[ UPDATE 22/11/2023 ] SKS Airways denies funding issues and explains why Embraer jet deliveries are delayed.
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It appears that another local airline could be facing turbulent times shortly after the suspension of MYAirline. According to Business Times, SKS Airways Sdn Bhd has suspended its current flight operations and apparently, the delivery of its new Embraer E195-E2 jets has been delayed.
According to the report, SKS Airways is scrambling to secure funds to pay for the delivery of the 10 leased E195-E2 planes and they have delayed the delivery from Q1 2024 to Q2 2024.
An aviation source told Business Times that if SKS Airways couldn’t secure the required funding, there would be a high chance that the deal could be off. The individual added that it’s shaky for them right now, but they’re searching for new funding.
SKS Airways operates DHC 6-300 Twin Otters for flights to Tioman and Redang. According to the report, SKS has stopped operating these flights since last month. A quick check on SKS Airways’ website reveals that no dates are available for booking for flights between Subang and Tioman, and Subang and Redang. On their social channels, there were no new posts or updates since 29th September.
A source told Business Times that the airline suspended flights to the two islands due to the monsoon season which typically starts from October to March. However, they did operate the same flights between November 2022 to February 2023.
The airline received its Air Operator’s Certificate (AOC) by the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM) effective 1st October 2021 and they have been awarded a full Air Service Licence (ASL) by the Malaysian Aviation Commission (MAVCOM) effective 1st January 2022. The airline started accepting commercial bookings on 6th January 2022.
This year, the airline has set its eyes on the regional market by signing a USD 840 million (over RM3.9 billion) leasing agreement with Azorra for ten Embraer E195-E2 single-aisle jets. It even appointed former MRANTI CEO Dzuleira Abu Bakar as its new CEO.
SKS Airways was supposed to be the first airline to operate the aircraft type in Southeast Asia which has a configuration for up to 136 passengers.
Under the original plan, the airline was scheduled to receive two planes sometime in January and it will commence commercial flights a couple of months later. While the aircraft has sufficient range to cover major destinations in Asia, it plans to cover domestic destinations first before going regional around ASEAN.
[ SOURCE ]
