TemboOne

Hello everyone - my apologies for intruding on today's MH section with a question from Canada on the historic days when the present MH and SQ operated as a single airline, ML; initially Malayan Airways, then Malaysia-Singapore Airlines and of course MSA.

At one time there was a twice daily service in both directions, SIN-MKZ-KUL-PEN - this was back in the days when Subang was KL's only airport and SIN just had Paya Lebar.

I flew this route many times in the 60s, most often the afternoon SIN-MKZ flight (ML-052) and was looking to revisit the area for an extended stay but see that MKZ no longer even exists in airline schedules.

Anyone over there who can help with info please?

(Perhaps there may be some from the days of MTTC in Kirkby and Brinsford Lodge who may recall these days and subsequent years better than I!)

ashkale

Way before my time but can give you a route suggestion: SIN-SZB(firefly)-PEN-MKZ (Malindo). Now a days MKZ is only served by Malindo air (Penang and Pekanbaru)and xpress air of Indonesia(Pekanbaru).

TemboOne

At least there is some air service to MKZ but it doesn't seem much help for today's needs.

Back in the "good old days" I could take the morning flight MKZ-SIN, have a lengthy lunch meeting and then take the mid-afternoon flight back, even if on a couple of rare occasions the return F27 was replaced by a DC3!).

SilverChris

That was well before highways existed in that part of the world. Malacca is well connected to Kuala Lumpur and Singapore by road (2 and 3 hours respectively), eliminating the need for scheduled air services to those cities.

TemboOne

Thank you SilverChris! Interesting ID to see, as I still have a Silver Kris pewter paper knife handed out on one of my many ML flights between KUL-BKK-SIN-HKG in the 9V-BAS and 9V-BAT Comets I seemed to "live" on back then!

Even in 1967 I could use the inter-city taxi service (Teksi Melaka) one way to get up to KL easily when the morning ML flight was too early. However even now I cannot imagine a 6 hour round trip drive to SIN plus time needed there. The 40-45 minute flight would still make much more business and economical sense, more so if connecting to/from overseas at SIN. With the possibility that Air Canada may expand to SIN (many of our long haul fleet deadhead from HKG for maintenance service at Paya Lebar) makes an air connection necessary as I cannot really see anyone arriving at SIN and then trying to take a taxi or hire a car to reach MKZ.

Thank you for the reply. I know opinions differ and sadly feel that not all improvements have the best results for everyone.

Zawnet

About five years ago, FY - MH's ATR72-equipped subsidiary based at SZB - did offer return flights from SZB (Subang) to MKZ - but this was more to position the aircraft to then operate MKZ-MES vv. A few fights per wk and largely subsidised by the Melaka state government to boost tourism (from MES). But the domestic leg was opened for sale. Have been on a few of these flights and on each flight, the number of pax varied from one to less than five.

It was scheduled as a 45-min journey but actual flying time was circa 30mins.

After maybe a yr and when the subsidies dried up, the service ceased.

TemboOne

It's really a pity the Melaka State Government doesn't try to tap into the tourist traffic that flies into KLIA and SIN. So many international / intercontinental visitors never get to venture beyond the two cities and people outside Asia have no idea how to get anywhere else beyond.

I can understand the problem that would have existed running flights between SZB and MKZ as this still would not serve connecting passengers arriving and departing from KUL.

Back in the late 60s the afternoon ML flight (ML007) from KUL-Subang to MKZ-SIN was usually full with about half the passengers connecting off incoming overseas flights such as my usual BOAC BA796.

The new highway system is great - and I've driven it over the causeway from SIN all the way up to Malacca a couple of times - but not really practical for naive tourists travelling independently - or buiness travellers in a hurry!