Jump to content
MalaysianWings - Malaysia's Premier Aviation Portal
Izanee

MAHB Aims To Bring Five Long-haul International Airlines To KLIA

Recommended Posts

 

 

 

By Vasantha Ganesan Published: 2007/12/18

 

 

 

 

 

AIRASIA Bhd and sister airline AirAsia X will both begin flights to India in late 2008, AirAsia chief executive officer Datuk Tony Fernandes said.

 

 

AirAsia will service cities in southern India, while its long-haul affiliate will fly to cities in northern India.

 

 

Fernandes said the budget airline had secured landing rights to Tiruchirapalli (Trichy) in Tamil Nadu and Tiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum) in Kerala.

 

 

"AirAsia will start first, starting with Tiruchirapalli," Fernandes told Business Times in an interview.

 

 

"AirAsia X will fly to Amritsar (in Punjab)," he added.

 

 

Fernandes said AirAsia, which will use A320s, will fly daily to the south Indian cities, while AirAsia X, which will use A330s, will ply the Kuala Lumpur-Amritsar route three to four times a week.

 

 

"We hope to fly to four destinations each for AirAsia and AirAsia X in the two to three years after we start flying to India," he said.

 

 

Fernandes, who voiced hopes of AirAsia flying to all major destinations in India, said it was unable to at this point in time because its aircraft did not have extended-range twin-engine operational performance standards (ETOPS) capability.

 

 

"Our plane has to fly near land because it has two engines. We have to have a special system, called ETOPS, in which the plane is allowed to fly on one engine over sea. We have not got that capability, (and) we are not sure if we want that capability as it costs a lot and we don't know the benefits that will accrue to us just for a few points into India.

 

 

"Without ETOPS, one cannot take the most direct route into India. There is an island (en route to India), Port Blair (Andaman Island), which we can pass, which allows us to fly direct, but it is only open for a certain number of hours," he said.

 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
By Vasantha Ganesan Published: 2007/12/18

 

AIRASIA Bhd and sister airline AirAsia X will both begin flights to India in late 2008, AirAsia chief executive officer Datuk Tony Fernandes said.

AirAsia will service cities in southern India, while its long-haul affiliate will fly to cities in northern India.

Fernandes said the budget airline had secured landing rights to Tiruchirapalli (Trichy) in Tamil Nadu and Tiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum) in Kerala.

...

 

Bro, can you pls include source of news, for reference? Thanks.

 

Btw, southern Kerala is a delightful place, with landscape similar to the east coast of peninsular Malaysia. Hence I think Trivandrum would be popular. The backwaters there are also a major tourism magnet.

 

 

 

 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

sorry- its from business times online

 

i hope AK stays in KLIA - KUL cannot rely on MH to increase its connectivity and the number of destinations served.

 

 

 

Edited by Izanee

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I wonder how many A330s will AK operates that time given the limited number of fleet against the number of network that AK intends to fly.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

October 12, 2008 21:59 PM

 

MAHB Aims To Bring Five Long-haul International Airlines To KLIA, Says Bashir

 

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 12 (Bernama) -- Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) aims to bring another four to five long-haul international airlines to KL International Airport (KLIA) from the 14th World Route Development Forum (Routes KL 2008).

 

Managing Director Datuk Seri Bashir Ahmad said MAHB would like to see more airlines from Europe and Africa such as British Airways, Air France and South African Airways to serve the KLIA.

 

Currently, 53 airlines are operating at KLIA, of which two are from Europe namely Lufthansa and KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, he said.

 

There were other airlines in Europe that were not flying to Kuala Lumpur and MAHB hoped they would look here as an important destination especially with the strong growing tourism sector in Malaysia, he told a press conference after opening the 14th World Route Development Forum (Routes KL 2008) here Sunday.

 

On when MAHB is expecting these airlines, Bashir said: "The airlines will decide based on their own financial viability but we will discuss how we can work together to make their services viable. Bashir said two airlines stopped serving KLIA in the past due to the economic crisis.

 

However, the Lufthansa German Airlines had come back, he said, expressing the hope that British Airways would also return soon.

 

Bashir said although KLIA was well covered from the regions, there was a gap in terms of long-haul flights.

 

"Regional airlines from Indonesia, the Philippines, Hong Kong, China, India and Middle East are already operating here and we hope they will increase their frequencies," he said.

 

Bashir said Routes KL 2008 was the opportunity for MAHB to start discussions with the airlines on these issues, he said, adding that MAHB would try to address each airlines' needs for marketing support and facilities.

 

Bashir said airports that are in an attractive tourist destination was one of the main driving factors to attract airlines easily.

 

When pointed out that Kota Kinabalu was an attractive destination for tourists, he said by next year the Kota Kinabalu International Airport would have a new terminal and an extended runway to cater for bigger aircraft to cope with the growing air traffic.

 

The three-day Routes KL 2008, hosted by MAHB, is attended by 2,500 delegates. It is the annual gathering of the route development industry offering formal and informal networking opportunities.

 

-- BERNAMA

 

http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v3/news_lite.php?id=364077

 

===

 

October 12, 2008 21:16 PM

 

Malaysian Carriers To Expand Operations Network By Year-end

 

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 12 (Bernama) -- Low budget and community carriers -- AirAsia, AirAsia X and Firefly -- plan to further increase their network expansion by year-end.

 

From Kuala Lumpur, Air Asia X will continue its network expansion to Australia, starting services to Melbourne and Perth in November, said Malaysia Airports Bhd in a statement Sunday.

 

AirAsia will start flying to Tiruchilapally, India, while Air Niugini, a new carrier to Kuala Lumpur, is planning to start new services to Papua New Guinea.

 

Firefly will also start two new points from Penang to Medan and Banda Aceh.

 

"No new carriers are expected on the fully deregulated Kuala Lumpur-Singapore trunk route from Dec 1, 2008," said Malaysia Airports.

 

AirAsia and Tiger Airways have already announced considerable frequency increases, with both airlines adding an additional four daily frequencies, Air Asia up to six daily and Tiger Airways five daily from one daily.

 

"This means there are an additional 56 weekly flights on top of the current 129 weekly flights between KL and Singapore, an increase of over 40 percent," it addded.

 

-- BERNAMA

 

http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v3/news_lite.php?id=364071

 

Edited by Naim

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Managing Director Datuk Seri Bashir Ahmad said MAHB would like to see more airlines from Europe and Africa such as British Airways, Air France and South African Airways to serve the KLIA.

sooooooooo.......heard it again and over again.......any point reading beyond that? :pardon:

 

Rather than talking to these airlines that are not interested w/ KUL, may be they should hv a talk to present airlines at KUL, increasing their frequency or something. Good connectivity does attract pax as well :)

Edited by Seth K

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Actually that quote from the MD of MAHB could easily be attributed to the CEO, DG and Chairman of every single airport management entity in the world. They would all want to see more airlines flying into their airports . . . wouldn't they. But translating discussions and talks into actual services is quite another matter.

 

In 2003, I attended ROUTES in Athens and while airports were energetically chasing airlines and coming away with hopeful statements, airlines are less enthusiastics about the likelihood of flying into the airports knocking on their doors. Sometimes there is just too little traffic between two points to attract airlines and when this is the case, offers of free landing, parking and office space just wouldn't even work. For airlines, the planes and crew are their most valuable assets and these are best deployed where the airlines see reasonable or attractive returns.

 

That said, I must also mention that in the past few years, MAHB has been relatively successful in attracting airlines to KLIA. Contrast that against Changi which has probably lost more than it had gained.

 

With prevailing economic conditions, I don't think many airlines are going to be launching new flights. But then again, I might just be wrong and I would love to see more African carriers coming into this part of the world.

 

KC Sim

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Before the fuel price fiasco, I was quite sure BA was seriously considering coming to KUL, they even had, supposedly mistakenly or just as a test, put up KUL on their website up for booking.

 

In my opinion, if KUL wants to be successful in attracting more airlines, I think MH joining Skyteam could prove vital.

 

Then again, I read that one of the reasons MH's entry into Skyteam has not yet materialized, is because apparently MH wanted Air France to make KUL a base of theirs, but AF did not want to.

 

So I guess there is still a lot to consider.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

So outcome from the 14th World Route Development Forum (Routes KL 2008) :

 

1. Air Niugini, KUL- Papua New Guinea & vv..I believe it will be 2nd Finnair case..If it operate so,it be a seasonal flight??..Let give them a year to prove this airline can survive..

 

2. thats only kot..Only 1 new airline operator coming..See this few months BA,AF,SA can give final word to MAB..So many approach to BA but still pending..No any attempt to approach Finnar again??

 

3. Others, our local players expanding their routes..

 

But I wonder why no any effort to approach North American and Oceania airline?? Australia give a good market but no any attempt to ask Jetstar to operate here back..I know everything involve $$ here before airline can start operate new route..

 

I may say, this Routes KL 2008 don't give any significant impact to KLIA I guess..

 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I thought the "Gimly Glider" was a BA flight from LHR - KUL/SZB - Jakarta - SYD and BA already axed KUL long time ago?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

What about Philippines Airlines? they dun even operate to KUL :rolleyes:

North American, European, Oceania carriers? They are all over BKK and SIN.....

Edited by Seth K

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I thought KLM goes to KL interesting even if Air Niugini operates to KL it won't work :help: The only way it will work is to expand its Australian & New Zealand network 1st. In Aus it only flies to Cairns ,Brisbane, Sydney and none for NZ. If it can add Welington, Perth, Melbourne, Auckland. They than connect pax to asia. And claim its the gateway to asia :rolleyes:

 

Get Delta to go to KL because it has the equipment and also another oppotunity to be Skyteam's SouthEastAsia hub. :yahoo:

 

Let Kenya Airways to come it will make the skyteam base stronger :drinks:

 

Bring in Aerolinas Argentina's so MH can codeshare to go to Argentina as MH isn't very successful :sorry:

 

Send in Air Europa so it could strengthen the skyteam hub also. :pardon: I'm not sure if Air Europa is in skyteam :help:

 

These are my 5 airlines and I don't even mention AF. With these 5 airlines it could stregnthen Sky team and also bring new carrriers :drinks:

 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
I thought the "Gimly Glider" was a BA flight from LHR - KUL/SZB - Jakarta - SYD and BA already axed KUL long time ago?

 

Isn't the Gimly Glider the nickname for the Air Canada B767 that glided due to fuel exhaustion during the flight from Montreal to Edmonton sometime in the 1980s :pardon:

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Isn't the Gimly Glider the nickname for the Air Canada B767 that glided due to fuel exhaustion during the flight from Montreal to Edmonton sometime in the 1980s :pardon:

 

Sorry my mistake. Can't remember which one was it but saw it on NGC's Air Crash Investigation where the B747 pass thru a cloud of volcanic ashes and all 4 engines failed. IIRC it's a BA flight transit in SZB and then Jakarta.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

 

Airlines go where money can be made i.e. where businessmen go. The current gomen trade and foreign policy is unfriendly to G7 nations. Until there is a change of policy or gomen, MAHB/KUL can only hope.

 

:drinks:

 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Sorry my mistake. Can't remember which one was it but saw it on NGC's Air Crash Investigation where the B747 pass thru a cloud of volcanic ashes and all 4 engines failed. IIRC it's a BA flight transit in SZB and then Jakarta.

 

That BA flight in 1982 (I think) flew from Heathrow via India, then KUL (Subang then), towards Perth, Melbourne and finally Auckland.

 

I flew to Melbourne in 1983 on a BA B742 which took us from KUL to SIN, SYD and finally MEL.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Isn't the Gimly Glider the nickname for the Air Canada B767 that glided due to fuel exhaustion during the flight from Montreal to Edmonton sometime in the 1980s :pardon:

 

 

another glider is the AirTransat A330...........

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I thought it was spelt Gimli Glider not Gimly Glider :pardon: Another glider Ethiopian 961 B767-200ER :drinks:

 

I thought the "Gimly Glider" was a BA flight from LHR - KUL/SZB - Jakarta - SYD and BA already axed KUL long time ago?

 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

×
×
  • Create New...