Latest news with #Boeing737-800
The Sun
4 hours ago
- Business
- The Sun
Firefly moves jet operations to KLIA on Aug 19
SEPANG: Malaysia Aviation Group (MAG) yesterday announced the relocation of its regional airline Firefly's jet operations from Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport (SZB) to Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) Terminal 1, effective Aug 19. The airline will continue to operate its turboprop services from SZB, ensuring ongoing connectivity to key regional destinations. This strategic move is part of MAG's long-term network optimisation plan to enhance operational efficiency and ensure sustainable operations for Firefly's jet services. Relocating to KLIA allows greater scalability for jet operations to operate and reflects MAG's intent to strengthen network connectivity across the group. MAG Group managing director Datuk Captain Izham Ismail said, 'The move to KLIA allows Firefly to scale its jet operations more efficiently, improve passenger connectivity and better leverage MAG's shared capabilities in engineering, ground handling and catering. SZB will continue to play an important role in Firefly's network through its turboprop operations, which provide essential connectivity across key domestic and regional routes. This decision reinforces our commitment to strengthening KLIA as the main aviation hub, while continuing to offer accessible air travel options across the country.' Firefly will commence the jet services from KLIA beginning Aug 19 with its first flight to Tawau, followed by a phased rollout to key domestic and regional destinations. The routes will be operated by Firefly's Boeing 737-800 aircraft, designed for both comfort and convenience. Passengers affected by the transition will be contacted directly, with options for alternative travel arrangements or full refunds provided in line with the Malaysian Aviation Consumer Protection Code 2016.
Malay Mail
12 hours ago
- Business
- Malay Mail
KLIA to become Firefly's jet hub under MAG revamp, Subang stays for turboprop regional links
KUALA LUMPUR, July 30 — Malaysia Aviation Group (MAG) today announced that Firefly's jet operations will relocate from Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport in Subang to Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) Terminal 1, effective August 19, 2025. However, its turboprop services will continue operating from Subang, maintaining regional connectivity. 'The move to KLIA allows Firefly to scale its jet operations more efficiently, improve passenger connectivity and better leverage MAG's shared capabilities in engineering, ground handling and catering,' group managing director Datuk Captain Izham Ismail said in a statement. 'SZB will continue to play an important role in Firefly's network through its turboprop operations, which provide essential connectivity across key domestic and regional routes,' he added, referring to the Subang SkyPark. He also said the decision reinforces MAG's commitment to strengthening KLIA as the main aviation hub, while continuing to offer accessible air travel options across the country. The group also said that the move is part of its long-term network optimisation plan to enhance operational efficiency and ensure sustainable operations for Firefly's jet services. Relocating to KLIA would allow greater scalability for jet operations to operate and reflects its intent to strengthen network connectivity, said the group, which also operates Malaysia Airlines. Jet services from KLIA will begin with a flight to Tawau on August 19, followed by Kuching and Kota Kinabalu on August 21, Singapore on August 22, and Johor Bahru on August 23. Flights to Kota Bharu and Terengganu will start on August 30, with Sibu commencing on September 3, while services to Penang will increase from twice to six times weekly on August 23 and 10 times weekly by November. These routes will be served using Firefly's Boeing 737-800 aircraft, offering 10kg checked baggage, 7kg carry-on allowance and in-flight refreshments. Promotional all-in, one-way fares start from RM58, with bookings now open. Passengers affected by the relocation will be contacted with options for alternative arrangements or full refunds, in accordance with the Malaysian Aviation Consumer Protection Code 2016.
Filipino Times
2 days ago
- Filipino Times
Jeju Air jet still had working engine when it crashed, investigation says
A Jeju Air passenger jet that crashed in South Korea last December still had one functioning engine when it attempted an emergency landing, according to a preliminary update from South Korean investigators. The Boeing 737-800 crashed at Muan Airport after a bird strike damaged both engines. The aircraft landed without lowering its landing gear, overshot the runway, and slammed into an embankment, bursting into flames and killing 179 of the 181 people on board. An update dated July 19 from the Aviation and Railway Accident Investigation Board (ARAIB) revealed that the aircraft's right engine, though damaged and emitting smoke, continued to generate enough thrust to keep the plane flying. Investigators also found that the crew had shut down the left engine, which sustained less damage, just 19 seconds after the bird strike. The five-page update, which included cockpit voice recordings, flight data, and photos of the damaged engines, did not explain why the flight crew chose to turn off the less-damaged engine. The final investigation report is expected in June 2026. The Jeju Air pilots' union said the left engine also showed signs of a surge and the presence of bird remains, calling the update 'misleading.' Families of the victims, who were briefed privately on the findings, have urged investigators not to release the report prematurely, warning that it risks placing blame on the pilots without full context. Both engines showed signs of internal damage, and previous findings confirmed duck feathers and blood were found inside. Engine manufacturer CFM International, a joint venture of GE and Safran, reported no mechanical defects unrelated to the bird strike or crash. Aviation experts say early reports are often incomplete and should not be used to draw conclusions. The crash has also raised questions about airport infrastructure, as the aircraft struck a concrete embankment containing navigation equipment. South Korea's transport ministry has since pledged to upgrade similar structures at seven domestic airports to meet international safety standards.
GMA Network
2 days ago
- General
- GMA Network
Jeju Air jet still had a working engine when it crashed, investigation update says
The wreckage of the Jeju Air aircraft that went off the runway and crashed at Muan International Airport lies near a concrete structure it crashed into, in Muan, South Korea, December 30, 2024. REUTERS/ Kim Hong-Ji SEOUL - A Jeju Air plane that crashed in December during an emergency landing after a bird strike could have kept flying on the damaged engine that was still working after pilots shut down the other one, according to an update from South Korean investigators. The Boeing 737-800 instead belly-landed at Muan airport without its landing gear down, overshot the runway and erupted into a fireball after slamming into an embankment, killing all but two of the 181 people on board. Investigators have not yet produced a final report into the deadliest air disaster on South Korean soil, but information about the plane's two engines has begun to emerge. According to a July 19 update prepared by investigators and seen by Reuters but not publicly released following complaints from victims' family members, the left engine sustained less damage than the right following a bird strike, but the left engine was shut down 19 seconds after the bird strike. The right engine experienced a "surge" and emitted flames and black smoke, but investigators said it "was confirmed to be generating output sufficient for flight," in the five-page update, which included post-crash photos of both engines. No reason for the crew's actions was given and the probe is expected to last months as investigators reconstruct the plane's technical state and the picture understood by its pilots. Experts say most air accidents are caused by multiple factors and caution against putting too much weight on incomplete evidence. More questions So far, public attention has focused on the possibility that the crew may have shut down the less-damaged engine, rekindling memories of a 1989 Boeing 737-400 crash in Kegworth, England, where pilots shut down a non-damaged engine by mistake. The disaster led to multiple changes in regulations including improvements in crew communication and emergency procedures. A source told Reuters on Monday that the South Korea-led probe had "clear evidence" that pilots had shut off the less-damaged left engine after the bird strike, citing the cockpit voice recorder, computer data and a switch found in the wreckage. But the latest update on the crash also raises the possibility that even the more heavily damaged engine that was still running could have kept the plane aloft for longer. It did not say what level of performance the operating engine still had, nor what extra options that might have given to the plane's emergency-focused crew before the jet doubled back and landed in the opposite direction of the runway from its initial plan with its landing gear up. Both engines contained bird strike damage and both experienced engine vibrations after the strike. The right engine showed significant internal damage, the Korean-language update from South Korea's Aviation and Railway Accident Investigation Board (ARAIB) said, but it did not describe the damage found in the left engine. The update did not say how the left engine was operating nor the state of systems connected to either engine, said former US National Transportation Safety Board investigator Greg Feith when shown the document translated by Reuters. It contains some new facts but omits far more, resulting in a "cryptic" document, he said. ARAIB, which plans to issue a final report next June, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Safety experts say it is common for early reports to contain sparse facts and limited analysis while investigations continue. A preliminary report released in January said feathers and blood stains from ducks were found in both engines. The engines - made by CFM International, jointly owned by GE and France's Safran - were examined in May and no defects or fault data were found beyond the bird and crash damage, the report said. Families of those who died in the disaster were briefed on the engine findings but asked investigators not to release the July 19 report, saying that it appeared to apportion blame to the pilots without exploring other factors. The report was withheld but Reuters and South Korean media obtained copies. Boeing and GE referred questions about the crash to ARAIB. Safran did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Jeju Air has previously said it is cooperating with ARAIB and is awaiting publication of the investigation. Under global aviation rules, civil air investigations aim to discover crash causes without assigning blame or liability. The Jeju Air pilots' union said ARAIB was "misleading the public" by suggesting there was no problem with the left engine given that bird remains were found in both. A source who attended the briefing told Reuters that investigators told family members the left engine also experienced a disruptive "surge," citing black box data. The pilot union and representatives of bereaved families have asked that evidence be released to support any findings. Relatives say the investigation also needs to focus on the embankment containing navigation equipment, which safety experts have said likely contributed to the high death toll. Global aviation standards call for any navigation equipment in line with runways to be installed on structures that easily give way in case of impact with an aircraft. South Korea's transport ministry has identified seven domestic airports, including Muan, with structures made of concrete or steel, rather than materials that break apart on impact and has said it will improve them. Designs for the new structures are in progress, a ministry official told Reuters last week. —Reuters
Hindustan Times
3 days ago
- General
- Hindustan Times
Jeju Air jet that crashed in Muan could have kept flying on damaged engine, investigators say
A Jeju Air plane that crashed in December during an emergency landing after a bird strike could have kept flying on the damaged engine that was still working after pilots shut down the other one, according to an update from South Korean investigators. The right engine of the Jeju Air jet experienced a "surge" and emitted flames and black smoke, but investigators said it "was confirmed to be generating output sufficient for flight,"(AFP/JUNG YEON-JE) The Boeing 737-800 instead belly-landed at Muan airport without its landing gear down, overshot the runway and erupted into a fireball after slamming into an embankment, killing all but two of the 181 people on board. Investigators have not yet produced a final report into the deadliest air disaster on South Korean soil, but information about the plane's two engines has begun to emerge. According to a July 19 update prepared by investigators and seen by Reuters but not publicly released following complaints from victims' family members, the left engine sustained less damage than the right following a bird strike, but the left engine was shut down 19 seconds after the bird strike. The right engine experienced a "surge" and emitted flames and black smoke, but investigators said it "was confirmed to be generating output sufficient for flight," in the five-page update, which included post-crash photos of both engines. No reason for the crew's actions was given and the probe is expected to last months as investigators reconstruct the plane's technical state and the picture understood by its pilots. Experts say most air accidents are caused by multiple factors and caution against putting too much weight on incomplete evidence. MORE QUESTIONS So far, public attention has focused on the possibility that the crew may have shut down the less-damaged engine, rekindling memories of a 1989 Boeing 737-400 crash in Kegworth, England, where pilots shut down a non-damaged engine by mistake. The disaster led to multiple changes in regulations, including improvements in crew communication and emergency procedures. A source told Reuters on Monday that the South Korea-led probe had "clear evidence" that pilots had shut off the less-damaged left engine after the bird strike, citing the cockpit voice recorder, computer data and a switch found in the wreckage. But the latest update on the crash also raises the possibility that even the more heavily damaged engine that was still running could have kept the plane aloft for longer. It did not say what level of performance the operating engine still had, nor what extra options that might have given to the plane's emergency-focused crew before the jet doubled back and landed in the opposite direction of the runway from its initial plan with its landing gear up. Both engines contained bird strike damage and both experienced engine vibrations after the strike. The right engine showed significant internal damage, the Korean-language update from South Korea's Aviation and Railway Accident Investigation Board (ARAIB) said, but it did not describe the damage found in the left engine. The update did not say how the left engine was operating nor the state of systems connected to either engine, said former U.S. National Transportation Safety Board investigator Greg Feith when shown the document translated by Reuters. It contains some new facts but omits far more, resulting in a "cryptic" document, he said. ARAIB, which plans to issue a final report next June, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Safety experts say it is common for early reports to contain sparse facts and limited analysis while investigations continue. A preliminary report released in January said feathers and blood stains from ducks were found in both engines. The engines - made by CFM International, jointly owned by GE and France's Safran - were examined in May and no defects or fault data were found beyond the bird and crash damage, the report said. Families of those who died in the disaster were briefed on the engine findings but asked investigators not to release the July 19 report, saying that it appeared to apportion blame to the pilots without exploring other factors. The report was withheld but Reuters and South Korean media obtained copies. Boeing and GE referred questions about the crash to ARAIB. Safran did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Jeju Air has previously said it is cooperating with ARAIB and is awaiting publication of the investigation. Under global aviation rules, civil air investigations aim to discover crash causes without assigning blame or liability. The Jeju Air pilots' union said ARAIB was "misleading the public" by suggesting there was no problem with the left engine given that bird remains were found in both. A source who attended the briefing told Reuters that investigators told family members the left engine also experienced a disruptive "surge," citing black box data. The pilot union and representatives of bereaved families have asked that evidence be released to support any findings. Relatives say the investigation also needs to focus on the embankment containing navigation equipment, which safety experts have said likely contributed to the high death toll. Global aviation standards call for any navigation equipment in line with runways to be installed on structures that easily give way in case of impact with an aircraft. South Korea's transport ministry has identified seven domestic airports, including Muan, with structures made of concrete or steel, rather than materials that break apart on impact and has said it will improve them. Designs for the new structures are in progress, a ministry official told Reuters last week.
