Firefly gantung laluan Kota Bharu - Johor Bahru mulai 30 Okt 2016

KUALA LUMPUR: Syarikat penerbangan milik penuh Malaysia Airlines Berhad (MAS), iaitu FlyFirefly Sdn. Bhd. (Firefly) akan menggantung laluan Kota Bharu - Johor Bahru (KBR-JHB) berkuat kuasa 30 Oktober ini, manakala penerbangan terakhir bagi laluan ini dijadualkan pada 29 Oktober 2016. 

Laluan KBR-JHB ini telah mula diperkenalkan Firefly sejak 26 April 2012 dengan kekerapan tiga kali seminggu, manakala sejak Ogos tahun lepas kekerapan penerbangan ditambah kepada lima kali seminggu. 

Namun begitu, Firefly diminta menimbangkan semula keputusan ini yang dianggap terlalu drastik. Tambahan pula, laluan ini telah beroperasi lebih empat tahun menghubungkan bandar raya terbesar di selatan tanah air dengan bandar raya terbesar di Pantai Timur. 

Firefly dicadangkan supaya mengekalkan laluan ini dengan mengurangkan kekerapan penerbangan daripada lima kali seminggu kepada tiga kali seminggu. 

Dalam pada itu, Firefly juga akan turut menggantung enam lagi laluan mulai tarikh yang sama, iaitu melibatkan laluan-laluan Subang - Koh Samui, Subang - Medan, Pulau Pinang - Krabi, Pulau Pinang - Kuantan, Pulau Pinang - Koh Samui, dan juga Johor Bahru - Ipoh. 

Faktor kelembapan ekonomi dan penyusutan nilai ringgit dipercayai telah menyebabkan kekurangan permintaan bagi tujuh laluan ini sekali gus memaksa Firefly mengantung kesemua tujuh laluan ini. 

Setakat ini, pihak pengurusan Firefly masih belum mengeluarkan kenyataan rasmi berhubung perkara ini tetapi jualan tiket untuk perjalanan selepas 29 Oktober ini telah dihentikan bagi semua tujuh laluan ini. 

Sumber: Kota Bharu Airport | www.kotabharuairport.blogspot.com

New airport tax effective Jan 1, 2017: Liow

KAJANG: The new Passenger Service Charge (PSC) or "airport tax", which will see higher rates imposed on air travellers, will be implemented on Jan 1, 2017.

As to details of the new charges, Transport Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said, it would be announced by the Malaysian Aviation Commission (Mavcom) soon.

"Mavcom presented their views to me, and we are looking at the finer details. We also discussed in the cabinet today. The details will be announced by Mavcom.

"We made certain decisions, but all of this is under Mavcom's purview, so I will leave it to them to make the announcement," he told reporters after launching the Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan (C) Bandar Sungai Long, here, today.

The Sun, on Wednesday reported that the new rates for PSC had been approved by the Cabinet and is to be implemented at all airports nationwide, in a move deemed to "level the playing field".

According to aviation sources, the new increased PSC charges would be:

» RM11 for domestic flights, up from RM9 currently;

» RM35 for flights to ASEAN countries; and

» RM73 for international flights, up from RM65 out of KLIA 1, and RM32 from KLIA 2 currently.

Despite the increase, Liow maintained that the new charges were still considerably lower when compared to many other countries.

When asked if it would be unfair to charge similar PSC for international flights from KLIA 1 and KLIA 2 despite poorer facilities in KLIA 2, Liow said: "There is no discrimination in Malaysia's policies."

On the report of the investigation by the Joint Investigation Team into the downing of flight MH17 scheduled for release Sept 28, Liow said he hoped the perpetrators would be identified then to allow the government to take the next course of action.

He said once identified, Malaysia would then decide whether to bring them to the International Court of Arbitration or summon them in the national court.

"We would like justice to be done and want the perpetrators to be charged. So we hope this report will identify who the real perpetrators are. We are still unable to decide whats our next move until we see the report. As of now, there is no decision yet from us," he said.

Earlier in his speech, Liow said the country's practise of having multi-stream education system has allowed it to compete better at the international level.

"Having Chinese, Indian and Malay schools have given us the advantage, not only in educating our multi-racial community, but also increasing our competitiveness at the international level," he said.

Source: The Sun Daily | 22 Sept. 2016

LTSIP can go international if there is demand - Mustapa

Minister of International Trade and Industry Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed (two, left ) presented taxi permit to a recipient at a ceremony at Sultan Ismail Petra Airport Saturday. Also present the airport's chairman Abdul Rashid Mamat (two, right)

KOTA BHARU: Sultan Ismail Petra Airport (LTSIP) in Pengkalan Chepa here, can become an international airport if there is continuous demand.

International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed said LTSIP used to be an international airport but the operations had to be stopped after the service providers found that the response was poor.

"Prior to this, LTSIP was an international airport as there was a direct flight to Kota Bharu from Singapore, but it was stopped due to a lack of demand.

"This is a business issue, and if there is a demand, definitely LTSIP would have become an international airport," he told reporters after handing over permits to 13 taxi drivers for the LTSIP station here, today.

Mustapa, who is also Kelantan UMNO Liaison Committee chairman, also rejected allegations of several quarters that the absence of international flights at the airport was related to politics.

"It is not a political issue but a commercial one. Some people think there is an attempt to prevent LTSIP from becoming an international airport, whereas it has nothing to do with politics."

He said the Federal Government has approved an allocation to expand LTSIP with relevant works which are expected to start next year.

"We are still preparing the plans. Work to expand the airport may start next year at a cost of RM300 million to RM400 million," he added.

Source: Bernama | 17 Sept. 2016

Pembesaran LTSIP dijangka bermula awal tahun depan

Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed beramah mesra dengan pemandu kereta sewa ketika hadir pada majlis penyampaian 13 permit tambahan teksi lapangan terbang yang baharu diluluskan Suruhanjaya Pengangkutan Awam Darat (SPAD) di Balai Ketibaan LTSIP.  Foto: Bernama

KOTA BHARU: Pembesaran Lapangan Terbang Sultan Ismail Petra (LTSIP) di sini dijangka bermula awal tahun depan berikutan Kerajaan Pusat sudah meluluskan peruntukan khas bagi tujuan itu. 

Menteri Perdagangan Antarabangsa dan Industri, Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed, berkata ketika ini termasuk Malaysia Airport Holdings Berhad (MAHB) sedang dalam proses menyediakan pelan untuk pembesaran lapangan terbang terbabit. 

Beliau berkata, dari segi kos untuk projek pembesaran lapangan terbang itu difahamkan sekitar RM400 juta, tetapi jumlah sebenar belum diketahui kerana masih dalam kajian. 

"Kerajaan Pusat sudah meluluskan peruntukan membesarkan lapangan terbang ini (LTSIP) dan mungkin awal tahun depan kita harap kerja untuk membesarkan lapangan terbang ini akan bermula.

"Sekarang LTSIP ini mempunyai banyak penerbangan (domestik) dan apabila diperbesarkan sudah pasti penerbangan bertambah sekali gus bertambah rezeki pemandu teksi lapangan terbang dan bilangan teksi juga ditambah," katanya kepada pemberita selepas menyampaikan 13 permit tambahan teksi lapangan terbang yang baharu diluluskan Suruhanjaya Pengangkutan Awam Darat (SPAD) di Balai Ketibaan LTSIP di sini, tadi. 

Turut hadir Pengerusi Persatuan Pemandu Kereta Sewa/Teksi Lapangan Terbang, Pengkalan Chepa (PELAPEK), Abdul Rashid Mamat. 

Ditanya pembesaran LTSIP itu termasuk rancangan menaik taraf menjadi lapangan terbang antarabangsa, Mustapa berkata, perkara itu bergantung kepada permintaan yang membabitkan pengendali syarikat penerbangan dan MAHB. 

Katanya, sebelum ini LTSIP sudah pun dijadikan lapangan terbang antarabangsa yang membabitkan kemudahan penerbangan terus seperti Kota Bharu-Singapura, tetapi terpaksa dihentikan berikutan kekurangan penumpang terutama dari Kota Bharu ke republik itu. 

"Syarikat ini (penerbangan) berniaga dan perlu ada jumlah penumpang mencukupi secara berterusan ke destinasi antarabangsa. Jadi, Ini isu perniagaan, kalau ada permintaan Kota Bharu (LTSIP) sudah pasti akan menjadi lapangan terbang antarabangsa," katanya. 

Sementara itu, Abdul Rashid berkata, PELAPEK jika LTSIP dinaikkan taraf semula sebagai lapangan terbang antarabangsa, ia memerlukan sehingga 100 teksi sebagai kemudahan pengangkutan awam untuk penumpang dari lapangan terbang ke destinasi yang hendak dituju. 

"Terima kasih atas usaha Mustapa, PALAPEK memperoleh 13 permit tambahan teksi lapangan terbang di sini menjadikan jumlah keseluruhan 63 berbanding 50 permit sebelum ini," katanya.

Sumber: Berita Harian | Bisnes | 17 Sept. 2016

Kerja naik taraf LTSIP dijangka bermula awal tahun depan

KOTA BHARU: Projek naik taraf dan pembesaran Lapangan Terbang Sultan Ismail Petra (LTSIP) Pengkalan Chepa di sini dijangka bermula awal tahun depan, kata Menteri Perdagangan Antarabangsa dan Industri, Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed.

Beliau berkata kerajaan pusat telah meluluskan peruntukan bagi projek tersebut yang akan menelan belanja antara RM300 dan RM400 juta.

Pada masa ini, kerajaan sedang dalam proses menyediakan pelan sebelum kerja-kerja pelaksanaan dijangka dimulakan tahun depan, katanya kepada pemberita di sini hari ini.

Terdahulu, Mustapa, yang juga Pengerusi Badan Perhubungan UMNO Kelantan, menyerahkan permit teksi kepada 13 individu bagi menjalankan perkhidmatan di stesen teksi LTSIP, di sini, hari ini.

Dalam perkembangan berkaitan, beliau menolak dakwaan beberapa pihak bahawa ketiadaan perkhidmatan antarabangsa di LTSIP itu adalah berkaitan dengan perkembangan politik dalam negara.

Beliau berkata operasi penerbangan terus dari Singapura ke Kota Bharu di LTSIP sebelum ini terpaksa diberhentikan ekoran kekurangan sambutan penumpang dan tiada kaitan dengan soal politik.

"Ini isu perniagaan dan kalau ada permintaan sudah pasti LTSIP akan jadi lapangan terbang antarabangsa," katanya.

Sumber: Bernama | 17 Sept. 2016

MAVCOM urged to resolve disparity in KLIA 1, KLIA 2 airport tax

KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Aviation Commission (MAVCOM) has been urged to quickly resolve the glaring disparity in the passenger service charges (PSC) between the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) and its sister terminal, Kuala Lumpur International Airport 2 (KLIA 2) in line with international aviation practice.

In making the call, Member of Parliament for Setiawangsa, Datuk Ahmad Fauzi Zahari, said the earlier the PSC or commonly known as airport tax, be standardised the better because if it remained unresolved, it would pose a threat to the Malaysian aviation sector.

The PSC is fixed at RM32 and RM6 for international and domestic passengers respectively flying from KLIA 2 while KLIA's out-bound passengers pay much more at RM65 and RM9 for international and domestic flights.

"As highlighted by the International Air Travel Association (IATA), this disparity is not aligned with the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) principles," he told Bernama in response to protests by IATA and the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines (AAPA) which stated that there was no justification for the big difference in charges since the facilities and services at the two terminals were comparable and that both terminals share the same runway.

Both the AAPA and IATA have written to the Ministry of Transport and MAVCOM on the need to introduce the same PSC rates at the two terminals as airlines are assessing the same level of facilities and services while pricing of services should be cost-related and non-discriminatory.

Ahmad Fauzi, who has a keen eye on the aviation industry, pointed out that Malaysia's role in the industry was recognised internationally through its appointment as a member of the ICAO Council and it was important for the country to uphold the ICAO principles.

"Therefore, it is equally important that we must standardise the PSC so as not to flout principles set by this organisation," he added.

The ICAO, based in Montreal, is a United Nations specialised agency and the global forum of states for international civil aviation that sets standards and regulations necessary for aviation safety, security, efficiency and regularity, as well as for aviation environmental protection.

Singapore and Malaysia are the only Southeast Asian countries sitting on ICAO's current council.

But Ahmad Fauzi, who is also the Chairman of Technology Park Malaysia, stressed that any increase in charges ought to take into account the best interests of stakeholders and would not burden passengers especially the main user at KLIA 2.

"What needs to be done is to standardise the airport tax and whichever airlines using KLIA will be subject to the same rates. It's not only for airlines but to all airport users," he said.

Basically, he added, if such hike in PSC was made, it was no longer a domestic decision but that of international convention to which Malaysia was bound to via international obligations.

"As I understand it, the airport tax at both terminals are lower than those at most other major airports in Asia."

Deputy Transport Minister Datuk Aziz Kaprawi told the Dewan Rakyat in May that the ministry had not decided on the proposal by Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) on the PSC while MAVCOM is currently conducting an independent review of the issue and is expected to make an announcement in due course.

Sabah Tourism Board Marketing Manager Normegawati Sapian, said the charges should be standardised as facilities at KLIA and KLIA 2 were almost similar.

"There should be no difference in the charges as there was not much of a difference in the facilities at both airports," she said when met at the Malaysia Association of Tour and Travel Agents (MATTA) Fair 2016.

MATTA President Datuk Hj Hamzah Rahmat said airport charges should be as low as possible and even suggested the government do away with the PSC to improve passenger traffic in efforts to encourage domestic and inbound tourism.

Source: Bernama | Business | 4 Sept. 2016

RM80m KKIA expansion due soon

Kota Kinabalu International Airport (KKIA), Kota Kinabalu, Sabah. 

KOTA KINABALU: Further expansion of the Kota Kinabalu International Airport (KKIA) apron and terminal are on the cards.

Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) Managing Director Datuk Badlisham Ghazali (pic) said 10 more overnight aircraft parking bays are being planned to cater to jets and turboprop aircraft with construction of these facilities expected to commence this year.

This will come along with the company's plans to increase terminal capacity from nine million to 16 million passengers over the next five years.

"MAHB wants to be ahead of the curve to cater to the eight per cent growth in travel in the Asia Pacific Region.

"There are plans to continuously upgrade this airport to the kind of growth that we (MAHB) see and start discussions on the capability of upgrades for this airport.

"This is only for night stops and to cater to possibilities whether airlines want to increase flights to KKIA. But this depends on how aggressive the airlines are in time to come," he said.

Badlisham is here to check on the efficiency and effectiveness of KKIA and other airports in Sabah.

He said construction of the additional overnight aircraft parking bays is expected to cost "anywhere from RM60 million to RM80 million."

KKIA currently has 22 parking bays, with 13 bays being used at any one time and up to 20 bays during peak periods, mostly by local airlines.

"That allows more aircraft to make night stops. So we look forward for more airlines making stops here and make Kota Kinabalu a hub to serve the eastern Asia side of Malaysia and attraction of Sabah," he said.

He noted this will augur well with more airlines recently launching new flights from the city to various cities in Asia, including Tiger Airways from Taiwan, which is set to begin flights to KKIA on March 18.

Terminal 1 handled 6.6 million passengers last year but the number is expected to increase given that travel increased 8 per cent annually in the Asia Pacific region.

All airline operations have been carried out from Terminal 1 since Dec. 1 last year when AirAsia finally submitted to its notice order to relocate from Terminal 2 following Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak's intervention over the low budget airline's spat with MAHB to move there.

Terminal 2 became overcrowded when AirAsia was still operating there with the airport's two million capacity seeing over three million passengers going through it.

According to Badlisham, since then check-in time for passengers have now been halved from 10 minutes to five minutes at present.

"That's the benefit of consolidating all facilities into Terminal 1 here especially passengers.

"And passengers certainly now see the difference and this is the kind of impression, we want to leave behind to our visitors," said Badlisham, adding that various services also improved from the consolidation significantly, including immigration counters and taxi services. Retail outlets also benefitted from the consolidation, said Badlisham, adding 13 more retailers will open soon on top of the 46 retailers, including the 14 from Terminal 2 previously.

Source: Daily Express | 1 Mar 2016