18 March 2013
Deputy Transport Minister Datuk Abdul Rahim Bakri said he is confident klia2, the new low-cost airport, will be ready and operational by early June this year.
He said construction was over 80 per cent completed with the third runway already paved, adding that airport operator Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) and implementing teams were working day and night to ensure the works were completed on schedule.
“Based on the briefings and my working visit to the klia2 construction site on Friday, I have full confidence that the high-impact national project will be operational in early June as scheduled,” he told Bernama here today.
Abdul Rahim said the airport would spur the nation’s airline industry and make Malaysia the premier tourism destination in Southeast Asia.
“Air Asia and Malindo Airways, which will begin operations later this month, will be klia2’s anchor airlines, besides other low-cost airlines like Tiger Airways and Cebu Pacific.
“The airport’s RM4 billion development cost is said to be cheap compared to other airports in the world, the quality is good, and it employs local consultants, project managers and contractors,” he said.
Source: nst.com.my
MAHB: klia2 on schedule to open on June 28
Malaysia Airports Holding Bhd (MAHB) says the klia2 – the new low-cost airline hub – is on schedule to open on June 28.
The airports operator said on Thursday all efforts were underway to meet this target date.
“MAHB is closely monitoring the progress of the work being done by the contractors,” it said.
Although some works by the contractors were behind schedule, they were ramping up their efforts to meet the deadline, it said.
MAHB is employing 1,102 new staff for klia2, of which 746 are aviation security, 86 are airport fire and rescue services, 98 are engineering and maintenance and 172 are operations services.
MAHB also said its managing director Tan Sri Bashir Ahmad Abdul Majid, who has been with the company since 2003, had requested the board seek a suitable successor.
Bashir’s contract ends in June.
However, MAHB said the board would like Bashir to continue to guide the company through the current challenges facing the aviation industry.
“The board will in due course identify a successor and will provide sufficient time for a proper transition. The board has deliberated the matter and has forwarded the matter to Ministry of Finance for its decision,” it said.
MAHB’s Chief Financial Officer, Faizal Mansor said with the opening of klia2, the airport operator expected its retail revenue to jump to RM800 million this year from RM537.5 million last year.
With some 10 airlines committed to operate from the new airport, Faizal said klia2, which has a significant space portion for retail, had attracted many international retail brands.
The RM4 billion klia2, built to cater for the explosive growth expected in low-cost travel, is envisaged to handle a maximum of 45 million passengers per year.
It will have 60 gates, eight remote stands and 80 aerobridges, plus a 32,000 sq metre retail space with 225 outlets.
Source: biz.thestar.com.my
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