TRANSPORT Minister Anthony Loke yesterday released a short video explaining why budget airline Firefly has suspended all flights into Singapore’s Seletar airport from December 1.

Malaysia is objecting to the use of the instrument-landing system (ILS), which Singapore will implement from January 3, and its impact on Pasir Gudang, Johor.

The ILS is a precision runway approach aid that helps planes land even in poor visibility, Loke’s Facebook post explained and while Malaysia does not deny its safety feature, the objection is to the flight path.

Seletar is only 2km from Pasir Gudang and under the ILS, the height buffer for the flight path goes as low as 54m at point 1 (3km from Pasir Gudang) and its highest point is 145m at 6km away.

The height buffer means that even a mobile crane (max height of 103m) would breach the height limit, the video said.

There are many tall buildings in Pasir Gudang port and they will be subjected to higher risks and multiple restrictions, it added.

Prior to ILS, pilots could manoeuvre around obstacles without any height regulation around the flight path.

But with the ILS, it is compulsory to impose height restrictions and the coverage area goes as far as Ayer Tawar and Kota Tinggi.

“Our position is clear, we’re not against Seletar but as far as the descending flight path is concerned it cannot be over Pasir Gudang,” Loke said.

“We urge Singapore to withdraw the ILS announcement and to amend the flight path as per our request for entry from the southern part.”

On November 22, Firefly said it will suspend all flights into Singapore from December 1 without providing any reason for its suspension.

Firefly, a subsidiary of Malaysia Airlines, was the only airline that operated turboprop flights between Singapore and Subang, Ipoh, as well as Kuantan. – December 12, 2018.