KUALA LUMPUR: There is a possibility that several airlines based at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) would have to move to Kuala Lumpur International Airport 2 (klia2) should the AirAsia Group start operating out of the Main Terminal.
Business Times has learnt that the need to move out some airlines was due to KLIA reaching its capacity of handling up to 25 million passengers per year.
“KLIA’s capacity is already reaching its maximum now. If the entire AirAsia Group moves to the Main Terminal, then some airlines would have to shift their operations to klia2,” people familiar with the matter said today under the condition of anonymity.
The sources also said there should be no problem for some full service airlines to move to klia2 as the terminal can cater to all types of carriers.
In June this year, Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) said klia2 is designed to cater to all types of airlines although the terminal is mainly used by low-cost carriers.
Business Times reported today that AirAsia Group, Asia’s largest low-cost carrier, has expressed its intention to move its entire operations to KLIA by January 2017.
The group’s affiliates – AirAsia Bhd (AirAsia), Thai AirAsia, Philippines AirAsia, Indonesia AirAsia as well as AirAsia X Bhd and Indonesia AirAsia X have agreed to the relocation to the Main Terminal.
It is learned that AirAsia senior management has consulted MAHB on the matter.
Both companies are said to have agreed to meet on Monday, November 7, 2016. AirAsia will present its relocation and operational requirements to MAHB during the meeting.
Sources said the planned move was due to the lower passenger service charge (PSC) at KLIA following the revised rates that Malaysian Aviation Commission (Macvom) announced on Monday.
“With the reduction of PSC at KLIA, AirAsia intends to move its entire operations as soon as the new charges are applied,” sources said, adding that AirAsia Group is serious about the move.
The revised PSC structure was set at RM11 for domestic flights at KLIA and klia2 as well as RM35 for Asean destinations. However, the international destinations will be charged RM73 and RM50 at KLIA and klia2, respectively.
The new charges will be effective January 1, 2017 according to Mavcom.
The current charges at KLIA are RM65 for international destinations and RM9 for domestic travel. At klia2, the charges are RM32 and RM6 for international and domestic destinations, respectively.
In a statement on Monday, AirAsia and AirAsia X have said that the services at KLIA and klia2 are not at par and passengers enjoy far superior services at the Main Terminal.
Interestingly, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) has said that the two terminals have the same facility and services.