MAS fare system ‘timely, beneficial’

KOTA KINABALU: The recently implemented Malaysia Airlines (MAS) fare system won the praise of Malaysian Indian Youth Council (MICY) Sabah Chairman A. Nagaraju (pictured), who described the cheaper domestic air fares as timely and beneficial to all.

He said the new MAS fare system for the domestic sector, which was imposed Tuesday, allows passengers to fly one-way from Kota Kinabalu to Kuala Lumpur for as low as RM199 (not inclusive of surcharges).

Speaking to NST Business here yesterday, he said the new ‘micro-segmentised’ fare system covering 23 domestic routes offers a choice of multi-tiered fares with discounts between 10 and 60 per cent, which would greatly ease the financial burden of travel.

Nagaraju said the measure is to the advantage of not only Malaysian travellers but also foreign visitors, especially during the Visit Malaysia 2007 promotional period.

“The discounted air fare currently being provided by both MAS and AirAsia will help further boost national integration among Malaysians,” he said.

The ‘micro-segmentised’ fare system will also see the introduction of two business class and five economy segments with one-way fares offered through MAS offices, travel agents, and online at www.malaysiaairlines.com.

Under the new system, the one-way multi-tiered fares for Kuala Lumpur-Kota Kinabalu route are: RM499 (Economy Class); RM399 (A-flex-saver); RM359 (B-flex-saver); RM299 (Saver); RM259 (A-web-saver); and RM199 (B-web-saver).

MAS Commercial Director Dato Rashid Khan recently said the prices were flexible and that each fare segment had its own set of rules and regulations for ticketing deadlines, refunds, cancellations, no-shows, advance purchase eligibilities and fare restrictions.

The airline is now targeting returns of at least eight per cent from its domestic operations by the end of 2007.

Domestic operations for the airline have for years incurred losses, a trend MAS hopes to reverse through the implementation of initiatives such as the micro-segmentised fare system under its business turnaround plan.

Courtesy of New Sabah Times