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Kuching International Airport Low Cost Carrier Terminal (Kuching LCCT)

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KCH might have a LCCT to MAHB is considering it... forgot to post the news up...he he he

 

AirAsia Hopes LCCT In Penang And Kuching To Be Built Faster

August 02, 2007 20:10 PM E-mail this news to a friend Printable version of this news

 

KUALA LUMPUR, August 2 (Bernama) -- AirAsia Bhd is hoping that Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) will fastrack its plans to set up low-cost carrier terminal each in Kuching and Penang.

 

"This is part of the ideas (proposed) by MAHB. They will build another extension or a wing, so called a LCCT terminal hub, from the existing airport. This is the impression that Datuk Seri Bashir Ahmad (MAHB managing director) is giving to us," group chief executive officer of AirAsia Datuk Tony Fernandes said.

 

"I think there is an urgent need for AirAsia to get one, particularly in Penang as Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon has asked me so many times and we are very keen to start the LCCT operations both in Penang as well as in Kuching."

 

He said this to reporters following the signing of a memorandum of understanding here today between Tune Money.com and Celcom (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd.

 

Tony said such a move will also contribute tremendously to the growth of tourism in the country as AirAsia is now able to connect places that it never connected before like Kuching and Penang, Johor Baharu and Miri as well as Johor Baharu and Sibu.

 

MAHB recently announced its plans to construct a new building for the LCCT at the KL International Airport (KLIA) due to the increasing demand.

 

It was reported that MAHB's senior general manager of operations, Datuk Azmi Murad, said the new building would replace the existing LCCT building, which has been operating since March 2006 and located adjacent to the Malaysia Airlines cargo building.

 

The airlines presently operating at the LCCT are AirAsia, Thai AirAsia, Indonesia AirAsia and Cebu Pacific Airways.

 

Tony also said that the low-cost carrier planned to implement a new food system order to reduce several complaints on its line-up of food.

 

"From this system, you can order a variety of food through the computer."

 

When a passenger checks in, a coupon to indicate the food order will be given and this is to be used on plane when taking the food.

 

He said AirAsia is also looking into giving back customers' money in the event of long flight delays.

 

"This is what we want to do, if we are delayed for a longer period, we will give their money back just as what the pizza companies do."

 

"These are all the service enhancements that we are moving at and we plan to implement them before end of this year," he added.

 

-- BERNAMA

Source

 

The question now.... is it feasible? :pardon:

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totally against this idea for my hometown airport...cant imagine how empty it would be at the main terminal if u take away all air asia's pax to the 'lcct'....the newly renovated one is still underutilized...

Edited by Fairul

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Wow..it seems like AK will soon monopoly the domestic route soon...with the LCCT, it actually accelerates the expansion....of AK

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when this, Cebu Pacific Airways just come BKI? :rolleyes: anyway, is that necessary?

The real motive behind this is AK will benefits in a number of ways and soon they can start flight from the nations' few LCCT and this indirectly gives them flexibility and frequencies. As whether Cebu Pcific will be here or not...it will depends on the demand of course

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Don't worry... Government will 'angguk' what the Mr Tony want....

but if Mr Jala want something from government, they will says Wait And See..

lol... well we shall wait and see the results. Since Mr. Tony is pushing KCH for a LCCT to guess he wants all AK's Hub to have LCCT except JB

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Don't worry... Government will 'angguk' what the Mr Tony want....

but if Mr Jala want something from government, they will says Wait And See..

 

then shall we expect that one of these day, every airport in M'sia also with a so-called-LCCT? :pardon:

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What? :blink: KCH ito have its own LCCT? Where do they expect to built it? At the site of KCH AFB?

 

I don't think so.My answer is i against this plan.

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I see the previous craze for politicians to demand setting up of hubs here and hubs there has waned. Now it's building LCCT here, LCCT there. Wonder what will be the next catch phrase ?!

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Logically I don't see why those 2 airports especially KCH needs a LCCT. Then again nothing about local aviation seems logical lately anyways.

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Do anyone know when will the construction for LCCT Kuching start? MAHB had announced since last year that they will build a LCCT in Kuching. :D

Edited by alvin89

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Low-cost carrier terminal crucial to development of Kuching as AirAsia’s regional hub: CEO

KUCHING: AirAsia Berhad is in talks with the state government to build a local low-cost carrier terminal (LCCT) here which imposes lower airport tax and utilises simpler facilities.

 

Its group chief executive officer Datuk Tony Fernandes said this was crucial in developing Kuching as its regional hub especially with the introduction of it new international flights.

 

He also told reporters yesterday that this matter had been brought to the attention of Chief Minister Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud and he was hopeful of an encouraging response from the state government.

 

“The airport tax on the Kuching main terminal is too high, RM51 or RM52. At the Kuala Lumpur low cost carrier terminal, it is only RM25. For (a low-cost carrier) like us, the key is to have low fares. We also need simpler facilities because we’re different from a full service airline,” he said after the official launch of AirAsia’s Jakarta-Kuching route at a leading hotel here yesterday.

 

He said the low-cost terminal was also crucial as AirAsia estimated that in the next three years, it would handle five million passengers just out of its regional hub here.

 

At present, the local hub serves seven domestic routes to Penang, Kuala Lumpur, Johor Bahru, Kota Kinabalu, Miri, Bintulu, Sibu and two international flights to Macau and Jakarta.

 

Another three new flights, Kuching-Bali, Kuching-Bandar Seri Begawan and Kuching-Singapore will kick off in May and June.

 

Fernandes also announced the deployment of brand new Airbus aircraft for flights out of here would be accelerated and brought forward from its original date in November to May, which is next month.

 

Saying that the passenger load to Kuching had been “very good”, he said Airbus aircraft had 22 more seats than the Boeing 737s currently used.

 

“With Airbus, we attract even more people,” he said.

 

He also said AirAsia was serious in helping the state government improve air connectivity to Sarawak not only for the tourism sector but to facilitate trade between the state and other countries.

 

The close relationship the company had with the state government was also mentioned earlier by Fernandes in his speech during the function, after he revealed that he had received a thank-you letter for bringing in direct international flights.

 

“Sarawak was the first state to have written a thank-you letter to us,” he remarked.

 

At the start of the press conference, there was a light moment between Fernandes and Taib who sat together with the members of the media facing the panel of interviewees including Fernandes himself.

 

The Chief Minister who sat there from the start till the end of the press conference, was heard saying that he too, like the members of the media, would love to listen to statements from Fernandes and the others.

 

The local media was joined by their counterparts from Indonesia and even Taiwan during the press conference.

 

On another matter, Fernandes, when asked by a Taiwanese reporter, said AirAsia could be introducing the Kuching-Taipei flight before the end of the year.

 

He said the fact that Taiwanese nationals ranked top in the second home programme in Sarawak had not gone unnoticed by AirAsia.

 

It was learned that more than 30 of the 107 second home programme participants are from Taiwan.

 

“Sometimes we miss out the obvious. But very soon there will be another dot on the map for the flight from Kuching to Taipei, hopefully before the end of the year,” he said.

 

He also talked about the potential of medical tourism in Sarawak, which he felt had not been exploited due to the lack of air links.

 

“For the BIMP-Eaga (Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia and Philippines - East Asia Growth Area) I think Sarawak can be the capital of medical tourism. Thus we are also looking at direct link to Manila from Kuching,” he said.

 

He also said AirAsia’s airfares would not be increased despite the global oil prices experiencing an upward trend.

 

He pointed out that the fares would be kept low, but AirAsia would find ways to generate money such as through baggage handling fees and selling innovative in-flight meals.

 

“We are looking forward to becoming the first airline to sell ‘roti canai’ in-flight, and maybe also include ‘nasi padang’ (an Indonesian dish),” he said.

Edited by Nizam

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Kuching-Taipei by the end of the year? :blink:

 

I wonder if they have enough land to build or not? :pardon:

 

simple, there're plenty of land surrounding KIA, one good place to start with, the RMAF base. =@

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Hmmm,even my dad said that TPK will definately using his land near the airport for the LCCT project.

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As usual, new project means more income for TPK and those in the loop. Guess the LCCT will be built with taxpayer $$$ and the new KCH terminal will take decades to be fully utilised :angry: :(

 

 

:drinks:

Edited by KK Lee

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Yet there were talks about closing the Kuching Hub...how to close Kuching Hub when you want to build a LCCT?Aiyo if KCH has LCCT, then main terminal will become even more "cold".(pun intended...KCH gets really cold at night with cold drafts and freezing teperature). KCH needs connectivity to Xiamen (Teochew, Hakka, Hokkien clan), Fuzhou (Foochow clan), these flights would appeal to the older generation who wants to visit their roots. And a connection to Perth for students stuying abroad. 1 problem though, would flying to Singapore and BWN affect Silkair and RBA's operation? Any take on that

Edited by Kenneth Chong WT

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Sorry all, but I remember once there was a threat in this forum saying that AK will eventually close down KCH as a base, and now this happens.

 

So that was just a rumor to freak those ministers out?

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“The airport tax on the Kuching main terminal is too high, RM51 or RM52. At the Kuala Lumpur low cost carrier terminal, it is only RM25. For (a low-cost carrier) like us, the key is to have low fares. We also need simpler facilities because we’re different from a full service airline,” he said after the official launch of AirAsia’s Jakarta-Kuching route at a leading hotel here yesterday.

 

Just because of the aiport tax, u want another LCCT in Kuching ?

If Lcct in Kuching, mean more AK flight will come (TF makin kaya)

 

KIA main terminal will be white elephant ..

But for sure, again billions of taxpayer money will be use

 

I will support this idea if TF use his own money ..

Edited by Nizam

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As long as there is Kch-Sin, Kch-Per flight, i dont care about the rest :pardon:

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Do MH still fly Kuching- Perth? :blink:

 

"X" long time ago thanks to the great minds of the MH Dinosos!!! I'd be damn happy if the other day the robbers were to shoot six dinasours hiding and feeding in MH <_>

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the news of KCH being closed down as a hub is still going on in and around the company. they're shifting their attention to penang. but in a way it's good for KCH as flights would originate from KUL to KCH and off to other destinations. you can expect to fly in the airbuses rather than in the 737s.

 

but i seriously feel he's asking too much this time.

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