THE empty MASwings “ferry flights” reported by local media recently were positioning flights, where the aircraft fly to another destination to service a particular route,  the Malaysian Aviation Commission (Mavcom) said today.

“The MASwings Kota Kinabalu-Sandakan flights are positioning flights. Positioning flights are undertaken to position the aircraft to conduct another flight from another airport.

“This is often done when the aircraft finishes its day in one place but is needed in a different place the following day,” the aviation authority said today.

The Daily Express reported that since January 1, MASwings ATR72-500s aircraft had flown between Kota Kinabalu and Sandakan four times a day without passengers on board.

The paper said it was tipped off by the travelling public who were prevented from boarding the “ferry flights” departing Kota Kinabalu at 8.20am and 3.15pm daily for Sandakan. The aircraft were flown there to serve the Sandakan-Tawau sector before returning empty to KK.

The Mavcom spokesman told The Malaysian Insight the lack of a night stop facility in Sandakan meant that the aircraft had to arrive from somewhere else, KK, in this instance, for the airline to fulfil its obligation to service the Sandakan-Tawau route.

The Kota Kinabalu-Sandakan route is one of six rural air services (RAS) routes reclassified as fully commercial from January 1, which means these routes are no longer categorised as RAS since they are jointly operated by MASwings and other commercial airlines such as AirAsia.

“This reclassification also ensures that the true concept of RAS, which is to connect rural to rural or rural to urban areas, is fulfilled given that these six reclassified routes are urban to urban routes.

RAS is a not-for-profit air service in in the interior of the country where air transport is essential in connecting the rural areas to the rest of the country,” said the spokesman.

“The commission would like to highlight that MASwings may operate the Kota Kinabalu-Sandakan flights on a commercial basis if they choose.”

The Malaysian Insight could not reach MASWings for a response.

Maswings, a subsidiary of Malaysia Airlines Bhd, said the decision to withdraw the return services was the Transport Ministry’s, under the new Public Service Obligation (PSO) Agreement between MASwings and the ministry.

“These routes have been removed by the government from the new PSO Agreement as they no longer fall under the definition of PSO under the Mavcom  Act. However, the decision will not disrupt air services in these destinations as there are other commercial airlines operating.”

Last month, Transport Minister Anthony Loke announced a restructured subsidy for the RAS service provider whereby the government will now pay incentives based on its performance.

The RM190 million subsidy allocated to RAS routes is based on the performance of MASwings and its handling of its finances, said Loke.

Penalties will be imposed if targets for service levels, such as in scheduling and consumer satisfaction, are not met.

The ministry has inked an agreement with MASwing for flights in Sabah and Sarawak from 2019 to 2024 following a review of RAS areas by Mavcom.

The agreement sees 10 routes removed, and the addition of the Limbang-Kuching, Long Lellang-Bario and Long Seridan-Bario routes, as well as cargo services from Miri to Bario, Ba’kelalan, Long Seridan, Long Lellang, Long Ahah and Long Banga.

Four destinations will be added –  Long Pasia in Sabah, and Kapit/Bukit Mabong, Belaga and Long Silat in Sarawak. – February 15, 2019.