KLIA2 - New Mega Low Cost Carriers Terminal

[alberttky 0]

Don't forget counter check-in fees as well. Is it counter check-in fees goes to MAHB or AirAsia pocket?

TF should fighting their own fees before fighting MAHB's fees.

 

Counter check-in fees goes to AirAsia, but then it pays for check-in staff and MAHB for counter rentals.

 

I think the check-in fee is imposed to discourage passengers from checking-in at the airport counters rather than to generate revenue (although inevitably it is revenue when collected). Having worked in a ground handling company before, I know to man check-in counters is a pain. Gotta recruit staff, train them, pay them... etc. And counter rentals are not cheap too. Especially airports in expensive cities like SIN, counter rentals are charged by the thousands (SGD) per month X 10 counters = $$$. So if passengers are to check-in online, print own boarding passes, then they don't have to go to the counters, then Tony shouldn't need to recruit so many check-in staff and rent so many check-in counters. There should be less queue at the check-in areas too.

 

If you think RM10 is too much, Tiger charges AUD25 for counter check-in in Australia.

[Waiping 12]

There are rumours going around at the currently ongoing UMNO General Assembly that PM Najib wants a trophy project during his tenure and since the 100 storey Warisan Merdeka Tower got harsh rejections, KLIA2 is his best chance. The sources also said that KLIA2 is purposely over extended, expanded and over everything in all aspects to become the largest airport terminal building in the entire universe so that it will outshine the MTB, purportedly (one of) a trophy of former premier PM Mahathir. Earlier on, Warisan Merdeka Tower is also planned with only one intention - to outshine the Petronas Towers, another trophy of former premier PM Mahathir.

 

Aku tak fahamlah.

 

I guess you won't get anything if you always sleeping on the job.

Edited December 1, 2011 by Waiping

[flee 5]

If you think RM10 is too much, Tiger charges AUD25 for counter check-in in Australia.

Well counter check in fees can be totally avoided by doing web or kiosk check in yourself. So it is not a problem for those who are prepared to do some work to avoid the fees. For me, I always hate queuing up at LCCT - so I made it a point to web check in ever since they offered it. Its much more convenient. Now there is even a financial incentive to web check in!

 

BTW, RM 10 is just a start. Knowing AirAsia, they will start increasing the fees after two or three quarters. And no announcements will be made! Very sneaky!

[michgyver 0]

Don't forget counter check-in fees as well. Is it counter check-in fees goes to MAHB or AirAsia pocket?

TF should fighting their own fees before fighting MAHB's fees.

 

for me,i have no problem with chargable counter check-in because it involved man-power,rental and etc but y should pay extra when used credit card. And the most absurd is the premium call (RM2/per min). Tony, do you think we are so free to chat with your operators? Your system are incompetent and you makes us pay to rectify your problem !!

[Ikman Ikreza 0]

Well counter check in fees can be totally avoided by doing web or kiosk check in yourself. So it is not a problem for those who are prepared to do some work to avoid the fees. For me, I always hate queuing up at LCCT - so I made it a point to web check in ever since they offered it. Its much more convenient. Now there is even a financial incentive to web check in!

 

BTW, RM 10 is just a start. Knowing AirAsia, they will start increasing the fees after two or three quarters. And no announcements will be made! Very sneaky!

 

But we still need to queuing up at LCCT for a few drop luggage counter. Unless their provide and convert all checkin counter to drop luggage counter.

[alberttky 0]

But we still need to queuing up at LCCT for a few drop luggage counter. Unless their provide and convert all checkin counter to drop luggage counter.

 

Most probably they will convert. Most airports in Europe / North America already have most of their check-in counters converted to bag acceptance only. Most prominent one is in AMS when I went there to do a study on self-service check-in.

[Naim 6]

In Scandinavia, baggage drop & tagging also DIY, no agents involved. Easy and fast.

[Syed A Ridhwan 0]

In Scandinavia, baggage drop & tagging also DIY, no agents involved. Easy and fast.

 

Oh, and in Kiwiland too I arrived 30 minutes before my flight at WLG, went straight up to the check-in kiosk, scanned my printed itinerary, got my ticket and baggage tag printed, tagged my bag and dropped it off at the baggage drop-off line (all done in less than 3 minutes!) and proceeded to my boarding gate

[flee 5]

Yes, in most western countries, travellers are more hardy and do not mind to DIY. Malaysian travellers generally want to be pampered, so will bitch about such things as counter check-in costing RM 10!

 

But we still need to queuing up at LCCT for a few drop luggage counter. Unless their provide and convert all checkin counter to drop luggage counter.

I normally arrive early to drop off baggage. The queue is usually around 2 or 3 people before me. These are handled quickly because they only check your documents, luggage weight and tag your bags.

 

After dropping off the bags, I can then proceed to have my cup of tea. Then, its on to security and immigration at a leisurely pace. While waiting to board, I can do plane spotting from the airside.

[Waiping 12]

It's just a matter of time before the queue shift from check-in counter to luggage drop counter. This is very significant in places like BKI. The luggage drop counter also need to be manned and only operate 2 hours before the flight. So you can't really drop your luggage too early also.

[alberttky 0]

It's just a matter of time before the queue shift from check-in counter to luggage drop counter. This is very significant in places like BKI. The luggage drop counter also need to be manned and only operate 2 hours before the flight. So you can't really drop your luggage too early also.

 

Only if passengers travel with baggage need to go to the luggage drop counter.

 

There are no reasons as to why luggage drop counters can't be opened earlier other than space / infrastructure constraints.

[flee 5]

I think it is operational constraints. They cannot have luggage for too many flights all lying around in their baggage area. When I flew on EasyJet this summer, it is the same. We had to wait till the flight is opened before any luggage can be dropped off.

 

It is a good thing really - baggage lying around for too long will be very tempting targets for thieves!

[alberttky 0]

I think it is operational constraints. They cannot have luggage for too many flights all lying around in their baggage area. When I flew on EasyJet this summer, it is the same. We had to wait till the flight is opened before any luggage can be dropped off.

 

It is a good thing really - baggage lying around for too long will be very tempting targets for thieves!

 

Then perhaps Tony might wanna look at another ancillary revenue - baggage wrapping!

[Waiping 12]

Then perhaps Tony might wanna look at another ancillary revenue - baggage wrapping!

 

Someone already got to it earlier.

[BC Tam 2]

Then perhaps Tony might wanna look at another ancillary revenue - baggage wrapping!

More compelling proposition would be 'baggage security' - as in you pay us and we'll take care of your belongings (to best of our ability), otherwise ........

[GeO 0]

should be called HCT in short form. High Cost Terminal. LOL

[Rob 0]

The sad thing is.. KLIA2 is perhaps completely un-necessary.

 

The existing KLIA MTB Contact Pier can be extended on either end accomodating an additional 20 Narrow-body airplanes.

Furthermore, the SAT B would've provided much more space.

 

The area south of TWY H could have been made into remote parking bays for overnighting aircraft.

 

No proper analysis of daily stand utilisation has been done. The MTB automated baggage system is becoming outdated and inefficient, not to mention it frequently breaks down.

 

The airport is in a state of disrepair - toilets never changed since 1998. Cramped passage ways in SAT A as a result of increased floor and retail space. No real unique traits. Monopolised and expensive duty free. Cheap and tacky looking modifications made to check-in desks - on top of underutilisation of check-in islands.

 

Airport in the forest/forest in the airport concept forgotten (at least they made the jungle boardwalk)- inside the terminals is cold/hard and unwelcoming.

 

access roads and gardens in a horrendous state - road barriers falling apart/missing links and lighting fixtures missing.

 

Runway grassed edges never cut - lalang everywhere... looks worse than Jakarta...

 

Horrible Horrible Horrible Horrible in comparison to its gleam and shine in 1998... just 13 years ago..

 

On top of that, our friends at MAHB want to build commercial centres on land reserved for future airport development - because apparently the ERL lines are too high.... Wasted.

 

In addition, no plans by MOT to upgrade DCA infrastructure and Lumpur ACC facilities for the perceived expansion. Frequent radar breakdowns across Malaysia and especially at KUL. No proper dual mode-runway operation system in effect, yet introducing a third runway....

 

What lah Malaysia... simply wasting money. Money that could have been better spent on improving existing world-class worthy infrastructure and pinning the nation on the map to aviation success.

 

Instead, no maintenance culture now, so we build more to have more rotting infrastructure in 10 years time.. Good job! Keep up the excellent work. idiots...

 

Am I reading this right?

[Naim 6]

Malaysia Airports says AirAsia asked for bigger KLIA2

By Yow Hong Chieh

December 03, 2011

 

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 3 — Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) said today it boosted passenger capacity at KLIA2 upon AirAsia’s request.

 

AirAsia boss Tan Sri Tony Fernandes said earlier this week raising the low-cost carrier terminal’s capacity to 45 million passengers per annum (PPA) from 30 million made little sense as that would make it larger than Singapore’s Changi Airport.

 

He also suggested that this would likely inflate the cost of the terminal further from the current RM3.9 billion, itself an increase from the original RM2 billion estimate in 2009.

 

But MAHB said on its website today that AirAsia had requested for the PPA to be increased to 45 million.

 

This was in line with the no-frills airline’s own passenger volume projections for the next 14 years, the airport operator pointed out.

 

In a post today entitled “Why KLIA2 has to be bigger?”, MAHB said AirAsia had estimated in June this year that the PPA at the new terminal would hit 28.7 million by 2015, 45.3 million by 2020 and 60.3 million by 2025.

 

This was more aggressive than MAHB’s own projections for the same period, according to a graph included in the post.

 

The airport operator also said the six-month delay on the project had been caused by a switch to a fully-automated baggage handling system from a semi-automated system.

 

The Malaysian Insider understands that the change was requested by AirAsia in June this year after the airline realised baggage handling would have to be fully automated to cope with the high number of passengers expected to use KLIA2.

 

This meant that portions of the already-built terminal building had to be hacked to accommodate the new setup, causing the delay.

 

KLIA2, which was originally conceived as a terminal for low-cost carriers, grew in scope after MAHB decided to make the terminal a back-up for the main terminal, almost doubling the cost to RM3.9 billion in the process.

 

The airport operator also decided to bring forward capital expenditure in an attempt to future-proof the terminal — it now boasts a runway capable of handling Airbus A380s and also a higher capacity of 45 million PPA, three times that of the present LCCT.

 

It also made a popular decision to install aerobridges, a decision which earned the ire of AirAsia which has been against the concept as it would mean longer aircraft turnaround times and additional charges, but MAHB insists any additional cost to passengers will be negligible.

 

Fernandes, who built his empire by focusing on cost-cutting measures, said he feared that the ballooning price tag of KLIA2 would translate to higher airport taxes and fees in future despite several assurances from MAHB that it would not.

 

When it opens for business in April 2013 after a 17-month delay, KLIA2 will feature amenities that will rival those of most full featured airports including a huge shopping mall, premium and VIP lounges, hotels and Asia’s first airport skybridge measuring about 300 metres.

 

http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/malaysia-airports-says-airasia-asked-for-bigger-klia2/

[BC Tam 2]

Don't you just love MAHB's and T/S TF's interpretation of transparency - just hang all the dirty laundry out

(mind you, no one is under any obligation to substantiate anything)

[Naim 6]

Malaysia Airports MD mum on sacking rumour

By Yow Hong Chieh

December 03, 2011

 

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 3 — Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) managing director Tan Sri Bashir Ahmad has refused to respond to speculation that he could be sacked from his post as early as this evening.

 

“No comment,” he told The Malaysian Insider via text message when contacted today.

 

Speculation is rife Bashir (picture) will be removed by Khazanah Nasional Bhd following his increasingly acrimonious dispute with AirAsia boss Tan Sri Tony Fernandes over a recent airport tax hike and the inflated cost of the KLIA2 terminal.

 

The state investment arm holds a 20.5 per cent stake in MAHB and is the airport operator’s largest shareholder.

 

Popular blog Another Brick In The Wall said Khazanah may take the easy way out and fire Bashir to please Fernandes and replace him with former NSTP chief executive Datuk Syed Feisal Albar.

 

“‘Syed Feisal already has the job,’ the informer said. This seemed contrary to our sources in Prime Minister’s Office that there will be no such thing,” it said in a posting today.

 

No-frills airline AirAsia and MAHB are at loggerheads over the latest airport tax hike and the cost of the new KLIA2 low-cost carrier terminal (LCCT), which has nearly doubled to RM3.9 billion from the original estimate in 2009.

 

KLIA2, originally conceived as a terminal for low-cost carriers, grew in scope after MAHB decided to make the terminal a back-up for the main terminal.

 

The airport operator also decided to bring forward capital expenditure in an attempt to future-proof the terminal — it now boasts a runway capable of handling Airbus A380s and also a higher capacity of 45 million passengers per annum, three times that of the present LCCT.

 

MAHB said today on its website that it increased the terminal’s capacity on AirAsia’s request, in line with the airline’s own projections that some 45 million passengers will use KLIA2 by 2020.

 

It also made a popular decision to install aerobridges, a decision which earned the ire of AirAsia which has been against the concept as it would mean longer aircraft turnaround times and additional charges, but MAHB insists any additional cost to passengers will be negligible.

 

Fernandes, who built his empire by focusing on cost-cutting measures, said he feared that the ballooning price tag of KLIA2 would translate to higher airport taxes and fees in future despite several assurances from MAHB that it would not.

 

When it opens for business in April 2013 after a 17-month delay, KLIA2 will feature amenities that will rival those of most full-featured airports including a huge shopping mall, premium and VIP lounges, hotels and Asia’s first airport skybridge measuring about 300 metres.

 

http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/business/article/malaysia-airports-md-mum-on-sacking-rumour/

[alberttky 0]

I think it is operational constraints. They cannot have luggage for too many flights all lying around in their baggage area. When I flew on EasyJet this summer, it is the same. We had to wait till the flight is opened before any luggage can be dropped off.

 

It is a good thing really - baggage lying around for too long will be very tempting targets for thieves!

 

Actually come to think about it, if they're building a RM3.9B airport, they jolly well make sure they have enough space for luggage for the flights to allow passengers to check-in early. Otherwise it'll be another bullet for Tony to shoot!

[alberttky 0]

MAHB: AirAsia asked for bigger KLIA2

 

PETALING JAYA: Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) has fought back to say that it was building a bigger KLIA2 upon the request of its biggest customer, AirAsia.

 

It broke its silence after being criticised by AirAsia boss Tan Sri Tony Fernandes for building KLIA2 to cater to 45 million passengers, thus inflating the cost to RM4bil.

 

On its website, MAHB posted a document titled Why KLIA2 has to be bigger? which showed that AirAsia had estimated that passenger traffic at the new terminal would hit 28.7 million by 2015, 45.3 million by 2020 and 60.3 million by 2025.

 

The figures were more aggressive than MAHB's own projections for the same period, according to a graph included on the website.

 

MAHB said the new airport would cost between RM3.6bil and RM3.9bil and that AirAsia had asked for a fully automated baggage handling system from a semi-automated system, which caused the six-month delay in opening the airport.

 

KLIA2 will only be ready in April 2013.

 

AirAsia chairman Datuk Aziz Bakar said yesterday “we had requested MAHB to start thinking of building a bigger KLIA2 and to expand its capacity to cater to 45 million passengers since there has been a series of delays in the completion of the airport. The initial plan was for the airport to handle 30 million passengers and be completed in 2011”.

 

“(Now) if they do not start preparing for more passengers then we will not have the capacity as we anticipate to achieve 30 million passenger growth by 2015/16,” he said.

 

On the fully automated baggage system, Aziz said: “We had asked for a semi-automated system but MAHB decided on a fully automated system and we agreed to it.”

 

The controversy over the bigger airport has also sparked speculation over Tan Sri Bashir Ahmad's future in MAHB.

 

This led the market to speculate that he was supposed to meet Khazanah Nasional Bhd boss Tan Sri Azman Mokhtar yesterday. It could not be ascertained if the meeting took place.

 

Khazanah is a major shareholder with 54% stake in MAHB, and when contacted, its spokesman Mohd Asuki Abas said “we do not comment on speculation”.

 

On Friday, MAHB chairman Tan Sri Dr Aris Othman said Bashir had the full support of the management and board, quashing rumours the latter would be replaced.

 

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2011/12/4/nation/10031602&sec=nation

[Mohd Suhaimi Fariz 2]

AirAsia chairman Datuk Aziz Bakar said yesterday “we had requested MAHB to start thinking of building a bigger KLIA2 and to expand its capacity to cater to 45 million passengers since there has been a series of delays in the completion of the airport. The initial plan was for the airport to handle 30 million passengers and be completed in 2011”.

 

“(Now) if they do not start preparing for more passengers then we will not have the capacity as we anticipate to achieve 30 million passenger growth by 2015/16,” he said.

 

On the fully automated baggage system, Aziz said: “We had asked for a semi-automated system but MAHB decided on a fully automated system and we agreed to it.”

 

So, why did TF went on a rampage if it was AK who asked for the enlarged "LCCT"?

[Cheng Long 0]

So TF was caught with his pants down.. It's embarassing..

Asked for bigger KLIA2.. Then turned around and shot the other people to win some cheap publicity..

[leon t 0]

TF's head gotten too big with all his titles and likely forgotten what he had said before