Naim 6 Report post Posted November 2, 2006 Waiting for AK to fly to Kunming. +++ November 02, 2006 21:29 PM Airline Routes Must Be Opened To Competition, Says Airasia By Tengku Noor Shamsiah and Mahanum Aziz SEPANG, Nov 2 (Bernama) -- Airline routes must be opened to competition to ensure passenger growth at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA), says AirAsia's group chief executive Datuk Tony Fernandes. He said that if an airline was able to fly a particular route, it should not be stopped because of the national carrier. "With Visit Malaysia Year next year, KLIA wants to be a big airport, so Airasia should be given routes to grow," Fernandes said. "We are now the biggest low-cost carrier, KLIA is the biggest low-cost carrier terminal and hence we should not be stopped from growing by not being given (new) routes," he told Bernama here. Fernandes said that KLIA would not be able to grow without having the traffic. "There is a lot to consider here when you are denied routes," he said after receiving the "Low-Cost Carrier of the Year" award organised by Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd from Transport Minister Datuk Seri Chan Kong Choy here Wednesday night. Asked about the routes that AirAsia was looking for, Fernandes said the airline was hoping for more routes to China, India, Brunei and Singapore. "Singapore has to be given to us... it is important. I fully support the government that the roads and buses should be opened as well, it shouldn't be just the planes. But to stop us from getting Singapore because of Malaysia Airlines should not be the case anymore," he said. "If you protect, we will never be competitive. We have to survive in the big world and Malaysia Airlines should not be protected anymore. Enough is enough, they said they wanted three open domestic markets and they got it. Don't stop us from getting the routes anymore," he added. -- BERNAMA Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BC Tam 2 Report post Posted November 2, 2006 I like the bit on "Low-Cost Carrier of the Year" award organised by Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd Looks like Datuk TF is turning up the heat a notch further. But give credit where credit is due, he does have some sensible reasoning to back up (most of) his rhetorics Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KK Lee 5 Report post Posted November 2, 2006 Guess MAB will be awarding ‘Airline of the Year’ (to MH of course), ‘Best Airport’, ‘Best LCCT’, ‘Airport of the Year’, ‘Best Regional Airport’, ‘Best Terminal’, ‘Best Airport Design’, ‘Best Runway’, ‘Best Taxiway’, ‘Best Eco Friendly Airport’, ‘Best F&B Airport’, etc soon. So every upgraded airports in the country can claim some titles. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Keith T 2 Report post Posted November 2, 2006 'Low cost airline of the year'? Isn't AK the ONLY LCC in Malaysia? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Naim 6 Report post Posted November 2, 2006 Guess MAB will be awarding ‘Airline of the Year’ (to MH of course), ‘Best Airport’, ‘Best LCCT’, ‘Airport of the Year’, ‘Best Regional Airport’, ‘Best Terminal’, ‘Best Airport Design’, ‘Best Runway’, ‘Best Taxiway’, ‘Best Eco Friendly Airport’, ‘Best F&B Airport’, etc soon. So every upgraded airports in the country can claim some titles. Should also have "Best Spotter of the Year". Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Seth K 3 Report post Posted November 3, 2006 Should also have "Best Spotter of the Year". Wonder whose going to win that? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sandeep G 1 Report post Posted November 3, 2006 Yeah, those KLIA awards are a little.. strange... Who was the best foreign carrier of the year??? SIA? hehehe Anyway, Datuk TF is right in saying what he says but the government is holding back for as long as it can to let MAS stabilise and not lose out to AXM.. But in terms of LCC market share, we in Malaysia FINALLY have something going for us and we should NOT let ourselves fall behind but instead maintain the premier position in the region if not continent if not the world!! - Hence TFs comments. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sandeep G 1 Report post Posted November 3, 2006 Here's soomething that may have spurred Tony's recent comments: Source: CAPA Tiger Airways confirmed plans to launch services from Singapore to Trivandrum, Goa, Kochi, Kozhikode and Colombo after it was awarded air traffic rights by the Singapore Government. Tiger already has rights to operate Singapore-Kolkata service (Singapore Business Times, 02-Nov-06). Commencement dates were not disclosed and services are subject to Indian Government approval. "We were nervous about entering a single route without market branding and awareness there. India is an enormous market, but a very competitive one with many new upstarts. By holding back, then getting into it in a bigger way, we are able to establish critical mass and capture awareness," Tony Davis, CEO. Source: Singapore Business Times, 02-Nov-06. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BC Tam 2 Report post Posted November 3, 2006 (edited) Who was the best foreign carrier of the year??? SIA? hehehe I believe it's KLM - calm down Pieter, calm down ! Edited November 3, 2006 by BC Tam Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sandeep G 1 Report post Posted November 3, 2006 I believe it's KLM - calm down Pieter, calm down ! hehehe buttering up Skyteam eh? just kidding! KLM has been one airline that has renewed confidence in KLIA and the award is indeed very befitting Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Teoh Z Yao 0 Report post Posted November 3, 2006 Wonder whose going to win that? Let's start balloting... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pieter C. 5 Report post Posted November 3, 2006 I believe it's KLM - calm down Pieter, calm down ! hehehe buttering up Skyteam eh? just kidding! KLM has been one airline that has renewed confidence in KLIA and the award is indeed very befitting Thanks for sharing, guys, I even didn't know that (no internal KLM publication about this); I'm sure it has something to do with the long-standing operation of KLM at KUL (both SZB and KUL) airport(s), and not about Skyteam Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tony 1 Report post Posted November 3, 2006 'Low cost airline of the year'? Isn't AK the ONLY LCC in Malaysia? Technically yes....but wait, does Tiger fly to KLIA? Wonder whose going to win that? Emperor Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pieter C. 5 Report post Posted November 3, 2006 Technically yes....but wait, does Tiger fly to KLIA? Tiger is Singaporean, not a Malaysian LCC, right ? Next LCC to KLIA will be Cebu Pacific Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tony 1 Report post Posted November 3, 2006 Tiger is Singaporean, not a Malaysian LCC, right ? Next LCC to KLIA will be Cebu Pacific Yes Pieter, Tiger is Singaporean. But the "LCC of the Year" award is not only for Malaysian LCC...or is it? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sandeep G 1 Report post Posted November 6, 2006 Yes Pieter, Tiger is Singaporean. But the "LCC of the Year" award is not only for Malaysian LCC...or is it? LCC at KLIA. So thats either AirAsia Malaysia, AirAsia Indonesia, Thai AirAsia, Lion Air... Obviously, the first ever presentation of the award would go to AirAsia. PR PR PR! The awards is by MAHB for KLIA. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
