Fly Damnit

MAS ZERO Fair (RM0)

May 7th, 2008

Everday Low Fares

http://www.malaysiaairlines.com/ELFZERO/fares.htm

KUALA LUMPUR: Travel to any domestic destination for zero fare on Malaysia Airlines – that’s the new product to be launched today.

These tickets can only be obtained through the MAS website www.malaysiaairlines.com. However, passengers must make bookings within the next 14 days and pay the airport tax and surcharges.

MAS managing director/chief executive officer Datuk Seri Idris Jala said the airline has set aside one million tickets for this offer, which is valid for travel between June 10 and Dec 14.

It is understood that MAS will soon announce its campaign for its Asean routes.

“It could be zero fares or minimum charges but they will be lower than those offered by our competitors at present,” he said.

For the domestic offer, the total charge for travel between the peninsula and Sabah and Sarawak is RM122.40.

For domestic travel without crossing the South China Sea, the charge will be RM81.45.

Previously, the cheapest one-way fare between KL International Airport and Kota Kinabalu – the furthest possible domestic route – cost RM529. A normal ticket for a trip from KLIA to Penang costs RM229 one-way.

MAS’ subsidiary Firefly is also offering zero fares for its destinations on its turboprop aircraft.

Idris said MAS had set aside 30% of each flight for “these special Everyday Low Fares” offer.

However, he said that tickets purchased were not refundable and the travel dates could not be changed.

“What we are offering gives everyone a win-win situation. It helps us to meet our business objectives and it provides our customers with an excellent deal.

“You get to enjoy the best of both worlds – really low prices plus our five-star services – our food and beverages, entertainment, luggage allowances and other benefits that come with travelling with MAS,” Idris said.

The zero fare product is part of a business transformation plan that Idris launched last year after MAS managed to record its best-ever profit of RM851.42mil, compared with losses of RM136.43mil in 2006.

Source : TheStar by WONG SAI WAN

MAS profits via new scheme

PETALING JAYA: By offering limited zero-fare seats for domestic flights, Malaysia Airlines (MAS) is actually making money for seats that would have otherwise been unsold.

MAS managing director/chief executive officer Datuk Seri Idris Jala said that on average, domestic MAS flights were only 70% full.

“So the remaining 30% we would not have been sold anyway. By offering zero-fare for these seats, it’s actually giving us some incremental revenue through the YSQ charges (fuel surcharge, administrative fee and airport tax).

“It’s profitable in the sense that rather than letting them go empty, we have some revenue for it. But if we were to sell the entire plane seats at that rate, then of course we rugi (suffer losses),” he told the press after launching the zero fare for domestic destinations here yesterday.

It was reported yesterday that such tickets could only be obtained through the MAS website www.malaysiaairlines.com and passengers had to make bookings at least a month before the travel period.

For domestic offer, the total charge for travel between the peninsula and Sabah and Sarawak is RM122.40.

For domestic travel without crossing the South China Sea, the charge will be RM81.45.

He added that this would only be implemented on lean flights and not for peak-period flights.

“It’s part of managing the inventory. If you give an open period, it’s not the best practice for managing it.

“We’re starting with zero fare in controlled seats, but if there is over-subscription, then we will put in a nominal fare. We will take stock of this, and then examine it on a flight-by-flight basis, then we will open the inventory for subsequent bookings in future.”

He said the cost for running their latest product was “very negligible”, as it only involved serving food, drinks and fuel cost for carrying additional passengers.

MAS has 1.3 million zero-fare seats up for grabs from now until the end of the year, but the booking period is only until May 19.

Asked if MAS would honour the bookings made even if fuel prices shot up, Jala replied: “Whatever we sell the passengers, we’ll honour.”

Asked if this was a measure taken to compete with low-cost carrier, AirAsia, he said:

“AirAsia has always said that they have created new demands from low fares and I entirely agree with them.

“When we come out to do this, we are also creating new demand.”

Plans to extend such fares for the Asean routes will be announced later this month, but Jala said there was currently no need to include long-haul flights as “loads to Australia, New Zealand and Europe were very good”.

Source: TheStar
To comment/argue/debate, visit the forum here:
http://forum.flydamnit.com/?topic=1471

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Flydamnit Forum Error Fixed/Flydamnit T-Shirt delay

May 2nd, 2008

Sorry guys for the error on the forum last week. I was on a 4 days trip and i did not realize the forum had some error.

FIXED!]

For the Flydamnit thsirt thing visit this link

[Order Here]Flydamnit T-shirt
http://forum.flydamnit.com/index.php?topic=1434.0

Sorry bravekorea for all the trouble caused. If theres anything i can help just give me a PM

-Dusk

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MAS going with the 737-800 and a380

April 1st, 2008

So, finally a conclution for the previous posts 737NG or A320 for MAS? and MAS new planes (fact vs. rumor). MAS is getting the Boeing 737-800 (NG).

March 31, 2008 18:21 PM

MAS To Buy Up To 55 Boeing 737-800 For US$4.2 Bln, To Take Delivery Of A380 In 2011

KUALA LUMPUR, March 31 (Bernama) — Malaysia Airlines will buy up to 55 Boeing 737-800 at US$4.2 billion or about RM13.39 billion, its Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Datuk Seri Idris Jala announced here today.

The national carrier would also take delivery of six A380 in 2011 inclusive of compensation, he said in a statement to announce the airlines’ narrowbody fleet acquisition plan.

“Under our Business Transformation Plan, we are embarking on our network expansion to transform into the World?s Five Star Value Carrier,” he said.

“I am very excited with these developments as these new fleets will both form a strong platform for Malaysia Airlines to profitably grow.”

“The deliveries will not happen for a few years yet, when the weakness in the global economy should be less of a concern,” he said.

“We have placed a firm order for 35 B737-800 with an option for another 20 aircraft. The total cost of the 55 aircraft is US$4.2 billion at list prices,” Idris Jala said.

He said: “We expect to take delivery of the first aircraft from September 2010 onwards, which will be used to replace our existing B737-400 fleet and to allow us to expand to points which were not previously economically viable.”

Malaysia Airlines also has the option to swap the B737-800 to the larger B737-900.

“These aircraft will be used mainly for the Asean region, including the domestic sector in Malaysia and the fast growing economies of China and India.”

“Clearly, we are now gearing ourselves to benefit from the growth of this region which is projected at around six percent per annum,” he said.

Idris Jala said MAS’s aim was to ensure that the aircraft for the core network will always be the latest in terms of technology.

“We will likely partially purchase the B737-800 on our own and partially lease them as that would give us the flexibility to manage our balance sheet and financing commitments, and to sell some of them when the timing is right,” he said.

Idris Jala also announced that Malaysia Airlines will take delivery of all six A380-800 in 2011, with the first aircraft to be delivered in January and the sixth in August.

“After extensive discussions with Airbus and Penerbangan Malaysia Bhd, we have agreed on the terms for the delayed delivery of the six A380-800 aircraft ordered by PMB in 2003.

“The terms include an agreed amount of compensation for the delay,? he said.

The six A380-800 aircraft was supposed to have been delivered from January 2007 to December 2008.

Idris Jala said: “I think today is a good day for Malaysia Airlines, Airbus and Boeing.

We kept the A380 on terms that are win-win for us and Airbus.

We placed narrowbody jet orders with Boeing.

We are happy to work with both aircraft manufacturers.”

“We are now looking at the widebody aircraft replacement and will intensify our discussions with the manufacturers.”

“This is again an opportunity for both Airbus and Boeing to make their best pitch for our business.

Malaysia Airlines is committed to expand its network for the medium and long haul market,? he said.

– BERNAMA

Fun fact: MAS used to lease 2 737-800. Below is a picture taken by Capt Radzi Desa and was posted at Airliners.net. All credit goes to them.

So, 55 b737-800 at the end of 2010 and 6 A380-800 early 2011. Its going to be a busy year for MAS.

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Lufthansa Airlines crosswind attempt

March 3rd, 2008

Title from CNN: Storm blows jetliner off runway
Battling blustery weather, a Lufthansa Airlines flight scrapes its wing on the ground during a landing attempt.
Source: CNN.com

(CNN) — Battling blustery weather, a Lufthansa Airlines flight scraped its wing on the ground during a landing attempt in Hamburg, Germany over the weekend, an airline spokesman said Monday.
art.plane.cnn.jpg

The plane recovered and landed safely the second time around, the spokesman said.

Amateur video of the incident that appeared on the Internet showed the Airbus A320 teetering as it tried to land during brutal winter storm on Saturday.
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“As we were about to touch down, a gust of wind pressed the left wing towards the ground,” a Lufthansa pilot identified only as Oliver A. said in a statement. “We pulled up immediately. A maneuver we practice in training very often.”
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The airline said the pilot has been flying for Lufthansa for 17 years.

Airline spokesman Wolfgang Weber said the left winglet, a fin at the end of the wing scraped the ground after a gust of wind tipped the plane. Damage to the plane was minimal and not structural. He said the plane is already back in service.

Other title:
Plane scrapes wing during landing in Germany
A320 lufthansa nearly crashed during crosswind approach

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777-300ER low flyby Video

February 25th, 2008

Source 1
Pilot Ian Wilkinson was flying the Boeing 777-300ER on its maiden flight from the manufacturer’s plant in Everett, Washington, when he turned around after takeoff and swooped about 10m above the runway, the South China Sunday Morning Post reported.

Cathay Pacific chairman Chris Pratt was among the VIP passengers on board the plane when Mr Wilkinson did his unauthorised fly-by of the Boeing factory on January 30, the newspaper said.

Mr Wilkinson was sacked last week while a second pilot, believed to be the co-pilot, had been suspended from training duties for six months, according to the Post.

Videos and photographs of the swoop have been posted on the internet and pilots’ gossip forums, with some praising the stunt but others describing it as dangerous and poorly executed.

A Cathay Pacific spokeswoman said Mr Wilkinson insisted the fly-by was not dangerous but said he had been sacked for not seeking approval for the manoeuvre.

The airline had a well-established approval process for such manoeuvres and had conducted them in the past at air shows but only “with proper approval in place'’, she said.

Picture is not from flydamnit.com. Its from a user at PPRuNe.

Source 2

It is with some regret that I have to inform you of a Disciplinary Hearing related to the delivery flight of our latest B777-300ER. The operating crew conducted a low level fly past at Everett Airport in Seattle, prior to departure for Hong Kong, without having obtained the necessary approval or authorization.

Please could I remind all crew to refer to Vol 2, Part 2, Page 1-8-8 section 21 prior to any non-scheduled flight including demonstration flights or fly pasts. The first stage of the D&G proceedings has taken place resulting in a decision to terminate the employment of the Pilot Flying and relieve the Pilot Monitoring of training duties for a period of 6 months. Both decisions are subject to the appeals process.

N. P. Rhodes
Director Flight Operations

Source http://blog.seattle-deliveries.com/2008/01/cathay-777-b-kpf-delivery.html

Discussion link: http://forum.flydamnit.com/index.php?topic=1283

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737NG or A320 for MAS?

February 4th, 2008

Mas is going to replace the 737-400 fleet. MAS had been using it for the last 15 years. Which one do you prefer?

Boeing 737 NG

Airbus A320

About the 737 NG
Wikipedia for the 737 family

Passengers
Typical 2-class configuration	162
Typical 1-class configuration	189
Cargo	1,555 cu ft (44 cu m)
Engines (maximum thrust)	CFMI CFM56-7 27,300 lb
Maximum Fuel Capacity	6,875 U.S. gal (26,020 L)
Maximum Takeoff Weight	174,200 lb (79,010 kg)
Maximum Range	3,060 nautical miles (5,665 km)
Typical Cruise Speed (at 35,000 feet)	0.785 Mach
Basic Dimensions
Wing Span With Winglets	112 ft 7 in (34.3 m) 117 ft 5 in (35.8 m)
Overall Length	129 ft 6 in (39.5 m)
Tail Height	41 ft 2 in (12.5 m)
Interior Cabin Width	11 ft 7 in (3.53 m)

About the Airbus A320
Wikipedia for the a320 family

AIRCRAFT DIMENSIONS
			metric		imperial
	Overall length		37.57 m.		123 ft. 3 in.
	Height		11.76 m.		38 ft. 7 in.
	Fuselage diameter		3.95 m.		13 ft.
	Maximum cabin width		3.70 m.		12 ft. 1 in.
	Cabin length		27.51 m.		90 ft. 3 in.
	Wingspan (geometric)		34.10 m.		111 ft. 10 in.
	Wing area (reference)		122.6 m2		1,320 ft2
	Wing sweep (25% chord)		25 degrees		25 degrees
	Wheelbase		12.64 m.		41 ft. 5 in.
	Wheel track		7.59 m.		24 ft. 11 in.

BASIC OPERATING DATA
			metric		imperial
	Engines		two CFM56-5 or IAE V2500		two CFM56-5 or IAE V2500
	Engine thrust range		111-120 kN		22,000-27,000 lb. slst
	Typical passenger seating		150		150
	Range (w/max. passengers)		4,800 (5,700) km.		2,600 (3,000) nm.
	Max. operating Mach number (Mmo)		0.82 Mo.		0.82 Mo.
	Bulk hold volume - Standard/option		37.41 m3		1,322 ft3

DESIGN WEIGHTS
			metric		imperial
	Maximum ramp weight		73.9 (77.4) tonnes		162.9 (170.6) lbs. x 1000
	Maximum takeoff weight		73.5 (77) tonnes		162 (169.8) lbs. x 1000
	Maximum landing weight		64.5 (66) tonnes		142.2 (145.5) lbs. x 1000
	Maximum zero fuel weight		61 (62.5) tonnes		134.5 (137.8) lbs. x 1000
	Maximum fuel capacity		23,860 (29,840) Litres		6,300 (7,885) US gal.
	Typical operating weight empty		42.4 tonnes		93.5 lbs. x 1000
	Typical volumetric payload		16.6 tonnes		36.59 lbs. x 1000

Related news

MAS To Finalise Purchase Of New Aircraft By End Of Q1

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 31 (Bernama) — Malaysian Airline System Bhd (MAS) aims to finalise its needs for wide- and narrow-bodied aircraft by the end of the first quarter this year.

“The national carrier has not decided whether it will be an Airbus or Boeing,” MAS managing director, Datuk Idris Jala, said at the launch of its Business Transformation Plan here today.

As a preparation to purchase new aircraft, MAS undertook a rights issue and redeemable convertible preference shares exercise to partially raise fund to the tune of RM1.5 billion in 2007.

The fund, together with its cash balance, will enable MAS to finance the aircraft acquisition.

Meanwhile, MAS’ executive director/chief financial officer, Tengku Azmil Zahruddin, said MAS would decide on the narrow-bodied aircraft first.

“We are at the tail-end of the evaluation for the narrow-bodied aircraft.

“However, due to the backlogs both in Airbus and Boeing, we may lease the type of aircraft we want before taking delivery of our own,” he said.

Idris said aircraft purchase was the single biggest decision MAS has to make.

“When you make that decision into the future, you better know what you are doing (because) it is about RM20 billion commitment,” he said.

Idris said the general principal in increasing fleet size was to reduce the different types aircraft, increase the density in the economy seat, buy aircraft for core network and lease for the non-core network.

“The logic is simple. For core network, owning the aircraft gives us the flexibility to dispose of and change the aircraft based on the market.”

Currently, MAS leases most of its aircraft.

Idris also hoped to ride on airlines that have ordered new fleet but would not be able to realise the orders.

“When they don’t need the aircraft they will sell it at a lower price. Some airlines are making losses but made a lot of aircraft orders. So, I do believe we want to take them,” he said.

On Airbus A380, Tengku Azmil said progress was not good in the ongoing talks.

He, however, said MAS would definitely ask for compensation.

– BERNAMA

*News posted by our forum member at http://forum.flydamnit.com/index.php?topic=516.0

Posted in News, Airbus, Boeing, Malaysia Airlines | 5 Comments »

FlyDamnit has a new page icon

February 1st, 2008

I got the new page icon from Boeing’s official page. Its the picture used in one of the page. I edited it a little bit and make it smaller.

Here is the original picture.

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British Airways 777 crashed at Heathrow

January 24th, 2008

17 January 2008
British Airways 777 crashed at Heathrow Airport.

Passengers are led to safety after a British Airways jet from Beijing landed short of the runway at Heathrow Airport, injuring six people and causing delays at the world’s busiest airport.

A British Airways jet crash landed short of the runway at London Heathrow on Thursday, injuring six people and causing delays at the world’s busiest airport.

The undercarriage of the Boeing 777 was wrecked with the back end and the engines touching the ground. Passengers poured out of emergency slides while firefighters sprayed safety foam around the jet. One said he felt he had won the “lottery” by escaping unharmed.

Television pictures showed skidmarks carving up the grass ahead of the runway used by Flight BA38 from Beijing with 136 passengers and 16 crew on board. All the injuries were reported as minor.

Paul Venter, a passenger on the flight, said the plane hit problems just as it was about to land.

“I could hear the undercarriage come out and the next moment the plane just dropped,” he said.

“The wheels came out and went for touchdown, and the next moment we just dropped. I couldn’t tell you how far.

“When everything came to a standstill, I looked out of the window and the undercarriage was gone and the plane was on its belly.

“I didn’t speak to the pilot, but I saw him, and he looked very pale.”

BBC television quoted the pilot as saying he had lost all power as it was landing and had to glide it in.

The incident happened shortly before Prime Minister Gordon Brown was due to take off from Heathrow for China on an official visit. His flight was briefly held up.

The southern runway was closed at Heathrow, causing delays. Some flights were being to other airports.

Another passenger, Fernando Prado, told BBC television by telephone that all the passengers had been evacuated within two or three minutes, adding of his escape: “I won the lottery today.”

A Heathrow spokesman said the plane carried out an emergency landing at 12:42 pm (1242 GMT) and that it had been fully evacuated.

“The Heathrow southern runway has been closed, but the northern runway remains open,” he added.

BA chief executive Willie Walsh said: “We are very proud of the way our crew safely evacuated all 136 passengers on board.

“The crew are very experienced and are trained to deal with circumstances like this.”

He said the Air Accidents Investigation Branch would probe what happened and the airline would cooperate fully.

“It would be innapropriate for me to speculate as to the likely cause of this incident,” Walsh added.

He said the aircraft in question was about six years old and BA had 43 Boeing 777s in operation.

Six passengers were taken to hospital with minor injuries, said a spokeswoman for the London Ambulance Service.

A London police spokesman said there was no suggestion that terrorism was involved.

The British prime minister was travelling with a party of around 30 journalists, businessmen and personalities, including Virgin chief Richard Branson and Olympic athlete Kelly Holmes.

2nd source

LONDON A British Airways jet from Beijing carrying 152 people crash-landed Thursday, injuring 19 people and causing more than 200 flights to be canceled at Europe’s busiest airport.

Investigators will speak to the pilots and study the plane’s flight data recorder and maintenance records to determine what caused the crash-landing at Heathrow Airport, tearing the plane’s underbelly and damaging its wings.

Nothing suggested it was terror-related, Scotland Yard said.

Timothy Crowch, an aviation analyst with 35 years of experience as a commercial pilot, said the landing gear punched through both wings, indicating a “massive vertical impact.” That suggests a total loss of engine power may have been the cause, he said.

Robert Cullemore of Aviation Economics, a London-based aviation consultancy, said the pilot kept the plane in the air long enough to prevent a disaster.

“If it had landed 200 meters [656 feet] shorter than it did, it may have hit perimeter fence and obviously some other buildings and the car park, clearly we would be dealing with fatalities and obvious damage,” Cullemore said.

Firetrucks surrounded the Boeing 777 after it landed, spraying fire-retardant foam around the aircraft. Two of the plane’s giant wheel units were ripped from the craft during the landing and could be seen on grass near the runway.

Passenger Paul Venter said the trouble started as the aircraft was about to land.

“The wheels came out and went for touchdown, and the next moment we just dropped. I couldn’t tell you how far,” he said.

The plane’s wheels appeared to collapse as it came down in the grass in front of the airport’s southern runway, witness John Rowland told the BBC.

“It crashed into the runway, debris was flying everywhere, there was an enormous bang and it skidded sideways,” he said.

Hillingdon Hospital said it was treating 13 injured, and six went to other hospitals. British Airways said one person suffered a broken leg.

The accident on one of Heathrow’s two runways occurred just before a plane carrying British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and a delegation of business leaders, including Virgin Chairman Richard Branson, was about to depart for China. The prime minister’s plane was about a half-mile away.

More than 200 flights were canceled nearly a fifth of the day’s flights, airport operator BAA said. Planes were able to take off and land on Heathrow’s northern runway, air-traffic control company Nats said. Some flights were diverted to other airports.

The Air Accident Investigation Branch was investigating, British Airways Chief Executive Willie Walsh said, adding that the airline didn’t want to speculate on the cause. The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board also said it was sending a team of investigators to help.

Note - News and pictures are from the internet.

Posted in News, Accidents, Boeing | No Comments »

Quick recap of 2007

January 14th, 2008

First of all i would like to welcome my self back to this forum. I havent been online for quite a while while. Alot happened and i didnt cover them. These are some of the events:

Dr Sheikh Muzaffar, first Malaysian in space. There was 3 candidate for it. One of them is our Capt. Mohd. Faiz Kamaluddin (front left in pic) from Malaysia Airlines. Congrats for being nominated. (Not to be mistaken with the other Dr. Faiz Khaleedwho was the second choice).

LIMA air show. Thanks for the guys who cover the air show and posted it in the forum with lots of pictures.
http://forum.flydamnit.com/index.php?topic=1061.0

And some other event.

As for MAS, some of u might notice theres the Box Meal for some sectors, the cabin crew is reduced from 5 to 4 for some sectors in the 737 fleet and the recent fuel price increase will effect the aviation world.

Welcome 2008. More updates to come..

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Funny flight attendant

November 16th, 2007

This video was posted by the YouTube user rodizzl.

From the YouTube “About This Video”:

this was on my flight from LAX to Chicago MDW, and there was this flight attendant who made some very interesting remarks that had the whole plane laughing. i couldnt record the flight attendant, but i did record the sunny so. cal weater. enjoy.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=9ta9ltJGxjk

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