Friday 29 Mar 2024
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This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily on November 8, 2017

KUALA LUMPUR: Malindo Airways Sdn Bhd had decided to shift its jet operations to the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) from klia2 because it is a full-service carrier and wanted to “ensure sustainable growth and provide comfortable services to passengers”, the Dewan Rakyat was told yesterday.

Deputy Transport Minister Datuk Seri Ab Aziz Kaprawi said Malindo’s relocation to KLIA had also “saved the situation” in 

the government’s efforts to turn the airport terminal into a 

regional transit hub, as the airline had “filled the vacuum” left by Malaysia Airlines Bhd.

Aziz was responding to a question by lawmaker Datuk Dr Abd Latiff Ahmad (BN-Mersing) on when Malindo would return to klia2, home to low-cost carriers such as AirAsia Bhd.

Stressing that Malindo is not a low-cost airline, Aziz said: “Malindo is a full-service carrier, providing complete packages such as food, baggage handling and in-flight entertainment, all of which are charged and included in the ticket price. For low-cost carriers, add-on services or products are charged separately.

“In this regard, Malindo also provides interlining services with international airlines, which have chosen KLIA as their operations centre,” he added.

Aziz said KLIA is an international terminal which is used by about 50 international airline companies as their operations centre.

“This is why the Malaysian government wants to turn KLIA into a transit hub in the region,” he said. “In 2016, when Malaysia Airlines scaled down their 

operations, number of staff, routes as well as ceased their collaborations with several international airlines, MAHB (Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd) needed to ensure KLIA’s sustainability to turn it into a regional hub.”
 

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