwings at present plying 19 routes in Sabah and Sarawak.

Additionally, he revealed for instance, there are some routes which the carrier is flying that have received high demand, thus carrying more passengers such as Kuching-Bintulu and Kuching-Sibu routes while there are certain routes which are carrying less passengers, such as the Kuching-Mulu route.

Nonetheless, he is optimistic that ticket sales for routes with higher demand will offset the routes which is going to receive lower demand.

When asked on the plan by the regional carrier to expand, MASwings chief executive officer Captain Ritzerwan Rashid said the regional carrier is currently undergoing a restructuring plan which is undertaken by its major shareholder Khazanah Nasional Bhd and its parent company Malaysian Airlines (MAS).

He believed that the top management of the company will have a good plan to enhance the business of the carrier.

He hoped that the government could make a decision on the plan for MASwings by the middle of this year with the restructuring process for MAS which is currently underway.

On another note, Ritzerwan said MASwings will keep on improving especially with regards to customer’s service.

He also said MASwings does not discout the possibilty of launching more products and increasing more frequency for routes which are receiving good demand in the future.

“We are going to change and transform as part of the culture of keeping up with the industry trend.

“We will also keep on improving especially on customers’s service which are going to meet higher customers’ expectations.

In the meantime, Ritzerwan and Shauqi told a press conference that the carrier is launching a promotion event on super special air fare today and tomorrow (Jan 30 and Jan 31) at Kuching Waterfront.

They said passengers travelling within Sabah and Sarawak will enjoy one way low air fares from RM80 starting today until June 23 for travel period from Feb 6 to June 30.

As for the air fare promotional event, Shauqi expects to receive encouraging response from customers.