More S'pore-M'sia air links

Source StraitsTimes

SINGAPORE and Malaysia have taken yet another step towards liberalising air links.

From next month, low-cost carriers will be allowed to fly out of Singapore to three cities in East Malaysia - Kuching, Kotal Kinabalu and Miri.

For a start, Singapore low-cost carriers will be allowed a total of seven flights a week on each of the three routes.

From March 1, this will be doubled to 14 a week.

Malaysian low-cost carriers will have the same rights, Singapore's Transport Ministry said in a statement on Monday.

SilkAir and Malaysia Airlines are the only two carriers now that operate between Singapore and Kota Kinabalu and Kuching in East Malaysia. There are no direct flights from Singapore to Miri in Sarawak.

Low-cost carriers on both sides of the Causeway welcomed the move, adding that it will provide consumers with more options and bring fares down.

The liberalisation comes about 10 months after both governments lifted restrictions - but with a cap on the number of flights allowed - on the Singapore-Kuala Lumpur market.

In February, Singapore's Jetstar Asia and Tiger Airways, as well as Malaysia's AirAsia were given the all-clear to operate between the two cities.

Between them, the low-cost carriers operate four flights a a day.

All restrictions will be removed in December to allow an unlimited number of flights.

The liberalisation is part of a larger agenda to free the skies above Asean.