klia2 enhancement cost won’t be passed on to airlines

KUALA LUMPUR: The cost for facility enhancement undertaken at the klia2 will not be passed on to the low-cost carriers.
"It is up to them (budget airlines) to use the facilities," commented Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) managing director Datuk Badlisham Ghazali on a Public Accounts Committee (PAC) report tabled in the Dewan Rakyat on Nov 25.
The report claimed that the airport operator has failed to take into consideration klia2's status as a low-cost airport which led to an increase in operating costs for carriers.
Badlisham also said that the cost to upgrade the facilities as well as the maintenance were allocated under the company's operating expenses.
He, however, declined to reveal the amount allocated for operating budget.
Apart from the enhancement project, MAHB planned to add 19 walkalators next year and seven buggies by year-end to ease the walking distance.
MAHB today hosted a media briefing to update on the progress of the enhancement project to further elevate customer experience and rectification works on the depression and water ponding issues.
Responding to PAC's statement claiming that klia2 is a hybrid concept terminal, Badlisham said there was no clear definition and standards that clearly differentiate between a hybrid concept and low-cost airport.
"No clear definition and standards are being placed by any industrial bodies so far," he said.
On the relationship with budget airlines, he said MAHB was continuously developing its relationship with the tenants in the airport.
"Since May this year, I have met AirAsia chief executive officer Aireen Omar for about 10 times to discuss matters related to operator-airline issues, and the same goes with another budget airline ... We are trying to meet them from time to time," he said. – Bernama