Saturday, October 29, 2011

AirAsia X slams Malaysia Airports

Star, 30 October 2011

PUTRAJAYA: AirAsia X, the long-haul budget airline subsidiary of Tune Group, has fired one salvo after another at Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad (MAHB).

Its chief executive officer Azran Osman-Rani aired his grievances against the airport operator via Twitter yesterday.

What irked him most was the delay in the construction of the new budget terminal at the KL International Airport, KLIA 2, and the recent hike in airport fees imposed by MAHB.

“Would be interesting to sponsor (Powerman Malaysia Duathlon) if 2012 edition held at KLIA. But too bad MAHB will miss construction deadline for KLIA2.

“If the Government allowed AirAsia/Sime Darby to build new low-cost carrier terminal at Labu, it would have been ready by now, no public funds used, and lower charges,” he said, revisiting the old controversy of the Government's earlier nod for AirAsia to build their own terminal in Labu before U-turning in 2009 and ordering MAHB to build the terminal instead.

“MAHB promised the prime minister they could deliver the same.

“Now, delayed construction, public funds cost overruns, and they're hiking fees! Way to go, GLC,” he said.
MAHB had recently announced the International Passenger Service Charge (PSC) and Aircraft Landing and Parking Charges.

The PSC has been raised by 28% from RM25 to RM32 for international passengers departing from LCCT-KLIA and the Terminal 2 Kota Kinabalu.

This has been lambasted by Azran in his series of hard-hitting tweets, saying that there was no consultation in MAHB's decision.

“The critical failure of this knee-jerk policy decision to reinstate airport fee monopolistic increase, is that there is no consultation or analysis.

“We keep taking two steps forward, and get dragged two steps backward. Macam mana nak maju? (How do we progress?)” he asked.

Asked by one of his Twitter followers what he thought was the reason behind the fee increase, Azran had only one word in response: “Tamak! (Greed!)”

When contacted by The Star yesterday, MAHB declined to comment.

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