Mahathir: 'Don't stop LHR-LGK flights'

[H Azmal 0]

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Jangan batal penerbangan London-Langkawi - Mahathir

 

LANGKAWI 3 April - Bekas Perdana Menteri, Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad meminta Sistem Penerbangan Malaysia Berhad (MAS) menarik balik keputusannya menamatkan penerbangan terus dari London ke pulau peranginan itu.

 

Tegas beliau, tindakan yang dilakukan syarikat penerbangan itu boleh menjejaskan industri pelancongan Langkawi.

 

``Jika dihentikan penerbangan itu, ia akan merugikan sektor pelancongan di Langkawi termasuk penduduknya. Jadi, kita kena perbaiki apa yang perlu supaya kita semua mendapat keuntungan,'' katanya kepada pemberita selepas menyampaikan ucaptama pada Dialog Pembangunan Langkawi di Kompleks Lembaga Pembangunan Langkawi (LADA) di sini, hari ini.

 

Akhir Februari lalu, MAS telah mengumumkan untuk menghentikan serta-merta beberapa destinasi luar negara terutama yang melibatkan laluan menerusi lapangan terbang tempatan selain Lapangan Terbang Antarabangsa Kuala Lumpur (KLIA) sebagai langkah memulihkan semula prestasi kewangan syarikat berkenaan.

 

Turut terlibat adalah laluan penerbangan London-Langkawi-KLIA, London-Penang-KLIA, Sydney-Kuching-KLIA, KLIA-Kuching-Perth dan Frankfurt-KLIA-Kuching.

 

Mahathir berkata, MAS sepatutnya tidak menghentikan laluan tersebut sebaliknya memikirkan cara lain untuk mengatasi kerugian yang dialami.

 

``Saya dengar MAS terpaksa beri subsidi sebanyak RM500 untuk setiap penumpang laluan ini menyebabkan ia rugi banyak. Jika hendak dihentikan juga, tamatkan laluan ke Kuala Lumpur, bukannya Langkawi kerana kedatangan pelancong London memberi manfaat kepada pelancongan Langkawi,'' tegasnya.

 

Sementara itu Menteri Besar Kedah, Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid memberitahu, kerajaan negeri telah menulis surat kepada pihak pengurusan MAS supaya syarikat tersebut mengkaji semula tindakan mereka menamatkan laluan berkenaan.

 

Katanya, kerajaan negeri turut menghantar surat kepada Menteri Pengangkutan, Datuk Seri Chan Kong Choy untuk meminta dilaksanakan konsep `langit terbuka' bagi membolehkan syarikat penerbangan antarabangsa lain mendarat terus di Langkawi.

 

``Jika dilaksanakan konsep ini, semua syarikat penerbangan dapat terbang terus ke Langkawi dan ia tidak akan menjejaskan sektor pelancongan di pulau ini,'' kata Mahdzir.

 

Beep! Beep! Does not compute! (Emphasised parts). Maintain the loss-making KUL-LGK at the expense of the lucrative KUL-LHR? What bollox, really.

 

This ranks as low as the LRT proposal for tourists in Melaka. All for tourists, never for once out of necessity or requirements, or even common sense! What do these people smoke I wonder.

Edited April 4, 2006 by Norman

[H Azmal 0]

Whoops! Wrong topic title. I meant to type don't stop 'LHR-LGK'

[Daniel Ng 0]

Another classic case of overboard nationalism. *sigh*

I can fully understand how and why MAS suffered all these years, with all the politicians trying to have a hand in their decision making.

 

Just because they want to protect a certain group of people, they have to do it at the expense of our national carrier? This is just classic Malaysian.

 

I do hope Idris Jala is strong enough to stand up against the evil hands of the politicians...and not let them continue to 'micro-manage' his organization!

[Seth K 3]

Mahathir on a strike or something. First Kedah minister want MAS to think over about the route, now an ex-PM, then Sultan Kedah and then King of Malaysia want MAS to think over, so many pressure! This people want flights to their state because of pride having the "title" rather than profit.

Edited April 4, 2006 by Seth K

[Norman 1]

Whoops! Wrong topic title. I meant to type don't stop 'LHR-LGK'

 

Topic edited..

[kandiah k 0]

I think Idris Jala mentioned in the revamp that as long as the government supports its stand on the withdrawals without having any sort of interference, MAS will be able to save the national carrier and our national pride.

 

I guess when I become a minister eventually, I would like to make the Sungai Besi Airport an International Airport, maybe with direct non-stop flights from LHR, EWR, SYD, MEL and PER. Only because I live nearby and its my hometown...oh wait, I was born in Kuantan, maybe KUA can get some flights from LAX, JNB and also KIX ? Or its sister township, Phnom Penh ?

 

 

 

I think MH should just be left to manage its own self without any sort of pressure because it is our national pride and if MH looses and goes donw the drain, what are we left with to compete the likes of TG, SQ, GA and BI ?

 

 

I wish MH a successful revamp and restructuring although that means dropping routes such as MAN, VIE and AMD and reduction in flights to places such as NGO, FRA and AKL.

 

 

Edited April 4, 2006 by kandiah k

[S V Choong 4]

Mahathir is really getting old.....he should stay out of this.

He said a lot of crap just before he left, signs of his age. Perhaps even signs of parkinson disease too.

Edited April 4, 2006 by S V Choong

[Azreen 0]

As for me, it was just a statement by an ex-PM. I don't think it carries much weight anymore. Should the govt and MAS reinsate the LHR-LGK route due to a simple statement made by an ex-PM, then I start to wonder!!!

[Hisham Albakri 0]

As for me, it was just a statement by an ex-PM. I don't think it carries much weight anymore. Should the govt and MAS reinsate the LHR-LGK route due to a simple statement made by an ex-PM, then I start to wonder!!!

 

Agree! Just ignore ...

[Kee Hooi Yen 0]

Can't imagine if MAS to 'entertain' all the 13 states' request and having international direct flights to ALL the 13 airports in Malaysia...LHR-PEN, LHR-BKI, LHR-KUA, LHR-KBR, LHR-KCH, LHR-IPH, LHR-JHB....

[Seth K 3]

Can't imagine if MAS to 'entertain' all the 13 states' request and having international direct flights to ALL the 13 airports in Malaysia...LHR-PEN, LHR-BKI, LHR-KUA, LHR-KBR, LHR-KCH, LHR-IPH, LHR-JHB....

 

Then the politicians will live happily ever after....................................

[Bing Chu 0]

Then the politicians will live happily ever after....................................

Where on earth did you get that notion from .....................?!!

[S V Choong 4]

Then the politicians will live happily ever after....................................

 

haha, but I bet they will think of TWU-LHR, SDK-LHR, SBW-LHR, MYY-LAX, LBU-NRT and etc .later on, bypassing BKI or KCH.

 

I remember years ago they were thinking of KIX-TWU or NRT-TWU direct to lure the tourist into TWU for golfing when they construct the runway at new TWU airport. It was reported on the newspaper that TWU is capable of receiving the 333 and 777 (??).

Edited April 5, 2006 by S V Choong

[H Azmal 0]

The sad thing is it's always to cater to tourists, tourists and more tourists, which is by itself fine if some common sense is used (i.e. based on actual demand/need rather than fanciful bolehland dreams). Take for example the Melaka CM who suggested LRT for Melaka 'in view of increased tourist arrivals there'. Yeah beep beep does not compute!

[S V Choong 4]

Is Melaka doing really well in terms of tourism? Frankly I don't see any international airline will fly into Melaka bypassing KUL. It is very likely that they will be going to KL city anyway.

[KK Lee 5]

 

Typical Malaysian politician, see a tree but miss the whole forest.

 

 

 

[Bing Chu 0]

I remember years ago they were thinking of KIX-TWU or NRT-TWU direct to lure the tourist into TWU for golfing when they construct the runway at new TWU airport. It was reported on the newspaper that TWU is capable of receiving the 333 and 777 (??)

Gotta also make sure they have the equipment to handle the big birds. Remember the incident not long ago when they wanted to bring a heavy into MYY ? Runway was biggie capable, don't have the right stuff to service the plane !!

[Isaac 0]

haha, but I bet they will think of TWU-LHR, SDK-LHR, SBW-LHR, MYY-LAX, LBU-NRT and etc .later on, bypassing BKI or KCH.

LOL ! Last time MH was planning a non-stop flight between BKI and LHR but they didn't proceed with the plan, something related to the runway issue if i'm not mistaken.

 

I remember years ago they were thinking of KIX-TWU or NRT-TWU direct to lure the tourist into TWU for golfing when they construct the runway at new TWU airport. It was reported on the newspaper that TWU is capable of receiving the 333 and 777 (??).

Yeah, the TWU airport is now capable of receiving 333. Their plans are always nice but only 1% will actually happen

 

[Woei Shen 0]

Wow.. I couldn't believe those words came out from our used-to-be brilliant leader Dr Mahathir's mouth.

Maybe he meant.. cutting 1 daily flight on KUL LHR route don't cut the LGK LHR route?

 

Gee, if he really meant cutting the whole KUL LHR route, then he expects people to travel to LHR via Langkawi? Wow..

 

[Seth K 3]

At least we all agree in something, IGNORE HIM.

[Sing Yew 1]

Can't imagine if MAS to 'entertain' all the 13 states' request and having international direct flights to ALL the 13 airports in Malaysia...LHR-PEN, LHR-BKI, LHR-KUA, LHR-KBR, LHR-KCH, LHR-IPH, LHR-JHB....

 

Well IPH's runway is too short. So it's one state less to worry about.

[Cheng Chun 0]

The best... LHR-TGG... Which the runway can't almost fit an A330...

Edited April 8, 2006 by Cheng Chun

[Ken K. Kour 0]

AKL-TWU (for me and SV Choong)

 

TWU airport can handle a 330 cant it? haha.. i remember that was part of the hype when they built it

[Seth K 3]

Well IPH's runway is too short. So it's one state less to worry about.

 

If 747 can't make it, may be Mahathir suggest 737 to do IPH-LAX, TGG-LHR, LGK-JHB, SZB-EZE, Malacca-JFK and anything u can think of , the reason is it will boost the state economy and tourism

[kandiah k 0]

The best... LHR-TGG... Which the runway can't almost fit an A330...

 

 

Maybe it would be possible after all if MH makes the route multi stops; eg :-

 

LHR-AMS-FCO-DXB-MAA-TGG using an A330.

 

Never say never (yeah right)