MAS ditches Phuket-Penang flights

PHUKET: Malaysia Airlines has canceled its regular thrice-weekly Phuket-Penang service and has instead increased the number of flights between Kuala Lumpur and Phuket. With effect from October 28, the airline boosted the number of KL-Phuket flights from nine to 14 a week. Tajul Arrissin Kamal, director of Malaysia Airlines Phuket, said the decision was made as part of an effort to increase the airline’s revenues. “We have also cut back on long-haul flights, on which we haven’t made much money,” Mr Kamal explained. “The aim is to drop non-core destinations and improve profitability.” He added, “We have also suspended our three flights a week to New York until further notice. This is because of the aftereffects of the events of September11.”