MASWINGS CHAIRMAN/MALAYSIA AIRLINES GROUP CEO STATEMENT - MH3002 INCIDENT AT KUDAT, SABAH

We deeply regret the incident in Kudat of flight MH 3002 on Thursday, October 10, 2013. The aircraft, with Registration Number DHC6 9M-MDM, departed from Kota Kinabalu to Kudat with 14 passengers and two technical crew onboard landed in the vicinity of Kudat Airport at 2.50pm.

Out of the 16 onboard, 15 were Malaysians and one Filipino national.

Regrettably there have been two fatalities (of which one is MASwings Co-Pilot) and two injuries.

The Captain piloting the flight was Captain Wan Mohd Abd Amir Wan Yahya, 56. He has over 4700 total flying hours.

Captain Wan Mohd joined MASwings in August 2011

We extend our deepest sympathies to the families and friends of the deceased and those involved in the accident, and we are doing everything we can to assist them in this extremely difficult time. We are assisting the passengers and families the best way we can.

A 24-hour Call Centre service has been activated. Families of passengers who were on-board may call 603-7884 1234 for further enquiries.

We have also set up our Go Team in Kudat to look after their needs and keep them as quickly informed as possible.

The investigation will be carried out by the authorities. Malaysia Airlines together with MASwings are fully co-operating and assisting the investigation in every possible way.

As per aircraft maintenance record, the Twin-Otter was fit to fly and was in good condition before the accident.

Malaysia Airlines and MASwings will continue to monitor the situation at the crash site and update on the situation and will provide information relating to the flight itself and updates on steps being taken.

Once again, we at Malaysia Airlines and MASwings express our deepest regret and extend our condolences to all affected parties.

I would like to reiterate once again that our utmost priority is to ensure complete well being of our passengers, crew and other affected parties.

MH3002 Incident at Kudat, Sabah

Subang, 10 October 2013: Malaysia Airlines confirms that the total number of passengers and crew on-board MASwings' Twin Otter, DHC6 9M-MDM MH3002 were 16 persons. The crash happened in the vicinity of Kudat Airport at 2.50pm on 10^th October 2013.

The airline confirms that the total number of injuries is six.

All on-board has been evacuated to safety and injured ones are receiving treatment accordingly.

Focus of the airline is on the well-being of the passengers, crew and other affected parties.

Malaysia Airlines’ Group Chief Executive Officer/MASwings Chairman, Ahmad Jauhari Yahya is on his way to Kudat to monitor the situation.

Malaysia Airlines will also continue to monitor the situation at the crash site and update on the situation.   

Families of passengers who were on-board may call +603- 78841234 for further enquiries.

The media hotline is +603- 87871276.

Plantar Fasciitis

What is plantar fasciitis?

Plantar fasciitis (say "PLAN-ter fash-ee-EYE-tus") is the most common cause of heel pain. The plantar fascia  is the flat band of tissue (ligament) that connects your heel bone to your toes. It supports the arch of your foot. If you strain your plantar fascia, it gets weak, swollen, and irritated (inflamed). Then your heel or the bottom of your foot hurts when you stand or walk.

Plantar fasciitis is common in middle-aged people. It also occurs in younger people who are on their feet a lot, like athletes or soldiers. It can happen in one foot or both feet.

What causes plantar fasciitis?

Plantar fasciitis is caused by straining the ligament that supports your arch. Repeated strain can cause tiny tears in the ligament. These can lead to pain and swelling. This is more likely to happen if:

• Your feet roll inward too much when you walk (excessive pronation ).
• You have high arches or flat feet.
• You walk, stand, or run for long periods of time, especially on hard surfaces.
• You are overweight.
• You wear shoes that don't fit well or are worn out.
• You have tight Achilles tendons or calf muscles.

What are the symptoms?

Most people with plantar fasciitis have pain when they take their first steps after they get out of bed or sit for a long time. You may have less stiffness and pain after you take a few steps. But your foot may hurt more as the day goes on. It may hurt the most when you climb stairs or after you stand for a long time.

If you have foot pain at night, you may have a different problem, such as arthritis, or a nerve problem such as tarsal tunnel syndrome.

How is plantar fasciitis diagnosed?

Your doctor will check your feet and watch you stand and walk. He or she will also ask questions about:

• Your past health, including what illnesses or injuries you have had.
• Your symptoms, such as where the pain is and what time of day your foot hurts most.
• How active you are and what types of physical activity you do.

Your doctor may take an X-ray of your foot if he or she suspects a problem with the bones of your foot, such as a stress fracture.

How is it treated?

No single treatment works best for everyone with plantar fasciitis. But there are many things you can try to help your foot get better:

• Give your feet a rest. Cut back on activities that make your foot hurt. Try not to walk or run on hard surfaces.
• To reduce pain and swelling, try putting ice on your heel. Or take an over-the-counter pain reliever like ibuprofen (such as Advil or Motrin), naproxen (such asAleve), or aspirin.
• Do toe stretches , calf stretches  and towel stretches  several times a day, especially when you first get up in the morning.
• Get a new pair of shoes. Pick shoes with good arch support and a cushioned sole. Or try heel cups or shoe inserts (orthotics ). Use them in both shoes, even if only one foot hurts.

Malaysia Airlines Increases Capacity Across Network

Malaysia Airlines is on an expansion mode with capacity and frequency increases regionally and new destinations internationally.

“In the recent weeks, we launched flights to Dubai and Kochi and increased capacity and frequencies to Bandar Seri Begawan (Brunei) and Medan (Indonesia). Soon, we will be flying more often to Singapore, Sydney and Melbourne, as well as putting Darwin back in our network map”, says Group CEO, Ahmad Jauhari Yahya.

“People are travelling more, and Malaysia Airlines is strengthening our footprint across Asia and beyond in response to these market needs”, added Ahmad Jauhari Yahya. 

Malaysia Airlines has seen a steady increase in passenger traffic since the start of 2013 matching the added capacity. Seat loads have also improved, registering 83.3% in July 2013, equivalent to a 9.1% increase from the previous year.

Malaysia Airlines recently celebrated the reinstatement of its Kuala Lumpur – Dubai service in August 2013. Kochi, in south India, became its new destination in September. Darwin in Australia’s Northern Territory is the Malaysian national carrier’s new destination in November 2013.

Capacity and Frequency increases:

·         Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei – Saw an 11% increase in capacity into and out of Bandar Seri Begawan with the bigger B737-800 series (160-seats) aircraft effective 15 August 2013 which replaces the previous B737-400 series.

·         Medan, Indonesia – Added a third daily frequency from Kuala Lumpur into the Medan effective 15 September 2013, making it 6,720 seats weekly in and out of Medan.

·         Singapore - New daily flights MH623 ex-Kuala Lumpur for Singapore and MH624 ex-Singapore for Kuala Lumpur offer more seamless travel and good connections to popular destinations such as Delhi and Beijing.

·         Sydney, Australia - Double daily operations from Sydney will be increased with 4 additional weekly flights bringing it to 18 flights per week from 21 November 2013. This will increase to 21 weekly flights from 5^th February 2014.

·         Melbourne, Australia - Malaysia Airlines is also increasing its frequency from Kuala Lumpur into Melbourne to triple daily from 21 November 2013, from its current double daily service. The new frequency, MH147 will depart Kuala Lumpur at 7.50 pm daily and will arrive in Melbourne at 6.45 am the following day. MH146 from Melbourne to Kuala Lumpur will depart at 8.55 am and will arrive in Kuala Lumpur at 2.15 pm the same day.

Customers can book their travel on Malaysia Airlines through all distribution channels mainly www.malaysiaairlines.com, Malaysia Airlines 24 hours toll free number 1 300 88 3000, MHmobile, Malaysia Airlines ticket offices and appointed agents throughout Malaysia.

Firefly & MASwings Launch Cabin Crew Integration Programme

Malaysia Airlines, via its subsidiaries Firefly and MASwings, today joined the whole Nation in celebrating the Merdeka spirit with the launch of its Cabin Crew Integration Programme aimed at strengthening the role of the Group in advocating national integration.

This colourful programme will feature 10 Firefly cabin crew from Peninsular Malaysia fly alongside MASwings crew on flights around Sabah and Sarawak, and vice versa.

Group CEO, Ahmad Jauhari Yahya expressed his delight at initiating the Programme that will be made an annual event beginning this year.

“This Integration Programme will be carried out for two weeks starting from 30 August to 16 September 2013, and we intend to do this every year as part of celebrating National Day and Malaysia Day.”

“The Cabin Crew Integration Programme also shows our strength as Malaysia Airlines Group in which there is strong cooperation and solid support for each other.”

Speaking at the launch of the Integration Programme at Skypark today, MASwings Chief Executive Officer Datuk Captain Mohd Nawawi Hj Awang said, “We are glad to be able to bring about a programme especially during the Merdeka and Malaysia Day celebrations that fits well with the National agenda of further enhancing national integration. The exchange of our cabin crew is an opportunity to expose our staff to different cultures and diversity within the states of Malaysia.”

Echoing the sentiment is Firefly’s CEO, Ignatius Ong, who added, “This is not only a great branding exercise for both airlines but it also creates synergy amongst the Malaysia Airlines Group of airlines and strengthens a harmonious workforce. Through the programme, MASwings and Firefly will be able to support one another operationally in the future.”

Prior to the exchange, the 20 cabin crew involved in the integration programme undertook a training to understand the differences in operations and services of respective carriers. MASwings’ aircrafts are equipped with LED drop down screens which are used to demonstrate the in-flight safety video and to showcase destination offerings from Sabah and Sarawak. MASwings offer both Business and Economy class for its travelling public which is different from the Firefly mono class module.

Firefly currently flies to domestic and regional destinations in the ASEAN network serving 24 routes within Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Indonesia. Its ATR72-500 and 600-series fleet offer spacious cabins with plush leather seats and soft ambient lighting for a more comfortable journey.

At the Group-level, Malaysia Airlines is also promoting the spirit of Merdeka with specially designed hanging mobiles and stickers bearing the message “Proudly flying our flag sky high around the world, 365 days a year”. These hanging mobiles and stickers, featuring the Jalur Gemilang on the A380 will be put up in Malaysia Airlines’ fleet and airports nationwide.

Malaysia Airlines Offers More Than 1 million Discounted Seats at the WITM-MATTA Fair

Malaysia Airlines will be offering more than 1 million seats at up to 55% discount, giving travelers value deals on its domestic and international network at the upcoming MATTA Travel Fair.

The national carrier also announced today that it will be the official airline for MATTA Travel Fair and World Islamic Tourism Mart (WITM) happening on 6 until 8 September 2013 at Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC).

Speaking at a Press Conference in Malaysia Airlines Academy, Kelana Jaya, Regional Senior Vice President Malaysia, Muzammil Mohamad said, “Our offers are exceptionally attractive for consumers to plan their holidays or business trips and make their purchases now, as such value deals are not offered always. Advanced planning and purchase is certain to benefit our customers who are already considering their next vacations during the forthcoming year end school holiday breaks”.

“This year we will be doing thing differently compared to our previous sales – we are extending the validity of Malaysia Airlines’ airfares from one (01) month to three (03 months) and the fares will be available for travel up to mid 2014.  Fares from all Peninsular Malaysia to international points have also been common-rated for this Fair – basically we are absorbing the cost of the domestic flight for passengers who are travelling from Kota Bharu, Kuala Terengganu, Kuantan, Alor Setar, Langkawi, Penang and Johor  to international destinations.”

“We will be offering special fares to our new destinations; Kochi, Darwin, Dubai as well as popular routes such as Perth, Bali, Manila, Kathmandu, Guangzhou, Kunming and Hong Kong. In addition to the online destinations that Malaysia Airlines operates, by paying a minimal additional amount customers can also fly to even more destinations which are served by our oneworld partners.

Passengers can enjoy great deals on Economy Class to domestic destinations from as low as RM150 all-in return, ASEAN destinations from as low as RM160, China from RM699, North Asia from RM999; and to Malaysia Airlines’ oneworld destinations in Australia from RM2,199 and oneworld destinations in Europe from RM2,999.

Business Class travels are also available from as low as RM599 all-in to domestic or ASEAN routes, from RM1999 to Chennai, Dhaka or Male and from RM2999 to Perth and Darwin.

In addition, Malaysia Airlines’ subsidiary, Firefly will be offering some of the best bargain packages (flight and accommodation) which include a Free & Easy package to Firefly’s destinations, three days two nights Singapore starting at only RM939, a Free & Easy trip to Langkawi for three days two nights starting at only RM449, a three days two nights tour package to Medan that starts from only RM859, and a Free & Easy package to Koh Samui, also three days two nights starting from only RM759. Exciting shopping vouchers also await customers purchasing any of the packages.

Firefly’s current campaign, Everyday Low Fares (ELF) which is currently running, will offer a total of 500,000 seats with fares from RM49 and travelers are encouraged to book well in advance to get even more option of flight dates for this great value offer.

Malaysia Airlines travel and tour arm, MASholidays will be offering family fun packages to encourage and nurture valuable family time with selected child-friendly hotels and tours. At this MATTA fair, parents are welcomed to grab free ground package for one child with every two paying adults. A child below twelve years old will receive free extra bed for the duration, free breakfast, free airport transfers and free half-day tour, with two (02) full-paying accompanying adults.

Besides the free & easy packages, there are all-inclusive group departures to Turkey, Beijing, Kathmandu, India Golden Triangle, Osaka, Medan, Hanoi and Dubai. 

Meanwhile, Malaysia Airlines’ loyalty programme, Enrich will be offering a bonus of 2,000 Enrich miles for new sign-ups during the three-day sale. Enrich members can also redeem RM50 Enrich voucher for every 3,000 Enrich miles earned and receive 20% discount off Temptations, Malaysia Airlines’ in-flight shopping. All Enrich members are also now able to earn and redeem Enrich miles when they purchase Firefly tickets.

Visit Malaysia Airlines Corporate Booth on the Mezzanine Floor, Hall 1 of PWTC where there will be fun and games, exhibitions, prizes plus a meet and greet session with Malaysia’s very own singer-songwriter, Yuna on 8 September, Sunday.

There will also be great offers from Malaysia Airlines’ subsidiaries including MASwings and attractive offers from MASkargo.

These domestic and international travel airfares are also available to customers at all distribution channels mainly www.malaysiaairlines.com, Malaysia Airlines call-centre at 1 300 88 3000, Malaysia Airlines ticket offices and appointed agents.

Malaysia Airlines to increase flights into Medan

Malaysia Airlines will up its flights from Kuala Lumpur into Medan to 3 times daily effective 15 September 2013. The new flight numbers are MH840 for the Kuala Lumpur – Medan route and MH841 for the Medan – Kuala Lumpur route. With this addition, Malaysia Airlines will offer a total capacity of 6720 seats weekly in and out of Medan.

According to RSVP Malaysia, Muzammil Mohamad, "Our flights to and out of Medan have always been very encouraging. Due to the increase in demand, we have decided to mount these additional flights.” . 

The two-class Boeing 737-800 aircraft with 16 Business and 144 Economy class seats is being operated for this Kuala Lumpur - Medan return service.

MH840 will depart Kuala Lumpur daily at 6.15am and arrive at Kuala Namu International Airport at 6.15am, local Medan time. Flight MH841 will depart daily at 7.00am and arrive at Kuala Lumpur International Airport at 8.55am, local Kuala Lumpur time.

The increase in frequency is timely given the exciting MATTA Fair this weekend at Kuala Lumpur’s PWTC. Malaysia Airlines will also be offering more than 1 million seats at up to 55% discount, giving travelers value deals on its domestic and international network at the upcoming MATTA Travel Fair.

Enrich will also be offering a bonus of 2,000 Enrich miles for new sign-ups during the three-day sale. Enrich members can also redeem RM50 Enrich voucher for every 3,000 Enrich miles earned and receive 20% discount off Temptations, Malaysia Airlines’ in-flight shopping. All Enrich members are also now able to earn and redeem Enrich miles when they purchase Firefly tickets.

Visit Malaysia Airlines Corporate Booth on the Mezzanine Floor, Hall 1 of PWTC where there will be fun and games, exhibitions, prizes plus a meet and greet session with Malaysia’s very own singer-songwriter, Yuna on 8 September, Sunday. There will also be great offers from Malaysia Airlines’ subsidiaries including MASwings and attractive offers from MASkargo.

Malaysia Airlines Economy and Business travelers will get to enjoy 30 and 40 kilograms baggage allowance respectively. Passengers on Economy Class are also entitled to one piece of hand baggage weighing a maximum 7 kg, while those in Business Classes are allowed two pieces.

Customers can book their travel on Malaysia Airlines through all distribution channels mainly www.malaysiaairlines.com, Malaysia Airlines 24 hours toll free number 1 300 88 3000, MHmobile, Malaysia Airlines ticket offices and appointed agents throughout Malaysia.

HALFEST 2013: EKSO MAKANAN HALAL TERBESAR MALAYSIA

Malaysia Airlines takes off to Cairo

Malaysia Airlines MH8100 left to Cairo yesterday, 25 August 2013 to ferry Malaysian students in Egypt. The A330-300 aircraft departed Kuala Lumpur at 11.10am and arrived at the Cairo International Airport at 3.00pm local Egypt time. Meanwhile, MH8101 which was ferrying students back from Cairo also arrived at KLIA today at 8.24am. On hand to welcome home passengers of the specially chartered A333 aircraft was Group CEO, Ahmad Jauhari Yahya, and management team members.

It was an emotional homecoming for 280 Malaysian students who arrived at KL International Airport 8.00am today from strife-torn Cairo. Piloted by Captain Hamdan Che Ismail, Captain Nor Azman Mahmood and FO Chan Kent Tye, MH8101 departed Cairo on Sunday afternoon after a swift 1 hour 21 minutes turnaround of the earlier ferry flight MH8100.   

Ops Pyramid Flight 2 departed KLIA at 11.10 am this morning, piloted by Captain Zainuddin Hussein, Captain Muzamil and FO Justin Lai. In all, Malaysia Airlines will deploy 3 flights this week (on 25, 26, 27 August) to bring home Malaysians from Egypt.    

Group Chief Executive Officer, Ahmad Jauhari Yahya said, "The evacuation was a success due to the collaborative efforts from the Malaysian government, private sector and other foreign agencies.

He also commended the team at Malaysia Airlines in answering the government’s call to evacuate as many Malaysians out of Cairo safely and quickly as possible.

“The team spirit at Malaysia Airlines was overwhelming and focused on ensuring the smooth evacuation of our fellow Malaysians. We are honoured to be able to contribute to such an important mission and hope for swift resolution and normalisation of the situation in Egypt,” he said.

National Security Council (NSC) is the main coordinating body for the rescue mission in Egypt. Amongst NSC’s immediate task will be in determining the list of passengers to be assigned to the various mode of transportation deployed to Egypt. Malaysia Airlines is assisting the NSC to facilitate the evacuation process.

Malaysia Airlines was also actively involved in a similar rescue mission of students from Cairo during the unrest in 2011

Firefly Offers Great Deals at KL MATTA Fair and MIGF

Firefly, this year comes in as a geared up participant at the KL MATTA Fair and the Malaysia International Gourmet Festival (MIGF), with its renowned incredible deals on holiday packages and flight tickets. KL MATTA Fair will be held at the Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC) and MIGF will be held at Sunway Pyramid Convention Centre. Both fairs will start from September 6 to September 8, 2013.

Some of the best bargain packages (flight and accommodation) are, a Free & Easy package to Firefly’s destinations, Singapore (3D/2N) starting at only RM649, a Free & Easy trip to Langkawi (3D/2N) starting at only RM339, a tour package to Medan (3D/2N) that starts from only RM669, and a Free & Easy package to Koh Samui (3D/2N) starting from only RM739. Exciting shopping vouchers also await customers purchasing any of the packages.

Firefly’s current campaign, Everyday Low Fares (ELF) which is currently running until further notice is aimed at providing Malaysians the chance to plan their holidays early and rewarding them with very affordable pricing. They will have the chance to fly with minimal fuss but with great convenience from Subang and all this beginning with just 1 RM50 note. A total of 500,000 seats are up for grabs and travellers are encouraged to book well in advance to get even more option of flight dates for this great value offer.

As part of Firefly’s initiative to further improve customer service, Firefly recently partnered with Enrich, Malaysia Airlines Customer Loyalty Programme to provide Enrich members the benefit of earing and redeeming Enrich miles when they purchase Firefly tickets. For a complete listing of eligible booking classes on accrual and redemption, visit www.malaysiaairlines.com . To redeem miles, members may contact Malaysia Airlines Call Centre at 1 300 88 3000 (within Malaysia) or +603 7843 3000 (outside Malaysia).

Customers are urged to swiftly look out for the KL MATTA FAIR and MIGF promotions to enjoy the exclusive and limited offer as seats are subject to availability. Purchases on the promotional holiday packages can be made only onsite at Firefly’s booth, whereas flight ticket offers can be purchased on Firefly’s website. For further information on Firefly’s routes and schedules, please visitwww.fireflyz.com.my

 .

'Chef-on-Call' on Orient Routes from September 2013

Effective 5 September 2013, popular in-flight service 'Chef-on-Call' is now available on selected Orient routes for First and Business Class guests. As part of our continuous improvement of our Product and Services, guests travelling between Kuala Lumpur and Tokyo, Osaka, Seoul, Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong (on MH72 and MH73) can easily pre-book their meal choices.

A wide selection of 15-20 dishes ranging from Malaysian favorites, Chef’s recommendations, healthy choices and even a light choice, is available.

According to Iskandar Ezzahuddin Ahmad Zulkiflee, VP Products, Commercial, "The extension of 'Chef-on-Call' service on selected Orient routes is another milestone in improving our ‘guest experience’ on board. Passengers can pre-select their meals up to 24 hours in advance of their flight departures, as opposed to the previous 30 days ahead of flight departure. This is another enhancement to make our product competitive and attractive to match the expectations of our front-end passengers."

To encourage pre-booking of preferred meals, Malaysia Airlines will contact guests through e-mail at least 96 hours before departure. This process is managed by a dedicated team at Global Customer Contact Centre Kuala Lumpur.

More improvements will be introduced in the coming months. Stay tuned for our next updates!

 

Malaysia Airlines Starts Flights Between Kuala Lumpur and Kochi

Malaysia Airlines last night, 1 September 2013, launched its inaugural service on the Kuala Lumpur-Kochi route via KL International Airport. MH 118 departed Kuala Lumpur at 10.30pm and arrived in Kochi, South India, at 12.01am early this morning. The return service, MH119 departed Kochi at 12.50am, and arrived in Kuala Lumpur at 7.40am this morning. Malaysia Airlines flies daily between Kuala Lumpur and Kochi.

Our carrier will operate this route on the new and improved 160-seater B737-800. With a configuration of 16 Business and 144 Economy seats, the service will provide a premium travel experience with on-demand in-flight entertainment system at every seat.

Malaysia Airlines’ Group CEO, Ahmad Jauhari Yahya said, “We are pleased to bring our service to Kochi. The presence of Malaysia Airlines in Kerala is symbolic of the strong ties between Malaysia and India." 

“Kochi, in Kerala, South India, will be a great addition to the destinations offered by Malaysia Airlines via oneworld”, he added. With Kochi, Malaysia Airlines now connects with 6 cities in India.

Traditionally famous as a spice trade centre, Kochi is today a vibrant city and gateway to beautiful Kerala with its unique boat houses, Ayurvedic treatment, spice produce and lots more.

A simple send-off of guests was held at KL International Airport on Sunday night. Guests were given special goody bags as passengers on the inaugural flight.

Kochi is the second new destination for Malaysia Airlines in recent weeks. In early August, Malaysia Airlines reinstated flights from Kuala Lumpur to Dubai. In November, Darwin in Australia's Northern Territory becomes our third new destination since mid-2013.

Firefly Opens New City Ticketing Office at Medan

Medan, Indonesia – Firefly, Malaysia’s regional premium airline, launched its new City Ticket Office (CTO) in Medan on 2 September 2013. In conjunction with the launch, Firefly hosted a Hari Raya open house at the new office yesterday afternoon. Officiating at the event was Firefly’s CEO, Ignatius Ong, and Ketua DPD ASITA Sumatera Utara, Bp. Solahuddin Nasution.

In a media statement, Firefly’s Ignatius Ong said, “As part of our growth and expansion plan, Firefly will focus on an under-served and primary point-to-point strategy, particularly to expand connections between West Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, and including other potential points in southern Thailand”.

“The Subang – Medan route began operations in December 2008. It was very much welcomed by the citizens of Medan. Then, its unique feature was its airport location, Polonia International Airport, which was only 20 minutes away from the city. With the recent shift to Medan’s Kuala Namu International Airport, the new City Ticket Office (CTO) is mainly to strengthen our presence in Medan”.

“Firefly is a full-fledged IMT-GT airline. Since 2009, our intention was to provide citizens in Medan and Kuala Lumpur a smarter travel option for both the business and leisure traffic. This is still very much the aim today. Complementing its direct access is the convenient travel time into both cities that provides tremendous ease, reasonable rates, excellent customer service and above all the safest air travel option made available. Firefly will utilise the ATR 72-500 and 600 turbo prop aircraft which has a seating capacity of 72 on this route. We aim to bring both Malaysian and Indonesian points closer to each other whether it’s for the purpose of business or leisure”.

Ignatius further added that the Hari Raya open house was an occasion for Firefly to show its appreciation to trade partners, related Government agencies and media friends, for their continued support in the fulfillment of sales target and making Firefly an airline of choice for customers in Medan.

Malaysia Airlines takes off to Cairo

Malaysia Airlines MH8100 left to Cairo yesterday, 25 August 2013 to ferry Malaysian students in Egypt. The A330-300 aircraft departed Kuala Lumpur at 11.10am and arrived at the Cairo International Airport at 3.00pm local Egypt time. Meanwhile, MH8101 which was ferrying students back from Cairo also arrived at KLIA today at 8.24am. On hand to welcome home passengers of the specially chartered A333 aircraft was Group CEO, Ahmad Jauhari Yahya, and management team members.

It was an emotional homecoming for 280 Malaysian students who arrived at KL International Airport 8.00am today from strife-torn Cairo. Piloted by Captain Hamdan Che Ismail, Captain Nor Azman Mahmood and FO Chan Kent Tye, MH8101 departed Cairo on Sunday afternoon after a swift 1 hour 21 minutes turnaround of the earlier ferry flight MH8100.   

Ops Pyramid Flight 2 departed KLIA at 11.10 am this morning, piloted by Captain Zainuddin Hussein, Captain Muzamil and FO Justin Lai. In all, Malaysia Airlines will deploy 3 flights this week (on 25, 26, 27 August) to bring home Malaysians from Egypt.    

Group Chief Executive Officer, Ahmad Jauhari Yahya said, "The evacuation was a success due to the collaborative efforts from the Malaysian government, private sector and other foreign agencies.

He also commended the team at Malaysia Airlines in answering the government’s call to evacuate as many Malaysians out of Cairo safely and quickly as possible.

“The team spirit at Malaysia Airlines was overwhelming and focused on ensuring the smooth evacuation of our fellow Malaysians. We are honoured to be able to contribute to such an important mission and hope for swift resolution and normalisation of the situation in Egypt,” he said.

National Security Council (NSC) is the main coordinating body for the rescue mission in Egypt. Amongst NSC’s immediate task will be in determining the list of passengers to be assigned to the various mode of transportation deployed to Egypt. Malaysia Airlines is assisting the NSC to facilitate the evacuation process.

Malaysia Airlines was also actively involved in a similar rescue mission of students from Cairo during the unrest in 2011.

Malaysia Airlines RM56 'Merdeka Offer' Nationwide

56 years of independence, RM56 all-inclusive one-way fares to all domestic destinations, only for 56 hours! That’s Malaysia Airlines’ way of celebrating Malaysia’s upcoming 56^th Hari Merdeka.

This fun and fantastic offer begins at 12.01am on 30 August 2013 and will run for 56 hours, ending at 8.00am on 1 September 2013. Tickets booked during this promotion are valid for travel till 31 December 2013.

The all-inclusive one way fare ‘Merdeka Offer’ to all domestic includes travels to East Malaysia.

According to Regional Senior Vice President Malaysia, Muzammil Mohamad, “We’re celebrating our Nation’s Hari Merdeka big time! For those who did not get to travel and be with their families during the recent Hari Raya Aidil Fitri holidays can now get this fantastic RM56 one-way offer to take a break this weekend or plan for a holiday later in the year. We are blessed to live in a country with many beautiful places and so much to discover. Malaysia Airlines ‘Merdeka Offer’ is a great opportunity to travel within Malaysia!”

Enrich, the frequent flyer programme of Malaysia Airlines, is also running a contest for members to accumulate up to 56,000 Enrich miles quickly.

To qualify, just fly with Malaysia Airlines to any domestic destination within Malaysia from now till 30 September 2013. To win, send a photo plus caption of something that they love about Malaysia to Instagram with the hashtag #MH56 @malaysiaairlines with their respective Enrich numbers. Simple steps for Enrich members to win 56,000 Enrich miles.

These offers are available to customers at all distribution channels - www.malaysiaairlines.com, Malaysia Airlines 24 hours number 1 300 88 3000, MHmobile, Malaysia Airlines ticket offices and appointed agents throughout Malaysia.

SELAMAT HARI WANITA

25 OGOS setiap tahun telah diisythiharkan sebagai Hari Wanita Kebangsaan setelah mengambilkira kaum wanita juga memainkan peranan besar kepada pembangunan negara juga keluarga.

Kementerian Pembangunan Wanita, Keluarga dan Masyarakat (KPWKM) menyasarkan 50 peratus daripada keseluruhan jemputan pada sambutan Hari Wanita 2013 adalah lelaki kerana kebanyakan jenayah terhadap kaum hawa di negara ini, dilakukan golongan itu.

Sambutan Hari Wanita 2013 dijadual dirasmikan Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak pada 25 Ogos ini di Pusat Dagangan Dunia Putra di sini.

Pelbagai acara diatur sepanjang sambutan itu termasuk perbarisan wanita yang merupakan acara simbolik kepada tema, forum wanita, pengiktirafan Respek Wanita, pameran, keusahawanan di bawah KPWKM serta jualan produk, lapor Bernama.

Menurut Bernama, KPWKM berpendapat sambutan Hari Wanita merupakan landasan tepat bagi menyebar luas mesej kepada golongan lelaki khususnya bagi menghapuskan keganasan terhadap kaum wanita.

Justeru tema ‘Respek Wanita: Masyarakat Sejahtera’ dipilih selaras usaha kerajaan membendung jenayah membabitkan wanita seperti ragut dan keganasan rumah tangga yang semakin menjadi-jadi kini.

“Selaku kementerian yang bertanggungjawab berkaitan isu wanita dan kesejahteraan masyarakat, KPWKM berpandangan bahawa ini merupakan masa yang paling tepat untuk menonjolkan isu tersebut dan seterusnya menanganinya secara bersungguh-sungguh,” menurut kenyataan kementerian di sini.

Kementerian berpendapat ‘Respek Wanita’ perlu dijadikan satu gagasan, budaya serta nilai yang dipegang semua lapisan masyarakat di negara ini.

“Nilai baharu ini perlu disemai dan dipupuk di kalangan generasi baharu dan akan datang sejak mereka kecil dan untuk merealisasaikannya ibu bapa perlu memulakan dengan siri individu itu sendiri,” menurut kenyataan itu.

“Respek Wanita: Masyarakat Sejahtera” turut memberi satu gambaran bahawa kerajaan sentiasa prihatin dan memberi pengiktirafan serta penghargaan besar terhadap kejayaan dicapai wanita hari ini.

Setiap tahun, kira-kira 3,000 wanita daripada pelbagai lapisan kaum, status ekonomi, pegawai kerajaan, pertubuhan bukan kerajaan, pelajar institusi pengajian tinggi, pasukan badan beruniform, ahli politik serta pihak media dijemput bagi meraikan Hari Wanita.