BUDGET airline Firefly will suspend all flights into Singapore from December 1, it said today in response to media queries.

The suspension will be in place “until the relevant authorities have cleared remaining matters in relation to the Singapore authority’s plans to move turboprop operations from Changi International to Seletar (airport)”, a spokesman said.

The carrier said it has not been provided any definitive timeline by the authorities for the delay.

“Upon final approval from the authorities, Firefly will then resume its flights into Singapore. In the meantime, arrangements are being made for all affected passengers,” it added.

Firefly declined to comment when asked what were the reasons for the delay.

Earlier, it told the Straits Times: “We will move to Seletar airport for sure. As to when that will happen, we are still in the midst of settling some issues internally and with CAG (Changi Airport Group).”

The moving of turboprop operations to Seletar, so as to free up capacity at Changi, comes after a new S$80 million (RM240 million) passenger terminal opened its doors on Monday.

Scheduled turboprop flights will start operating from the new Seletar terminal from December 1.

TODAY earlier reported that Firefly was supposed to be the first commercial airline slated to commence operations at the new terminal, which is designed to handle 700,000 passengers yearly.

The low-cost carrier, a subsidiary of Malaysia Airlines, is the only airline that currently operates turboprop flights between Changi Airport and Subang, Ipoh as well as Kuantan. There are 20 flights daily. – todayonline, November 22, 2018.