SINGAPORE: Firefly is unable to obtain approval from Malaysia’s regulator, the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM), to operate from Seletar Airport in Singapore.
The unit of Malaysia Airlines had informed Changi Airport Group (CAG), the operator of Seletar Airport, on this on Nov 14, according to the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) today.
CAAS today issued a statement in response to media queries on CAAM’s statement on Firefly’s suspension of services to and from Singapore effective Dec 1, 2018.
CAAS had said in 2014 that it informed Malaysia’s transport ministry and Firefly of the relocation of turbo-prop flights from Changi Airport to Seletar Airport.
“Firefly agreed to relocate its flights to Seletar Airport,” said CAAS’ spokesperson.
As with any other relocation of an airline’s operations, CAAS said Changi Airport Group subsequently consulted Firefly on the timeline for the shift.
In July 2018, Changi Airport Group formally informed Firefly that its flights would be relocated to Seletar Airport on Dec 1, 2018, to which Firefly agreed, it said.
The CAAS’ spokesperson said Singapore had made all the preparations and approved all applications by Firefly to operate its flights to and from Seletar Airport.
Seletar Airport meets the relevant requirements of the International Civil Aviation Organisation on airport design and operations, said the spokesperson.
CAAS has been requesting CAAM to inform it of specific regulatory concerns affecting Firefly’s safe operations from Seletar Airport.
“Singapore awaits Malaysia’s clarification of these concerns so that both parties can have a constructive dialogue.
“Singapore has already conveyed to Malaysia that we stand ready to work with them on airspace issues in the interests of international civil aviation and bilateral cooperation.
“These are however not related to the shift of Firefly’s operations to Seletar Airport,” said the spokesperson.
CAAM: We were never consulted on timeline to move to Seletar
In a statement issued Friday, CAAM said it was never consulted on the timeline to move scheduled turbo-prop operations to Seletar Airport starting Dec 1, 2018.
“CAAM wishes to highlight that for purposes of Firefly’s safe operations into Seletar Airport, there are indeed regulatory issues that need to be resolved between the civil aviation authorities of both countries,” it said.
“On this premise, Malaysia is willing to work with Singapore on the regulatory issues related to Singapore’s plan to move Firefly operations from Changi Airport to Seletar Airport.
“These include outstanding airspace issues to be discussed, particularly on reviewing the terms and conditions of delegating Malaysia’s airspace to Singapore for the provision of air traffic services,” it added.
On Nov 22, Firefly announced that it had to suspend flights to Singapore “until the relevant authorities have cleared remaining matters in relation to the Singapore authority’s plans to move turbo-prop operations from Changi Airport to Seletar Airport”. -FMT
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