Malaysia Airlines offer discounted fares at fair

Malaysia Airlines offer discounted fares at fair

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

A three-day Malaysia Airlines Travel Fair, which kicked off on
Friday, was a great help for 26-year-old Alia who planned to meet
her husband, who is studying in London, due to the airlines cheap
fares.

"Normally a return ticket for Jakarta-London costs about
US$1,300. At this fair, Malaysia Airlines System (MAS) offers it
for only $600," she said after visiting booths featuring 40
travel agents at the Jakarta Convention Center, Central Jakarta.

The Malaysian national carrier held its first ever fair
outside the country. The fair offers up to 60 percent discount on
air fares to its 100 destinations worldwide for trips valid until
May 30, 2006.

MAS regional manager for ASEAN Syed Abdillah Aziz said the
fair was targeting a growing population of young Indonesian
professionals. "We are targeting to attract 50,000 visitors and
to generate over 20 million Malaysian ringgit (US$5.3 million)
through the fair."

The company report said it transported over 300,000
Indonesians last year and earned 169 million ringgit.

The company's assistant general manager for advertising,
promotions and branding, Yazid Mohamed, said aside from
generating revenue, it would also support community development
programs in Indonesia.

All the money raised from the Rp 10,000 (99 U.S. cents)
entrance fee, he added, would be donated to social foundations
Yayasan Kusuma Buana in Tebet and The Center for the Betterment
of Education in Mampang, both in South Jakarta.

Despite the optimism, a sales representative with Gullivers
Travel Associates expressed doubt over the potential success of
the fair here.

"I was present at the last fair in Malaysia," the
representative, Hestin, told The Jakarta Post. "Only seconds
after it was officially opened, hundreds of people flooded the
venue. Here, I don't experience the same situation."

The fair has always been held in Malaysia's major cities of
Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Kuching, Sarawak and Kota Kinibalu. This
year, the airlines had held a similar fair in February that
attracted over 120,000 visitors and generated about 70 million
ringgit in transactions.

However, not all visitors had a good story like Alia's.

One visitor, who booked a flight to Istanbul, canceled her
travel plan since she could not get the right dates for her
connecting flights although she said she was at the hall 30
minutes after it opened.

"I hope Malaysia Airlines will not follow the practice of some
domestic budget carriers that advertise good airfare prices, but
only have limited seats available," said the visitor, who
declined to be identified.

Responding to the complaint, MAS Indonesia area manager
Dzulkefli Zakaria called on visitors to avoid making travel plans
during the peak season.

"I suggest potential passengers avoid the holiday period after
Idul Fitri (in early November) until the year end," he told the
Post.