KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA - Whether you're a student on a shoestring budget or travelling with your family, Malaysia Airlines has widened the choice with four new economy fare options.

Budget travellers planning their trips well in advance and travelling light, will be happy with the MHlow fares seats discounted from 70% off the full fare. On the other hand, families going on shopping holidays may prefer the MHsmart seats, with discounts from 20%. This fare allows for a higher baggage allowance at 25kg per person.

MAS managing director/chief executive officer Datuk Seri Idris Jala said the four MH Value Fares - MHlow fares (20kg baggage allowance), MHbasic (20kg), MHsmart (25kg) and MHflex (25kg) - were specifically designed for specific passengers.

"We made it with different travellers in mind," he told a press conference after making the announcement for the domestic sector here yesterday.

The MH Value Fares for the international sector will be launched in February next year.

MHflex are full fare seats, while MHsmart seats will have discounts from 20%, MHbasic (discounts from 50%), and MHlow fares (discounts from 70%).

A check on www.malaysiaairlines.com showed that a one-way air ticket from Kuala Lumpur to Kuching costs RM114 on MHbasic, RM304 (MHsmart) and RM379 (MHflex) before taxes.

Travellers, however, have to book their MHlow fares tickets at least a month in advance, while MHbasic and MHsmart tickets will have to be booked more than 14 days and more than seven days before travel respectively.

The different fares also have different purchase requirements and benefits.

"This is not a promotion. It is what we're embarking on from now on," Idris said.

When asked how seats would be allocated for the different fares, he said it would be based on past passenger preference.

"There are no specific seats allocated for each fare. It will change according to the market demand, such as when it is peak period or non-peak period.

"Non-peak period will obviously see more low fare seats," he said, adding that MAS would review the prices daily on a flight by flight basis.

On a separate issue, Idris said MAS had no plans to abolish the fuel surcharge.