KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) will collect RM41.5 million of outstanding passenger service charge (PSC) from AirAsia Group Bhd as ordered by the High Court on July 18.
In a statement today, MAHB said the airport charges also included the current PSC for international non-Asean passengers as well as the late payment charges.
The airports operator said it would continue conducting matters in accordance to the law, while ensuring its services and facilities throughout 39 airports in Malaysia were maintained at the optimum level for airlines and passengers alike.
“We operate in a highly regulated industry where the PSC charges are determined by the Malaysian Aviation Commission (Mavcom, an entity established by the government as an independent body to regulate economic and commercial matters of the aviation industry.
“We have repeatedly clarified that the PSC charges are not decided or imposed by us. Rather, it is set and regulated by Mavcom and the government,” it said.
MAHB added it was its responsibility to implement the PSC charges as gazetted by MAVCOM, while highlighting that its civil suits against AirAsia centred upon the airline’s failure to make payment of the PSC rates set by Mavcom.
Kuala Lumpur International Airport’s (KLIA) total passenger traffic as at 2018 reached 60 million passengers and there are more than 60 airlines operating at the airport today.
“In order to maintain standard and equitable practices at the airport for all airlines, MAHB has established the Condition of Use (COU), that outlines the standard contract governing the relationship between the airport and all the airlines utilising the services at KUL.”
It also includes conditions for the use of the airport including in matters pertaining to services, facilities, charges, compliance, and security.
MAHB said it was an industry norm and practice for the COU to serve as a standardised and uniform contract because the airport operator cannot be expected to enter into airline-specific contracts with each airline utilising the services and facilities of the airport.
“The COU is accepted by the industry as a tool to enforce the rules and regulations governing the use of the airport across the board in line with fair treatment of all airlines,” it said.