PM Najib launches AirAsia new direct route from Langkawi to Shenzen

LANGKAWI: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak today officiated at the launch of AirAsia new direct route from Langkawi to Shenzen, China that will enable Langkawi to be further developed as a world-class tourist destination.

The ceremony was held at Lang Merah Complex here and was also attended by Deputy Transport Minister Datuk Abd Aziz Kaprawi and group chief excecutive of AirAsia group, Tan Sri Tony Fernandes.

The thrice weekly route, which commenced on Aug 9, is poised to further boost tourism in Langkawi, in line with the Langkawi Development Authority\'s (LADA) mission to tap into new foreign markets.

AirAsia has seven destinations from Langkawi, with four domestic routes, namely Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Johor Bahru and Kuching as well as three international routes - Singapore, Guangzhou and Shenzen.

Meanwhile, Tony in his speech, expressed his appreciation of Najib's leadership in reducing the airport tax.

"Today we see that through the value of his (Najib) brave leadership, direct international tourists have increased from 87,754 passengers in 2015 to 187,433 passengers last year, an increase of 120 per cent," he said.

The number, he said, represented a contribution of RM300 milion to the country\'s gross domestic product based on the 12 times multiplier effect, in which 2016 was the first year with the figures for the international tourists having outnumbered domestic tourists.

"We are driven by this and already this year we have flown over one million tourists to Langkawi through our 238 weekly flights from Langkawi," he said.

Source: Bernama | 19 August 2017

Government planning to expand KLIA after 2020 - Abd Aziz Kaprawi

KUALA LUMPUR: The government plans to expand the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) after 2020 as passenger traffic is expected to increase by more than 30 per cent, says Transport Deputy Minister Datuk Abd Aziz Kaprawi.

He said the long-term plan would include a new satellite terminal building.

According to him, after studying the pace of development of the aviation industry in the country, it was found that KLIA would only be able to cope with the existing number of passengers until 2020.

"The number of passengers passing through KLIA has increased dramatically. In 2016, there were 89 million passengers as compared to 45.2 million in 2006, which is close to a 100 per cent increase.

"This is an achievement, thus making KLIA a transit hub in the region which is on par with Changi Airport, Singapore and Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Bangkok, Thailand,\" he said when contacted by Bernama today.

Earlier at the Dewan Negara sitting, Abd Aziz responded to a supplementary question from Senator Datuk Mohd Salim Bin Sharif @ Mohd Sharif who wanted to know the number of passengers handled by KLIA and the government's future plans for the airport.

On another matter, Abd Aziz said the Malaysian Aviation Commission (Mavcom) always ensured there was fair competition among airline companies and prohibited any form of unfair competition in the aviation services market.

"However, Mavcom does not impose any ruling on the airline companies' flight schedules as this is the individual company's commercial decision and the welfare of passengers is not compromised.

"Instead, passengers are given more leeway to plan," he said in reply to Senator Abdullah Mat Yasim who wanted to know what the government was doing in relation to airlines having almost similar flight schedules.

Source: Bernama | 16 August 2017

Bigger airport for Langkawi

The Langkawi International Airport will soon be upgraded at a cost of RM89mil. — Photo courtesy of mygola.com.

LANGKAWI International Airport will see a RM89mil expansion and upgrade to meet the growing number of passengers. Targeted to be finished by next August, the works will be divided into two phases.

Kedah Transport Committee chairman Datuk Tajul Urus Mat Zain (BN – Tanjung Dawai) said, under phase one, the parking area and facilities would be upgraded.

He said phase two would see the upgrading of the airport’s arrival area, commercial section, driveway of the main terminal, toilets and surau.

“The RM89mil allocation had been approved by the National Economic Council, chaired by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak on June 5.

“Works for the first phase are expected to start on Sept 1 and scheduled for completion by Oct 15.

“The tender process of the first phase opened on July 24 and closed on Aug 9.

“Eighteen companies took part in the tender process,” he said at the Kedah state assembly sitting in Alor Setar, yesterday.

He added that work on the second phase would begin on Oct 15 and is expected to be fully completed by next Aug 31.

In replying to a question by Nor Saidi Nanyan (BN – Kuah), Tajul said as of July 31, the airport saw 278 weekly direct flights mainly by Malaysia Airlines, AirAsia, Malindo Air, Firefly, Tiger Air and China Southern Airlines, an increase of 22.4% compared to last year.

He said Langkawi Development Authority was working closely with Scoot Airlines (Singapore), Happy Air (Thailand), Tuifly Airlines (Germany), Finnair (Finland), Air India, Qatar Airways and Emirates Airlines to have them fly into Langkawi with specially chartered flights.

He said Langkawi saw 24 chartered flights flying to the island in 2012. In 2016, it recorded 77 chartered flights. As of July 31, the airport already saw 23 chartered flights this year.

“There are now international routes to Langkawi International Airport from Singapore and China with the latest by China Southern Airlines, from Guangzhou to Langkawi.

“AirAsia is also planning to increase its frequency from Shenzen to Langkawi,” he said.

The airport was voted one of the top three by Airport Council International for the Airport Service Quality Award 2016 for sizes under the two to five million passengers per annum category, based on passenger feedback.

It was reported that it handled 2.7 million passenger movements in 2016, a 13.6 per cent growth from 2015.

Source: The Star | Community | 17 August 2017

Langkawi International Airport expansion project to be completed by Aug 2018

The RM89 million Langkawi International Airport (LIA) expansion project will begin this September and is expected to be completed by next August.

ALOR SETAR: The RM89 million Langkawi International Airport (LIA) expansion project will begin this September and is expected to be completed by next August.

State Education, Transport and Housing Committee chairman Datuk Tajul Urus Mat Zain said the project, which has two phases, will be carried out in 10 months.

Tajul told the state legislative assembly that the project was approved in the National Economic Council Meeting chaired by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak in June.

He said the project will be carried out by Malaysia Airport Holdings Bhd (MAHB).

The first phase involving the expansion of the parking area will begin next month while the second phase will begin by Oct 15.

“The second phase involves the expansion of the arrival hall, commercial terminal, toilet, prayer rooms and driveway to the main terminal,” he said in his answer to Nor Saidi Nayan (BN-Kuah) this morning.

To an additional question from Saidi on whether an aerobridge would be built at the terminal, Tajul said it has been taken into consideration.

According to Tajul, the RM89 million cost did not take into account an aerobridge.

“If an aerobridge needs to be built, MAHB has to upgrade the terminal building from one to two floors.

“The cost to upgrade the terminal building is estimated at between RM300 and RM400 million,” he said.

Tajul said as at the end of July, a total of 278 flights landed at the airport weekly while the number of chartered flights increased from 24 in 2013 to 77 last year.

He added that between January and July this year, LIA received a total of 23 chartered flights.

“At the moment Langkawi has two international flights connecting the island with Singapore and Guangzhou in China,” he said.

Source: New Straits Times | 16 August 2017

Direct flights out of the state for 5,600 Kedah pilgrims performing the haj

ALOR SETAR: A total of 5,600 pilgrims will fly directly from Kedah to perform the haj in Saudi Arabia this year.

Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Ahmad Bashah Md Hanipah said 10 flights have been prepared for the pilgrims, all of which will be departing from the Sultan Abdul Halim Airport here.

“The number is bigger compared to the previous years.

“We will hold a meeting on Aug 9, to check on the preparation and the flights details,” he told a press conference after chairing the state executive council meeting here today.

Bashah said the direct flights will allow pilgrims in Kedah to check-in their luggage at the Tabung Haji Hotel near the Sultan Abdul Halim Airport without the need to travel all the way to the Kelana Jaya Complex in Selangor.

Source: New Straits Times | 2 August 2017