MAS does not oppose 'open skies' agreement<\/p>\n
KUALA LUMPUR (AFP): Malaysian Airline System Bhd. (MAS) said
\nyesterday it was not opposed to an \"open skies\" agreement which
\nthe government is to sign with the United States in May.<\/p>\n
Airline senior vice-president for commercial operations Bashir
\nAhmad Abdul Majid said the pact was not expected to result in a
\nsharp rise in foreign airlines wanting to fly to Kuala Lumpur,
\nBernama news agency said.<\/p>\n
Malaysian Transport Minister Ling Liong Sik said last week
\nthat Kuala Lumpur would sign the pact in May after the United
\nStates agreed to include a clause promising a more liberal policy
\nwith Malaysia.<\/p>\n
Ling said that the agreement with the United States would give
\nMalaysian Airlines the right to fly anywhere in the United
\nStates, compared to its current right to land only in Los
\nAngeles.<\/p>\n
The open sky policy is expected to be implemented a year from
\nnow.<\/p>\n
Bashir said major airlines were already flying to Kuala Lumpur
\nand the \"open skies\" policy meant there would be no restrictions
\non the type of aircraft used, frequencies and points of
\noperation.<\/p>\n
He said Malaysia's national carrier could continue to grow
\nindependently and still had considerable room to expand despite
\nstiff competition from Singapore Airlines.<\/p>\n
Bashir said Singapore Airlines would be \"a force to be
\nreckoned with\" even five years from now because of the proximity
\nof the two countries.<\/p>\n
\"It would be nice if we can push the (Singapore) island away,\"
\nhe was quoted as saying in jest.<\/p>\n
Thai International Airways and Hong Kong's Cathay Pacific were
\nalso likely to pose a strong competitive threat in the future, he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Malaysian Airlines, in the meantime, was enjoying higher
\npassenger loads after additional frequencies on existing routes
\nwere secured, he added.<\/p>\n
On the airline's 10-billion-ringgit (US$4 billion) fleet-
\nmodernization program, Bashir said the national airline would not
\nface any problems in raising financing to purchase 25 aircraft it
\nhad ordered from Boeing, the' Seattle-based aircraft
\nmanufacturer.<\/p>\n
Malaysian Airlines would return the lease on four aircraft
\nbesides selling 10 Boeing 737s to pay for half the fleet.
\nThe airline's stock ended flat at 6.55 ringgit ($2.62) on the
\nlocal bourse Friday.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/mas-does-not-oppose-open-skies-agreement-1447893297",
"image": ""
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