AIRASIA X Q3 PASSENGER GROWTH SURGES 23pc

KUALA LUMPUR: AirAsia Bhd chief executive officer Aireen Omar says it is inaccurate to compare Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) with Kuala Lumpur International Airport 2 (klia2) in terms of services and facilities provided as they are vastly two different airport terminals.

Thus, she said, it was absolutely untrue to claim that passengers travelling on other airports were subsidising the operational cost of klia2.

She was responding to a Bernama report yesterday that said the move to equalise passenger service charges (PSC) between klia2 and KLIA would go a long way in ensuring fair play and pre- vent trade distortions among airlines operating at the two terminals.

The move, it reported and quoting Malaysian Aviation Commission (Mavcom), would take effect on January 1 next year to ensure passengers at KLIA and other airports in Malaysia did not end up subsidising klia2.

The report also said Genevabased International Air Transport Association (IATA) had repeatedly voiced support for the equalisation of PSC, saying any disparity in charges would lead to cross-subsidisation, with KLIA passengers effectively paying for services enjoyed by passengers using klia2.

“We seek Mavcom’s trans- parency on this claim and strongly urge Mavcom to review feedback from travellers and customers of klia2, as well as look into the multiple representations on the visible differences of the facilities and services offered between KLIA and klia2,” said Aireen in a statement yesterday.

She said IATA did not represent the main airlines and passengers at both terminals, and without a full, transparent and independent assessment of the terminals, the association was not in the best position to make a statement on behalf of the industry, and their guidelines of supporting “fair and cost-effective airport charges”.