Malaysia Airlines has resumed domestic routes from Penang (PEN) to two secondary cities and is planning to relaunch short-haul subsidiary Firefly in April 2022.

Malaysia Airlines on Dec. 2 resumed flying between PEN and Kuching (KCH). The route will be operated 2X-weekly with a Boeing 737-800. The carrier will also this month restart flights between PEN and Kota Kinabalu ({{BK}}I). That route will be operated 4X-weekly with a 737-800.

Both routes will be operated by Malaysia Airlines through March. Short-haul subsidiary Firefly, grounded by the COVID-19 pandemic, will relaunch service from April and take over operating the two domestic routes.

“This move complements Malaysia Airlines in serving the leisure market while diversifying Firefly’s base connecting secondary cities in Malaysia to East Malaysia,” Malaysia Airlines said in a statement.

Firefly, which is aimed at leisure passengers seeking low fares, will be based at PEN.

“Firefly will soon be resuming its jet operations to serve these key domestic sectors,” Malaysia CEO Izham Ismail said. “This move is very timely as air travel gradually picks up domestically and we are ready to serve business or leisure travelers with the connectivity they need. With the resumption of Firefly’s jet operations, customers will enjoy a flexible service concept—with product unbundling to suit the leisure-focused and price-sensitive customers, providing a more significant value proposition.”

He added that Malaysia Airlines’ domestic route resumptions “will reinvigorate domestic tourism for Malaysia’s largest secondary cities.”