Airasia Dismisses "Not Using KLIA2" Talks

By Prem Kumar Panjamothy KUALA LUMPUR, April 26 (Bernama) -- AirAsia Bhd has dismissed allegations it has opted to stay at the temporary Low-Cost Carrier Terminal (LCCT), and that it will not move to the Kuala Lumpur International Aiport 2 (KLIA2). Commercial Director Jasmine Lee said the budget carrier had no idea of the new allegation, adding that even the top management was curious of the new claim, to which Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) responded on Tuesday. "As AirAsia has no idea of not moving out of the current 'packed' airport, MAHB is the right party to clarify to the sources of the allegations," she told Bernama Thursday. "We do not know where it (the claims) came from. Even when we asked Tan Sri Tony Fernandes (AirAsia's Chief Executive Officer) to comment on the allegation, he refused by saying MAHB is the right party to clarify as we have never made any recent remarks on KLIA2. "At the end of the day, if we are not going to move to KLIA2, we do not have alternative airports," she said. On Tuesday, MAHB Chairman Dr Aris Othman responded to allegations that AirAsia might not be moving to the new LCCT, KLIA2, by saying it was up to the airline to decide whether to operate from KLIA2 or not. "We are just a service provider. We provide the infrastructure. But the airlines have to decide whether they want to use it or not. "The present site of the LCCT is meant to be temporary because it is a cargo area. Sooner or later airlines can’t operate there because it is congested. The cargo operations need to be expanded. So they have to move," he was quoted as saying. Aris added that the new LCCT was not only for AirAsia but also for other low-cost carriers. The KLIA2 is on track to be opened by April next year, with 50 per cent of the development completed to-date. -- BERNAMA