LCCT may become cargo hub when new terminal is up

Malaysia Airports Holding Bhd is considering turning the existing Low-Cost Carrier Terminal (LCCT) into a cargo transportation hub when the new LCCT is ready in the next three to four years.

This was one option being considered, said managing director Datuk Seri Bashir Ahmad.

Stewardesses posing next to a Tiger Airways plane.

He said the shift to the new location was imminent as the LCCT would not be able to accommodate the projected growth in passenger volume.

The LCCT has the capacity to handle 10 million passengers annually. This capacity would increase to about 15 million passengers upon completion of renovation work by year-end.

“Expansion work on the LCCT will commence by end of this month,” Bashir said after welcoming Tiger Airways, the second Singapore Airline-owned low-cost carrier to utilise the LCCT.

On the new LCCT next to the KL International Airport (KLIA) main terminal, he said it would handle 25 million to 30 million passengers annually.

He also said an announcement on a theme park in KLIA would be made in the next two to three months.

With its inaugural flight yesterday, Tiger Airways has become the 56th international airline to fly to KLIA.

“The arrival of Tiger Airways is a good indication particularly for LCCT-KLIA towards attracting more airlines.

“The service will further strengthen air connectivity between Malaysia and Singapore as it complements the current service by Malaysia Airlines and Singapore Airlines,” he said.

AirAsia and Jetstar Asia also started flying the same route yesterday.

Tiger Airways took to the skies from Singapore in September 2004 with two aircraft in its fleet and three routes in its network. Within three years of operation, it now flies to more than 25 destinations across eight countries in Asia Pacific on a fleet of brand-new Airbus A320 aircraft.

Source : STAR
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