Firefly ceasing Penang-Phuket flights ?

I have seen this mentioned but wonder if anyone in Penang has confirmation clear that they will stop from 29th March, perhaps from your local press.

I have emailed several times but no reply

Many thanks

Firefly ceasing Penang-Phuket flights ?

this came out in the local press recently:

thestar.com.my/news/story.asp…

';flights from penang to langkawi have been re-timed'; whatever that means.

Firefly ceasing Penang-Phuket flights ?

typo: penang to phuket

Today, their call center confirmed that Phuket%26gt;Penang is still in service.

But who knows, what is their plan for the next routes%26#39; cancellation.

Any airline will only maintain a route if it is viable. Just go have a look at the deralict airports in Kapit %26amp; Belaga.

That said, Firefly have plans to expand their network routes .....

Airline News:-

NATIONAL turboprop aircraft operator Firefly is hoping to operate flights out of Ipoh and Malacca this year.

FlyFirefly Sdn Bhd managing director Eddy Leong said the wholly-owned subsidiary of Malaysia Airline System Bhd is eyeing the Ipoh-Singapore and Malacca-Singapore routes for its summer season which begins in April.

';We have submitted our application to the Transport Ministry and is awaiting approval,'; he told Business Times.

Leong said both the Malacca and Ipoh airports can accomodate Firefly%26#39;s ATR 72-500 planes.

';We are focused on routes that other airlines are unable to serve with their jet aircrafts,'; he said.

Between April and August this year, Firefly will be taking delivery of another five new planes ordered from Aerei da Trasporto Regionale or Avions de Transport Rgional (ATR), an Italian-French based aircraft manufacturer.

With its fleet of 10 planes, Leong said, other new routes being applied for this year include Subang-Kerteh, Subang-Bengkulu, Subang-Batam, Subang-Jambi, Subang-Padang, Subang-Pangkal Pinang, Subang-Alor Star, Subang-Kuantan, Penang-Krabi, Penang-Huahin and Penang-Johor Baru.

';For the Singapore routes, we are also eyeing Subang-Singapore, Penang-Singapore, Kuala Terengganu-Singapore, Kuantan-Singapore and Malacca-Singapore.';

For 2009, Firefly is expecting to carry about 1.3 million passengers with a projected seat factor of over 70 per cent. In 2008, Firefly carried about 500,000 passengers.

Leong said 2009 will be somewhat challenging for the airline, given the economic slowdown.

';However we believe Firefly is well positioned to capitalise on the situation as our passenger profile is a healthy mix of business traffic, those visiting friends and relatives, foreign workers and leisure travellers.';

eye creams