This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily on August 2, 2018

KUALA LUMPUR: AirAsia Group Bhd group chief executive officer (CEO) Tan Sri Tony Fernandes said he is confident the government will allow for the setting up of three low-cost carrier terminals (LCCTs) in the country.

Fernandes said on Twitter yesterday: “Malaysia I am sure will have three LCC terminals in KL, Penang and Kota Kinabalu. With the momentum in Indonesia and the Philippines, this is huge for @AirAsia.”

This follows a meeting last Friday among Fernandes, Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng, Transport Minister Anthony Loke and Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) acting group CEO Raja Azmi Raja Nazuddin, which the AirAsia boss had described as “great”.

“More LCC terminals coming. Malaysia Airports (MAHB) now understands what we can do. Exciting time for guests, Malaysians. More jobs and economic growth,” he tweeted back then.

A netizen using the handle @RyanLong8787 saw the post and replied: “Thanks but we do not need any LCCTs. Most Malaysians, I believe would opt for a skybridge to board or disembark from the tarmac. What we need is the improvement to our airports especially klia2. The previous LCCT was such an ordeal especially when it rains ...”

Another user @MdAmer777 wrote: “LCC terminals are a good idea but the problem is connectivity from non-LCC terminal to LCC terminal. Just look at Kota Kinabalu.”

In recent weeks, AirAsia and MAHB have been feuding after Fernandes said the low-cost carrier was forced out of Kota Kinabalu International Airport’s (KKIA) Terminal 2 (T2) in Sabah three years ago, and that it is not in favour of moving to T1.

Fernandes was also quoted as saying AirAsia is back in talks with relevant agencies, as well as the Sabah state government, to restart T2 as a dedicated LCCT.

In response, MAHB denied forcing AirAsia to move to T1.

On July 26, Loke reportedly said his ministry will study the technical aspect of AirAsia’s proposal to return to T2, but any proposal to develop a new LCCT next to the Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Sepang will have to be resubmitted as a fresh proposal. He added that the transport ministry’s decision on the matter cannot be based on sentimental reasons only.