Malaysia’s SKS Airways defers launch to 4Q20

SKS Airways (SJB, Johor Bahru) has deferred its launch, which was due to coincide with the reopening of Pangkor airport, to an unspecified date in October 2020, business daily The Edge Malaysia has reported. The new regional specialist was due to commence operations on September 15, after a series of previous delays had forced it to defer a late 2019 debut. While the carrier has already secured a provisional Air Services Licence (ASL), valid through February 2021, it has yet to obtain an Air Operator’s Certificate (AOC). According to sources, it has already conducted validation flights with the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM). The airline is owned by SKS Group, a leisure, real estate, and financing conglomerate active in Malaysia and Australia. SKS Airways plans to operate out of Johor Bahru, an airport located adjacent to the Singaporean border, focussing on scheduled and charter flights to leisure destinations, mostly on smaller Malaysian islands. Besides Pangkor, a forthcoming duty-free destination with an airport that has been closed since 2014, the airline is also targeting Tioman as its first destination. On top of flights from Johor Bahru, it also wants to connect the two islands with Kuala Lumpur Subang. SKS Airways has so far taken delivery of a single DHC-6-300, the 42.3-year-old ex-Lao Airlines 9M-KIA (msn 593). A further two ex-European Coastal Airlines (WL, Split) units of the type are awaiting delivery from storage at Berne airport, according to the ch-aviation fleets advanced module.