The Low‑Cost Revival: Firefly’s Singapore‑Malaysia Flight Returns
After a two‑year hiatus, Malaysian budget airline Firefly is taking to the skies again between Singapore’s Seletar Airport and Kuala Lumpur’s Subang Airport. The first flight will touch down on June 13, the same day that the pandemic’s air‑traffic toll begins to loosen its grip.
The Announcement: “Singapore, We’re Back!”
On the company’s website, Firefly flashed a cheeky banner: “Singapore, we’re back!” Fortified with the promise that one‑way tickets start at just RM119 (S$37), the airline is gearing up to bridge the two nations once more.
What’s in the Cookies?
- Two daily flights from Seletar to Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport (down from six per day back in 2019).
- Each flight uses an ATR‑72‑500 that comfortably seats 72 passengers.
- A new, juggernaut‑ready aircraft arrives at the airport that’s been refreshed for modern wing‑turned‑wellness.
Why the Move Makes Sense
Chief executive Philip See unveiled the change as a “perfect opportunity” that comes with Malaysia’s border reopening. He sees the service as a way to knit the shared culture of Singaporean and Malaysian societies closer together—think of it as a tiny jet‑link in a world that’s re‑opening but still careful.
Seletar’s Reset: A Fresh Start
Seletar Airport itself has been idle for two years. The $80 million passenger terminal, opened back in 2019, is now fully operational, ready to see people bounce from flight to flight in a little bit of sunshine. “We’ve seen a surge in travel between the two countries since restrictions eased,” noted Lim Ching Kiat, the airport’s development managing director.
Still a Hot‑Spot for Trouble?
Historically, the route had seen a rough patch. Before the pandemic, Firefly struggled to fill seats under its current model, with the Singapore‑Subang journey averaging only about 40% occupancy. The origin at Seletar, a location originally built for military use, had pushed some customers to opt for the bustling Changi instead.
In 2019, the route was even suspended for almost five months due to a bilateral aviation dispute between Singapore and Malaysia—an incident that cost the company a chunk of loyal passengers. Complicating matters, Malaysia’s civil aviation authority had previously objected to Singapore’s planned Instrument Landing System at Seletar due to concerns over the nearby town of Pasir Gudang. Singapore has since adopted a GPS‑based instrument approach, sidestepping the issue.
Broader Economic Context
Firefly’s comeback sits amid a wave of regional budget carriers—like Scoot, Jetstar, and others—gradually upping intra‑regional flights to claw back market share in a market once flooded with options. Borders across Southeast Asia opened this past April and hundreds of thousands of passengers have already started grieving the lack of travel; airports like Kuala Lumpur International, Bangkok Suvarnabhumi, Changi, and Jakarta’s Soekarno‑Hatta are all bouncing back at 40–50% of pre‑pandemic capacity.
Now, as the skies clear and the logging of stops grow into ridership, Firefly’s new jump‑back could either be an elegant renaissance or a comedy of errors—only time and the in‑flight chat will tell. Either way, it’s one more chapter in the ever‑changing saga of aviation that keeps us all a little more connected.
