THERE will be a cost involved for Malaysia’s Firefly to implement GPS-based instrument approach procedures at Seletar Airport, replacing the Instrument Landing System (ILS) procedures, said Transport Minister Anthony Loke.

He said the GPS approach is a requirement that both Malaysia and Singapore’s Civil Aviation authorities had agreed before.

“The amount involved is a commercial decision by Firefly. We are looking forward for Firefly to work closely on that in a timely manner, and we are looking (for it) to be implemented in the next six to twelve months,” he said at a joint press conference with his Singaporean counterpart, Khaw Boon Wan at Seletar Airport here, today.

Loke is on working visit to Seletar Airport for Firefly’s inaugural flight to Singapore, FY3126 which was given a water cannon salute upon its arrival about 11am.

Khaw said aviation regulators of both countries will meet next week to discuss the new GPS procedures.

“We have looked up for some possibilities and the regulators (of the both countries) will be meeting next week and I’m confident that it could be done pretty soon,” he said.

The air disagreement first surfaced on November 23 last year, when Firefly said it will suspend all flights to Singapore from December 1, the day it was supposed to move its operations from Changi Airport to Seletar. 

Malaysia objected to the new landing procedures for Seletar Airport, claiming that they would impose height restrictions on the development in Pasir Gudang, Johor. 

However, on April 6, Malaysia and Singapore agreed that in the spirit of bilateral cooperation, Singapore will withdraw the ILS procedures for Seletar Airport.

Firefly on April 12 announced that it will resume its flights to Singapore from April 21. Flights between Subang and Seletar would be twice daily, from April 22-28, followed thereafter by six daily flights. – Bernama, April 21, 2019.