FIREFLY is not authorised to fly to Singapore’s Seletar airport by the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM), said the island republic’s aviation regulator.

A Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) spokesman said Firefly was notified that it had to relocate to Seletar Airport from Changi Airport in Singapore in 2014.

In July, Changi Airport Group (CAG) formally informed Firefly of the relocation starting 1 December, however, on 14 November, Firefly had informed CAG that it was unable to receive the approval of CAAM. 

“Singapore has made all preparations and approved all applications by Firefly to operate its flights to/from Seletar Airport.” 

“Seletar Airport meets the relevant requirements of the International Civil Aviation Organisation on airport design and operations.” CAAS said in a statement today. 

CAAS said it was in contact with CAAM to specify “regulatory concerns” affecting Firefly’s operations at Seletar Airport, but was waiting for clarification in order to create a dialogue between the two regulatory bodies. 

CAAS has also said bilateral cooperation was extended to Malaysia on airspace issues in the interest of international civil aviation, although not restricted to the change in Firefly’s relocation to Seletar Airport. 

On Wednesday, Firefly said 13,000 passengers will be affected by the suspension of all Firefly flights into Singapore from December 1 said chief executive officer of the budget airline, Ignatius Ong.

Firefly Airlines was originally scheduled to begin operating out of Singapore’s newly-opened terminal at Seletar airport at the end of 2018, but Ong said the airline was told yesterday that relevant approvals and clearance had yet to be obtained.

Ong said that passengers on the Subang to Singapore route, which is one of Firefly’s most popular routes, would be rebooked on Malaysia Airlines flights departing from Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA).

However, yesterday the chief executive officer of the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM) Ahmad Nizar Zolfakar said Malaysia is willing to work with Singapore to resolve outstanding regulatory and airspace issues.  

Ahmad Nizar said CAAM “fully respects” Singapore’s decision to move Firefly’s operations from Changi Airport to Seletar Airport. – November 24, 2018.