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KL wil host 2008 World Route Forum

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I wonder if anyone knows about this. I only heard it from TV news today and online news reports were already published like 2 weeks ago. Anyway, KUDOS to KL!

 

Kuala Lumpur picked to host 2008 World Route Development Forum

Aug 04, 05 | 8:36 am

 

 

A comprehensive and sterling presentation by airports operator Malaysia Airports tipped the race in its favor to host the 2008 World Route Development Forum. “Malaysia Airport’s enthusiasm and commitment to host the event tipped the balance in its favor,†said a spokesman from Route Development.

 

The event, to be held at the newly completed Kuala Lumpur Convention Center, is estimated to cost in the region of 2 million euros. A formal agreement is expected to be signed between the two parties in Kuala Lumpur sometime this month.

 

Malaysia Airports proved its capability to host the international event by being host of sister event, the New Route Asia, for the last three years since 2003.

 

“We hope to use this event as another development in our efforts to attract new airlines to KLIA  (Kuala Lumpur International Airport) and transforming it into a regional aviation hub,† a spokesman from Malaysia Airports  said.

 

Kuala Lumpur edged out Singapore, seen as its biggest regional competitor, in the bid.

 

Reports indicate that the evaluation officials made their decision based on a joint hosting bid made up of Transport Ministry, Tourism Malaysia, Malaysia Airlines, Kuala Lumpur City Hall and the Express Rail Link.

 

The event, traditionally held in Europe, will be held this year in Copenhagen, Denmark from September 25-27. It will see participation from 500 airports and 275 airlines from around the world.

 

Route Development Forum is the world’s leading airport-airline networking event. Abu Dhabi was the only other Asian city to host the Forum, in 1996.

 

 

By Y. Sulaiman

 

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (eTurboNews)

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I wonder if anyone knows about this. I only heard it from TV news today and online news reports were already published like 2 weeks ago. Anyway, KUDOS to KL!

5435[/snapback]

 

 

Yes it was mentioned sometime ago in the local news and I was delighted to see that KUL stood out better than SIN, BKK and PEK.

 

 

Let's hope with this, more airlines will fly into KUL and make the dream of KLIA becoming a hub, come true!!!!!

 

 

biggrin.gif biggrin.gif biggrin.gif

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More news, this one from The Edge Daily website:

 

MAHB's hosting of forum will bring in more airlines

By Surin Murugiah

 

Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd’s (MAHB) successful bid to host the 2008 World Route Development Forum is expected to pave the way for more airlines to operate from the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA).

 

Its managing director Datuk Seri Bashir Ahmad said the event would be an excellent platform for MAHB to fast-track its marketing efforts to attract more new airlines.

 

There are 50 airlines that fly to the country now, with an average of five new ones coming in annually.

 

He added that for 2004, KLIA experienced a 20% growth in passengers and for the first half of this year, a 12% increase.

 

“Having had the experience of hosting the New Route Asia forum for three consecutive years certainly played a part in securing this bid,†Bashir told reporters after signing a memorandum of understanding for the hosting of the forum with Routes, the event organiser, in Kuala Lumpur on Aug 18.

 

MAHB will use the forum as a platform to bring together major as well as smaller airlines to discuss and develop airline routes. The forum, scheduled for mid-October 2008, will be the first to be held in Asia.

 

Bashir said MAHB was also hoping that airlines like British Airways and Qantas would return to operate from here.

 

“Some airlines ceased operations here during the Asian financial crisis but a few have returned. Lufthansa and Pakistan International Airlines are among those who came back. It will be good if the British and the Australians return here as well,†said Bashir.

 

He added that the forum would provide opportunities to new airlines to fly here, indicating that MAHB was constantly on the lookout to bring in more travel options for passengers as well as establish KLIA as a travel hub.

 

At Aug 18's event, MAHB also signed separate MoUs with its other participating partners, namely, the Malaysia Tourism Board, Malaysian Airline System Bhd (MAS), Express Rail Link Sdn Bhd (ERL), Dewan Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur (DBKL) and Convex Malaysia Sdn Bhd.

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Looks like its Hello Qantas smile.gif

5474[/snapback]

LOL

It's only 2005 now. 2008 is 3 years to go. QF might already regretted not flying to KUL long before ROUTE 2008

 

smile.gif

 

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From Bernama's website:

 

MAHB Aims To Attract Airlines From Europe, Australia

 

 

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 18 (Bernama) -- Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) aims to attract more airlines from Europe and Australia to operate from Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA), said managing director, Datuk Seri Bashir Ahmad.

 

"From West Asia, Far East, India and China, I think we are well covered. So, we want more airlines coming in from Europe and at least one from Australia, then the network will be more or less completed," he said.

 

Currently about 50 airlines are operating from KLIA with five new ones coming in this year while one or two more are expected by yearend.

 

Asked on any specific airlines that MAHB was looking at, he said "I hope British Airways and Qantas will come back as soon as possible."

 

"We have been talking to them and they have given serious thoughts to it," he said.

 

These airlines pulled out from KLIA during 1997-98 financial crisis.

 

He was speaking to reporters after signing a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Routes, the organiser for World Route Development Forum 2008.

 

MAHB edged three other mega rivals, which include Singapore, Bangkok and Beijing Airports to win the bid as host for World Route Development Forum 2008, the world's leading airport-airlines networking event.

 

Malaysia would be the first country to host the event where traditionally it is held annually in Europe. This year, the event would be held in Copenhagen, Denmark, followed by Dubai in 2006, and Stockholm, Sweden in 2007.

 

To be held from September 25-27, the forum in Denmark is expected to attract 500 airports, 300 airlines and 1,600 participants from around the world.

 

Bashir said the participants are expected to touch 2,000 in 2008, given that the event had an annual growth of at least 10 percent.

 

MAHB's other partners for hosting the event are Ministry of Tourism Malaysia, Express Rail Link, Malaysia Airlines (MAS), Dewan Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur and Convex Malaysia Sdn Bhd, the operator of Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre.

 

So far, he said MAS had done a good job in providing the linkages to enable MAHB to enhance its network and promote KLIA as a hub. However, wooing foreign airlines into KLIA would be another way of promoting KLIA, he said.

 

The Routes Forum, he said was very important for MAHB as airports and airlines would discuss on the new routes to be developed around the region.

 

"MAHB will get to meet airlines that we think would be interested in coming here and vice versa," he said, adding that it had been MAHB's norm in having meetings with airlines in such conference even when it was held elsewhere.

 

However, Routes Forum 2008 would be a great platform to fast-track its marketing efforts to attract more new airlines to offer their services to KLIA.

 

Besides that, such a huge conference is also expected to have a spin-off affect on Malaysia as the tourism industry as well as hoteliers could benefit.

 

Asked on issues to be discussed during the Forum in 2008, he said it would depend on what was going on in the industry during that point of time.

 

"We need to discuss with them (potential airlines) on traffic statistics, yield, market growth because these are important to them," he said.

 

Asked on passenger traffic in KLIA, Bashir said: "Up to July 2005, we have experienced 12 percent growth year on year with average passenger traffic of between 1.7 million and 1.8 million a month."

 

Meanwhile, chairman of Routes, Michael Woodward said that Malaysia was picked to host the event in 2008 because of its fine track record as over the last three years it hosted the regional event -- New Route Asia.

 

-- BERNAMA

 

At least one from Australia, the likely ones would either be QF or AO. Both are part of the Qantas Group. Unless DJ decides to join the foray.

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Maybe Air NZ should be a good candidate too. Msia-NZ is not really a long distance route and there is a strong link between the two countries.

 

On possible QF returning to KUL, hmm, I spare my comments. HEHE

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KUL does not need to wait till Routes 2008 before there is a possibility that BA, QF, NZ, NW etc might return. The marketing arms of MAS, MAB & Tourism Malaysia *should* have done a better job in attracting them back by now without having to rely too much on such aviation events. KL hosting Routes 2008 would be a great promotional tool but what would happen if it was BKK that get to host it then?

 

If you have a good product backed by an excellent promotion, people will surely buy it. The same goes to KUL and the airline industry - the absence of BA, QF and American carriers just goes to show that there's something lacking at KUL. Enough acting like a crybaby just because we are 'unfortunately' located between the mighty SIN & BKK. That's old excuse.

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KUL can definately NOT wait till 2008 to attract more airlines into malaysia... we cannot afford to wait for them to come to us, we must MAKE them want to come to us, not wait for their every whim and desire.

 

 

im backing KLIA for success anyhow

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