Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Sarawak Gov't puzzled over AirAsia's decision

KUCHING, SARAWAK:

THE state government is puzzled over AirAsia’s decision not to reinstate the Kuching-Macau direct flight in two to three months time as agreed earlier.


State Tourism Minister Datuk Michael Manyin said the carrier's group chief executive officer Datuk Seri Tony Fernandes had agreed to reinstate the flight in two to three months time during a meeting on Oct 8.

However, in a recent letter to Manyin, Fernandes said the route would now only be reinstated after the low-cost carrier terminal (LCCT) at the Kuching International Airport is completed.

"I was taken aback by the letter," Manyin said at the lobby of the state legislative assembly here yesterday.

"Air Asia had not stated when they are going to start building the LCCT. So there is no certainty when the route would be reinstated."

The state government had already allocated a piece of land at the airport for the terminal, estimated to cost between RM100 million and RM150 million.

AirAsia will be building the LCCT at its own expense — the first time the government had allowed such an arrangement.

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