16 July 2013
Passengers departing from klia2 in Sepang are likely to pay a smaller passenger service charge (PSC) than those travelling through the Kuala Lumpur International Airport’s (KLIA) main terminal, regardless of its classification as a hybrid terminal or a low-cost carrier terminal, sources say.
"We still expect the PSC to be lower, but the quantum difference between the charges at the main terminal and klia2 could be narrower. Right now, PSC (at the current LCCT) is about half of that at the main terminal," one source told SunBiz yesterday.
He noted that the ultimate decision on the charges, however, would be up to the Transport Ministry as per its operating agreement with Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) following the restructuring of the airport operator in 2009.
The PSC at the current LCCT is RM32 for international passengers and RM6 for domestic passengers, while it is RM65 international and RM9 domestic at the KLIA main terminal.
Lower, however, could still mean an increase in charges as according to the agreement signed between the Transport Ministry and MAHB in February 2009, the charges will be re-looked in February 2014, or every five years.
A Transport Ministry spokesman last Friday had told SunBiz that details of the charges to be imposed at klia2 has not been discussed and that it is currently focusing on completing the new terminal which had missed its deadline several times.
Malindo Airways Sdn Bhd CEO Chandran Rama Muthy when contacted by SunBiz confirmed that discussions on the charges at klia2 has not started.
"From what I understand though it will be slightly lower than the main terminal building," he said. Malindo Airways is the operator of hybrid carrier Malindo Air.
Queries sent to AirAsia Bhd CEO for Malaysia Aireen Omar were not answered as at press time. AirAsia will be the main tenant of klia2.
In 2011, AirAsia had voiced its displeasure when the Transport Ministry gave MAHB the go-ahead to increase the PSC at the current LCCT from RM25 to RM32 for departing international passengers. This was despite it being imposed two years later than when it was provided for.
The budget carrier had then launched an online petition entitled "MAHB: Reverse the enforced increment of PSC" on top of putting up "Say No to Airport Tax Increase" stickers at the LCCT.
Source: www.thesundaily.my
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