Naim

These are the signs I mentioned. No entry except authorised vehicles only. .ny

Pieter, to put the pics in context, pls see floor plan below - red labels are mine relating to said pics. I took a walk around and sort of like the ambience - simple, spacious, airy, easy parking. Hope it remains the same when fully operational. .ny

Somehow or rather I found myself loitering at the LCCT today afternoon, amidst the hustle and bustle of last-minute preparation for tomorrow's opening. Didn't have my FZ3, so I had to resort to my cam-phone - SE K700i. Apologies for poor pics. Driveway images. Part of it used for tomorrow's ceremony - stage and chairs. Domestic arrival hall. The corridor connecting domestic arrival and departure halls. Lined with shops, amenities and offices. Departure hall. Cavernous. 72 check-in counters, with about half carrying AK logos. Your checked-in baggages get immediately ejected to the back of the building, airside. International departure. Passport control there. McD already in business! International arrival hall. Smallish. Flight info on flat panel display. All AK - looks monotonous lah. .ny

The blue route is actually meant for authorised vehicles only. You can see the 'no entry' signs at both ends, but they have been lenient with tresspassers so far. .ny

Hey, I found more goodies! .ny +++ Bernama March 21, 2006 22:23 PM MPs Question AirAsia's Commitment To Nation's Interest KUALA LUMPUR, March 21 (Bernama) -- Members of Parliament (MPs), Tuesday questioned AirAsia's commitment in fulfilling its responsibility to the nation since the Low Cost Carrier (LCC) was only interested in profit. During the debate on the motion of thanks for the Royal Address in the Dewan Rakyat, Tuesday, they raised the issue of distribution of domestic routes to Malaysia Airlines (MAS) and AirAsia, and asked the government to review its decision. Datuk Paduka Badruddin Amiruldin (BN-Jerai) said it was not impossible that AirAsia might sell the company to foreigners some day if it were to experience losses. "When this happens, problems will arise as AirAsia not only controls domestic flights but also has at its disposal a Low Cost Carrier Terminal (LCCT) provided by the government. "When AirAsia is owned by foreigners, what are we going to say? We have already provided the facilities," he said. In addition, he said, AirAsia behaved like a village taxi which only commenced its journey when it had a full load and was not tied down with social responsibilities like MAS. He was supported by Datuk Mahadzir Mohd Khir (BN-Sungai Petani) who said AirAsia was not like MAS which had social responsibilities as a national carrier. "I am worried that AirAsia, if it runs into cashflow problem, will collude with Singapore and ask the latter to take over our domestic routes as the company only seeks profits," he said. Lau Yeng Peng (BN-Puchong) suggested that the government ask AirAsia to focus only on regional routes and leave domestic flights to MAS. "Now AirAsia is focusing on taking over profitable local routes," he said. The issue of Malaysia-Singapore relations was also a subject of heated debate with several backbenchers and opposition MPs voicing their anger over the attitude of the republic's leaders who they described as bad neighbours. Datuk Bung Moktar Radin (BN-Kinabatangan) said Singapore was a neighbour which was "kurang ajar" (ill-bred) for trying to fool around with Malaysia on outstanding issues between the two countries. "The government must defend Malaysia's sovereignty. Don't let ourselves be belittled by others," he said. Badruddin said it was time for Malaysia to be firm with the city-state and not simply follow its dictates. "They want water, we give water...they want durian, we give durian...they want durian without the skin, we give and throw the skin in Johor. Enough is enough. "They were once part of Malaysia. Now they want to teach us. If we keep entertaining them we will end up the losers," he said. Datuk Abdul Halim Abdul Rahman (PAS-Pengkalan Chepa) suggested to Bung Moktar to table an emergency motion to prevent the government from selling sand to Singapore and allowing the neighbour's jet fighters to use Malaysian airspace. Bung Moktar replied that his responsibility as an MP was to admonish the government when there were matters the people were unhappy about but not to warn it. Hamim Samuri (BN-Ledang) said the building of a new bridge to replace the existing causeway involved national pride and it should proceed. The government, he said, should not bow to the selfish demands of Singapore. "It does not matter if the bridge is crooked or straight, we have decided to build it. We should go ahead with our decision," he said. Datuk Mohamed Aziz (BN-Sri Gading) said the question of selling sand or opening Malaysia's airspace did not arise after Malaysia decided it would proceed with a crooked bridge, now called the "scenic bridge". "We want to tell the government, there is no need to think any more. "We just go ahead with the crooked bridge, no need to worry about whether we have to sell sand or open up our airspace as the conditions set by Singapore are for a straight bridge," he said. The Dewan will sit again, Wednesday. -- BERNAMA

You are in great form, Seth! Btw, I come from Ketereh, whose learned MP likes to compare papers. .ny

Let's play a little game here: spot how many inane remarks there are in this story. .ny +++ The Star Tuesday March 21, 2006 MPs highlight how MAS wastes money MALAYSIA Airlines’ purported wastage was highlighted by several MPs yesterday with one alleging that the real cost of a plate of nasi lemak was RM60 while tea cost RM15. Another claimed that the national carrier spent huge sums of money on imported paper for its tickets while AirAsia used thermal paper which cost only a few sen. Datuk Suho Abdul Rahman (BN – Labuan) said MAS incurred huge debts because of the way things were run, including its high catering and operations costs and overstaffing. “On MAS, the cost of a plate of nasi lemak is RM60 while coffee and tea is about RM15. There is also wastage of meals. “The top management including the chairman and board of directors should go. I’m willing to bet that if MAS reduces its operations costs, it can compete with AirAsia and garner profit,” Suho said in debating the motion of thanks to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s address. Datuk Mohd Alwi Che Ahmad (BN – Ketereh) said MAS wasted money by importing its ticket papers which cost US$5 (RM19) to print compared with AirAsia’s thermal tickets which cost a few sen. Datuk Ronald Kiandee (BN – Beluran) said over 2,000 passengers would be inconvenienced if MAS stopped flying to destinations in Sabah and Sarawak. Datuk Idris Haron (BN – Tangga Batu) said AirAsia’s staff were overworked, with some working up to 10 or 15 hours a day. “The staff also did not want to lose out on the RM500 productivity incentive which they’ll get if they don’t take more than two days off in a month,” he added. Salahudin Ayub (PAS – Kubang Kerian) said one could expect MAS, which lost RM1.5bil last year, to suffer a loss of RM2bil this year, despite having a new managing director (Idris Jala). Datuk Abdul Halim Abdul Rahman (PAS – Pengkalan Chepa) suggested that AirAsia chief executive officer Datuk Tony Fernandes be appointed MAS CEO. “Foreign investors were investing in AirAsia,” he added. http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=...&sec=parliament

At last, something about a shuttle bus between KLIA main and LCC terminals. "Those travelling by KLIA Ekspres and KLIA Transit – the two high-speed train services linking KL Sentral with KL International Airport – can also catch a shuttle bus from airport to the new terminal at RM1.50 each." .ny +++ The Star Tuesday March 21, 2006 Bus service to new terminal By NG SI HOOI SEPANG: Those who fly on no-frills airlines can soon travel from the city to the new low-cost-carrier terminal here on budget fares. A new shuttle service will ply between the terminal and KL Sentral half-hourly, charging RM9 each way. The service, operational from 3.30am to midnight daily, will be available when the RM108mil terminal begins operations on Thursday. Those travelling by KLIA Ekspres and KLIA Transit – the two high-speed train services linking KL Sentral with KL International Airport – can also catch a shuttle bus from airport to the new terminal at RM1.50 each. The bus plies every 20 minutes. “We want to ensure travellers have no problems getting to the (new terminal),” Malaysia Airports (Sepang) Sdn Bhd general manager Azmi Murad said during a site tour of the terminal for government officials and the media here yesterday. Express Rail Link Sdn Bhd, the operator of KLIA Ekspres and KLIA Transit, currently charges RM35 one-way. Apart from buses, taxis will also be operating from the new terminal. Azmi added that buses would also be available from Pekan Nilai, Salak Tinggi, Sepang and Banting. These are operated by Airport Coach Sdn Bhd, Airport Liner, Sepang Omnibus and Eco Coach Sdn Bhd. The new terminal will be opened by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi on Thursday. “The first plane, from Penang, is scheduled to arrive at the terminal at about 4pm that day,” Azmi said, adding that the terminal would be fully operational from Friday.

At last some official clues! .ny +++ March 20, 2006 13:59 PM Klang Valley Taxis Can Pick Up Passengers At KLIA LCC Terminal By Yong Soo Heong SEPANG, March 20 (Bernama) -- Taxi drivers sending passengers to the soon-to-be-opened KLIA Low Cost Carrier (LCC) Terminal near the cargo complex will be allowed to pick up passengers from the airport, said KLIA general manager Azmi Murad. In order to be able to do so, taxi drivers would have to queue up under a system managed by Mesra Indah Jaya Sdn Bhd, the coupon operator of the LCC's taxi services, he told a briefing here Monday. They will have to pay a small administrative fee to the company as the taxi service from the LCC Terminal is also based on a coupon system similar to the KLIA Main Terminal. Presently, taxi drivers other than those registered with the taxi operating service company at the KLIA Main Terminal, are not allowed to pick up passengers there. However, the government has given some leeway to Klang Valley taxi drivers at the LCC Terminal. So far 400 taxi permits had been issued to several companies and cooperatives to operate dedicated taxi services at the LCC Terminal and another 200 would be issued soon. Azmi said Mesra Indah Jaya would not impose a fare surcharge for trips after midnight. He also said there would be a shuttle service between the KLIA Main Terminal and the LCC Terminal to facilitate passengers who had to take connecting flights between the two terminals. This also meant that passengers could use the Express Rail Link train service to go to the LCC Terminal via the KLIA Main Terminal. He also advised passengers who had to use the two terminals to connect their flights to allow for a Minimum Connecting Time of 2.5 hours. This is because there was no interlining arrangements between airlines operating from the Main Terminal and AirAsia, the sole operator at the LCC Terminal. This would also mean that passengers would have to check out with their bags and go through Immigration and check in again at either terminals. Azmi disclosed that passengers at the LCC Terminal need not board an aero train to catch their flights as in the Main Terminal. However, there would not be any aero bridges and passengers would have to walk on to the tarmac to board their planes. Azmi said there would also be commuter bus services from Nilai, Salak Tinggi, Sepang and Banting. He also said the government had approved a bus shuttle service from KL Sentral to the LCC Terminal to be provided by Nareco Bus at RM9 for a one way trip. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi will officially open the LCC Terminal on Thursday and AirAsia will begin full operations there the following day. -- BERNAMA

Great stuff, Azman, and all da best for the African trip. Been to Africa only once, to Ghana, when Mr Rawlings was in charge. I remember the BA flight from LGA to ACC very well - the majestic Sahara desert! .ny

You could be right, Norman. A reliable source told me AFE was issued the Certificate of Registration and Certificate of Airworthiness by DCA on 2/3/06. .ny

Thanks, Pieter. MI-8? You mean the chopper? I had no clue it was the MI-8 (am not that chopper-literate). Lemme search my archive if I can find other pics of the machine. Btw, what's so special about the MI-8? .ny

Rode in both UL A330 and A340 last year (KUL-CMB-KUL). Liked the A340 much better. I wrote a bit about them here: http://ny6.blogspot.com/2005_09_11_ny6_archive.html (at bottom of page) http://ny6.blogspot.com/2005_09_19_ny6_archive.html (at top of page) .ny

Great pics, Joon Jet. I noticed they used both 32L and 32R for landings lunchtime today. Is this common? .ny

Was at KLIA around noon today to send kid off to KBR, and this bewdy strolled by. Yes, it's the BMW corporate jet, a Gulfstream V. The reg. looks like N5BMW. Cool! :-) .ny

Ya, I noticed that too. I wonder where the 5km went to. Btw I live in Shah Alam, so KL Sentral is no good for me. .ny

It's OK, then you can graduate to: http://www.plane-spotters.net/Country/MY/index.html .ny

I fully agree with you. It's not really functional. .ny

It's there. See screenshot below. .ny

If you are willing to do a bit of research, download this file: http://www.trvlink.com/download/kul/kuldesktop.exe Install it and you can search all the KUL inbound/outbound flights. Below is the KUL-AMS sample. .ny

Letter from malaysiakini.com .ny +++ Low Cost Carrier Terminal a step backward Transit Passenger Mar 17, 06 4:16pm Two bits of news recently have made me very worried about the prospects for non-Klang Valley residents in their air transportation needs. The first was the news of AirAsia taking over the major part of the domestic flight operations from MAS. That by itself, is probably welcome news, if more efficient and cheaper air service is the end result. However, with an end to competition, prices will go up inevitably, and AirAsia’s punctuality record is deteriorating. The second was the news on the soon-to-be opened Low Cost Carrier Terminal, of which there was sketchy information before and certainly no public consultation nor user opinion sought. I was shocked to learn that it is sited several kilometres away from KLIA! A free shuttle bus service is supposed to connect the two terminals, but the details again are sketchy. My concern is the connectivity between the two terminals and airlines. Other than journeys that start or end in KLIA, travelers will need to transit or transfer at KLIA. This is going to be particularly so when MAS rationalise their routings, and stop point-to-point routes through secondary hubs like Kuching, and adopt a hub-and-spoke system. MAS is efficient enough to allow one hour transfers currently, and even if the transfer is long, it means more leisure time to enjoy the facilities at KLIA. If AirAsia were to proceed with the takeover of domestic services, and then operate out of a separate terminal, I foresee much difficulties with the transfer process. The time required will increase significantly, and more hassle for the unfortunate traveler rushing to connect his flight. A one-shot through check-in will not be possible, as it is practiced now (baggage checked through to the final destination, and respective boarding passes issued from departure point). Imagine arriving at the LCCT, wait half an hour for your bags, lug them to the shuttle service bus stop, wait some more, take a bus journey of some 15-20 minutes, and then lug you bags for a re-check-in. In an era of increasing convenience and seamless transfers for air passengers, it looks like we are taking a giant step backwards towards more obstacles and hassles. The move from Subang with its three terminals to the centralised KLIA was a great improvement in flight transfer connectivity. I used to laugh at Australian airports with their separate international and domestic terminals, separated by one or two kilometres. They have since made much progress in merging their international and domestic services, making the connection as painless as possible. We have, meanwhile, attempted to emulate their errors. I hope common sense will prevail this time, but based on our past track record, I am not going to hold my breath. My final word for this rushed LCCT is simple - we were forced into making a wrong decision by our southern neighbour. http://www.malaysiakini.com/letters/48492

Look what I found: http://www.mcmc.gov.my/registers/cma/Appar...bileStation.asp Should be the complete civilian list, since every machine must carry radio, right? .ny

I measured on my digital map of KLIA, based on actual GPS tracks, and the distance is pretty close to 19km. Yes, it's that far. See the yellow track in map below. .ny

I'm told the shuttle wouldn't be running anytime soon. So one must catch a cab at RM38 per way between the terminals, says my source! .ny

Uh-huh? Got tayar celup also? Is the use of tayar celup prevalent in commercial aviation? .ny