MAS kargo starts KL-Narita service via Johor Baru

14 September 2009 , By Business Times

MALAYSIA Airlines Cargo Sdn Bhd (MASkargo), the cargo arm of Malaysia Airlines, has started a weekly two-way freighter flight from Kuala Lumpur to Narita, Japan, via Johor Baru as part of its efforts to explore new areas of business.

MASkargo will fly the B747-400F from Kuala Lumpur every Saturday and from Narita every Sunday.

Among the cargo to be transported are electronic equipment and gadgets, garments as well as perishable items such as flowers and tuna fish.

In a statement issued last week, MASkargo managing director Shahari Sulaiman said the new service out of Johor will help strengthen its position as one of Asia's best air cargo carrier.

"We have added this new route to meet the growing demand for cargo in the southern region. We see Johor Baru as having vast potential growth for business and we are assisting the Iskandar Malaysia to develop the southern economic corridor.

"This new service is expected to complement Singapore Changi, while simultaneously tapping into the potential of Batam and Riau," he said.

Senai Airport Terminal Services (SATS) chief executive officer Datuk Mohd Sidik Shaik Osman said demand for air freight services in Johor is projected to grow further.

He said this was partly due to the potential shown by Johor and Iskandar Malaysia's industrial and manufacturing export sectors.

Sidik added that in order to meet the increased demand for reliable air freight services in Johor, SATS would play its part to develop itself into an efficient logistics and regional cargo hub.

Among others, the development included the extension of the runway to 3,800m, a parallel taxiway and associated high-speed turn-off taxiways to increase runway capacity; and developing a well-equipped cargo terminal capable of handling up to 80,000 tonnes of cargo per year.

Meanwhile, MASkargo said it is working hand-in-hand with freight forwarders who were previously looking for an avenue to uplift cargo out of Johor Baru.

It said it hopes to expand the logistics growth in Johor as there has been a leakage of cargo movement via neighbouring countries.

At present, MASkargo operates daily truck flights in and out of Singapore by its subsidiary, MASkargo Logistics Sdn Bhd.