MAHB pledges to continue developing low-cost aviation sector
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) has defended its role in developing the country’s low-cost aviation sector and pledges to continue supporting it.
MAHB said it was the first airport operator to facilitate the growth of low-cost travel with RM360 million investments on the country’s first low-cost carrier terminal (LCCT).
Acting group chief executive officer Raja Azmi Raja Nazuddin said the government and MAHB played crucial roles as enablers by supporting low-cost travel, although AirAsia Group Bhd had been the principal driver.
“This not only emphasises our commitment and support for low cost travel but more our conviction to take us to the next level of growth in air travel demand,” said Raja Azmi yesterday.
MAHB had supported low-cost travel growth through a series of incentive programmes for 12 years starting from 2002.
Up until last year, MAHB said AirAsia had benefited to the tune of RM376 million from the incentive programmes, in tandem with growth.
It said the government had also given special consideration in terms of lower passenger service charge for the old LCCT and then Kuala Lumpur International Airport 2 (klia2) until this month.
MAHB’s statement followed reports on the bid by AirAsia Group to reopen Kota Kinabalu Terminal 2 as a dedicated LCCT.
CIMB IB Research reportedly said the prospect could spell trouble for MAHB beyond just losing a profitable airport.
Raja Azmi said MAHB had built and expanded the LCCT when the growth of the travel segment was still uncertain from 2006 up until the opening of klia2.
“klia2 was and is the ultimate embodiment of MAHB’s progrowth approach to support and enable the national growth of low-cost travel,” said Raja Azmi.