The low-cost subsidiary of Singapore Airlines will be among several airlines operating new narrowbody jet aircraft service from Subang Airport.

Singapore’s low-cost carrier, Scoot, has announced the launch of its daily flight services between Singapore and Subang Airport, beginning on September 1. This development, announced earlier this month, confirms earlier reports and positions Scoot as one of the two foreign airlines initiating operations at Subang Airport with narrowbody jet aircraft.

Tickets for the new route are already available on Scoot’s website, mobile app, and other distribution channels. Airfares from Subang to Singapore start at RM108 one-way, according to initial reports. The budget carrier will operate its Airbus A320 on this route, expanding its existing network in Malaysia.

Scoot will also continue its operations from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) Terminal 2, along with flights to Ipoh, Kota Kinabalu, Kuantan, Kuching, Langkawi, Miri, Penang, and Sibu. With the addition of Subang, Scoot’s route network will grow to 70 destinations. The airline aims to operate an impressive 110 weekly flights to Malaysia by September 2024, significantly increasing its presence in the region.

FIVE CARRIERS TO INITIALLY OPERATE FROM SUBANG

Indonesia’s PT TransNusa Aviation Mandiri (TransNusa) is the other foreign carrier set to operate out of Subang Airport, having recently commenced ticket sales for flights from Subang to Jakarta. Additionally, Malaysian carriers FlyFirefly Sdn Bhd (Firefly, part of the Malaysian Aviation Group), Batik Air Malaysia Sdn Bhd, and AirAsia Malaysia, a unit of AirAsia Aviation Group (AAG), have all confirmed their plans to operate from Subang.

Bo Lingam, Group Chief Executive Officer of AAG, stated last week that AirAsia will begin selling tickets from Subang to Kuching and Kota Kinabalu starting July 23. AirAsia will also utilise the Airbus A320 for its Subang operations.

SKS Airways Sdn Bhd is said to have been approved for operations at Subang, but will not be among the initial cohort of carriers launching operations in August and September this year.

Though still holding its operation license, as of July 2024, SKS Airways has suspended its scheduled flight operations, primarily due to financial difficulties and delays in the delivery of its Embraer E195-E2 jets. The local airline, which had initially planned to commence operations with these jets in the first quarter of 2024, now expects the first delivery to occur later in the year, the delay attributed to supply chain constraints at Embraer. SKS Airways also previously halted its Twin Otter turboprop services to destinations like Tioman and Redang islands due to low profitability and adverse seasonal weather conditions​.

SUBANG AIRPORT’S RENAISSANCE

Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) has confirmed that narrowbody jet aircraft operations at Subang Airport will commence in August 2024, the first time scheduled jet services have operated at the airport in more than two decades. While the exact date hasn’t been officially announced, preparations are ongoing through the Operational Readiness Activation and Transition (ORAT) process

The Malaysian Aviation Commission (MAVCOM) has approved six airlines – four Malaysian and two foreign – to operate interim narrowbody aircraft services from Subang Airport over the next four years. These airlines include AirAsia, Batik Air Malaysia, Firefly, SKS Airways Sdn Bhd, and the two aforementioned foreign carriers, Scoot and TransNusa. This interim period will span from August 2024 to 2028, signalling a significant enhancement in the airport’s capacity and connectivity.