The NT News reports on the first flight but gets a little confused by referring to a presumably much larger, but actually non-existent 787-300 rather than a 737-800 which is actually operating the service. It is interesting to note Malaysia Airlines regional senior vice president Lee Poh Kait observation that the Boeing 737 is the right size aircraft to serve Darwin. Prior to 2002, Malaysian operated services to Darwin with larger aircraft, including Boeing 777, on triangular routes with Cairns or Adelaide.
Airline widens market
'NT News' - 2013-11-02
By CLAYTON BENNETT
MALAYSIA Airlines will return to Darwin today for the first time in more than a decade.
Starting this morning with an inaugural flight to Kuala Lumpur, the airline will fly from Darwin four times a week.
The five-star airline has been welcomed by the tourism industry.
‘‘It’s good news,’’ Tourism Top End general manager Trevor Cox said. ‘‘It creates greater access for all of us and opens up destinations in the US, UK and Europe, as well as South East Asia, so it’s very positive.’’
Malaysia Airlines will fly out of Darwin International Airport on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.
Malaysia Airlines regional senior vice president Lee Poh Kait said the airline had been looking to come back ever since it stopped the route in 2002.
‘‘It was a matter of time before Malaysia Airlines came back. We’ve always seen Australia as a rather important market to grow and the testimony is that we decided to invest not only in Darwin but across Australia,’’ Mr Poh Kait said.
‘‘Darwin is where we have been eyeing. We know there is huge potential to serve this region, especially to South East Asia, which Darwin will be a gateway to. It’s only four hours away (from Kuala Lumpur).’’
Mr Poh Kait said the airline stopped flying to Darwin because the older equipment and triangular route that had to fly to the Malayasian capital via Cairns ‘‘ wasn’t the best business model’’.
‘‘Now is the right time because we have the right equipment,’’ he said.
‘‘What we are going to put here is a $50 million equipment, a Boeing 787 300 series. This is a great aircraft, it has one of the best fuel efficiencies and a four hour flight is just perfect.’’
He said Darwin had an ‘‘economic pulse’’ and there was opportunity in the Top End city to connect locals to the rest of the world as well as bring tourists to the Top End who were prepared to spend big.
‘‘Northern Territory is in a journey of economic transformation,’’ he said. ‘‘ We can enhance tourism arrival. We offer premium service, you will get highspending tourists as opposed to some other airlines.’’
It is running a deal with airfares from Darwin from as low as $499 return. Visit www.malaysiaairlines.com for more information.