SKS Airways was founded on November 13, 2017 in Johor Bahru, Malaysia. Regional flights with four Twin Otters were planned, but SKS has not yet taken off. Nevertheless, plans are already being made to purchase larger aircraft.

Johor Bahru is located on the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula across from Singapore. Senai International Airport, located north of the city, is 33 kilometers from Singapore Seletar resp. just under 50 kilometers from Singapore Changi. Thus, the city lies exactly in between and is optimally connected to Singapore with the dam “The Causeway” and the newer bridge “Second Link” over the Strait of Johor.

The SKS Group of Companies, which mainly operates in the real estate sector, founded its own airline with the name SKS Airways at the end of 2017. The original plan was to purchase four DeHavilland Canada DHC-6-300 Twin Otters. Although based in Johor Bahru, the planes were to be stationed in Kuala Lumpur Subang (Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport) and in Singapore Seletar. The Twin Otter were to be used on routes to tourist destinations in Malaysia - such as Kota Bharu, Ipoh, Langkawi, Pangkor, Pula Redang, Taman Negara and Tioman.

The first Twin Otter was then transferred from the Swiss Sion with various stops to Kuala Lumpur Subang in December 2019, where it was later painted and registered as a 9M-KIA. The second machine followed about a year later and received the 9M-KIB registration. Two more DHC-6s are currently still parked in Switzerland. But SKS Airways has not yet started operations. The start date has been postponed several times - the website still says “SKS Airways is flying soon, we plan to launch our inaugural flight sometime in mid of 2021”. In the meantime, the routes have been specified, from Kuala Lumpur Subang to Pangkor, Palu Redang and Tioman, while from Johor Bahru Tioman is also to be headed for. Singapore Seletar is nowhere to be seen in the route network.

The training of the Twin Otter crew was carried out by the Malaysian MASwings. This regional airline, which belongs to Malaysia Airlines, operates six more modern DHC-6-400 Twin Otters and ten ATR72-500 aircraft.

SKS also wants ATR aircraft

And now SKS Airways also wants to purchase ATR72-500 aircraft. Aviation.direct has discovered exclusive job advertisements from SKS Airways. Both pilots and cabin crews are wanted for the ATR72-500. In an advertisement published today for the upcoming 64th Independence Day in Malaysia, an ATR6 in SKS colors is shown next to an illustration of the DHC-72. So the plans for the acquisition of the French-Italian 70-seater are likely to be well advanced. Due to Covid-19 and various decommissioning (replacement by newer ATR72-600), SKS is spoiled for choice with the ATR72-500. There are currently well over 50 machines available at very interesting purchase prices or leasing rates.

As soon as SKS Airways receives an Air Operator Certificate (AOC Air Operator Certificate), it will also want to fly larger regional aircraft in direct competition with MASwings. However, it is currently still in the stars when SKS Airways will finally be able to take off.