KOTA KINABALU: Sabah Association of Tour and Travel Agents (SATTA) Chairman Datuk Seri Winston Liaw yesterday disclosed that the association has been asked to initiate a dialogue between Malaysia Airports Berhad and AirAsia with regards to the latter’s refusal to relocate to Terminal One of Kota Kinabalu International Airport (KKIA).
Liaw told reporters yesterday that the decision was made during a recent meeting attended by representatives from AirAsia and business community leaders in Sabah.
“Now we have only heard from AirAsia on why it does not want to relocate but we also want to hear from MAB on why it is insisting for the low cost carrier to move its operations from KKIA Terminal Two to Terminal One,” he said.
“We want to know what the real issue here is and maybe we can offer suggestions as to how to resolve the matter,” he added.
According to Liaw, who is also Sabah Tourism Federation (STF) President, he will be writing in to both MAB and AirAsia to find out the date and time that is convenient for the dialogue to be held.
He will also write in to the state Tourism, Culture and Environment Ministry as well as Sabah Tourism Board to invite their representatives to attend the dialogue.
He also hoped that all the relevant quarters involved in the state’s tourism industry will be able to send a representative to attend and participate in the dialogue.
“If the problem is solved, Sabah’s economy will get better as AirAsia has said it can increase tourist arrivals to Sabah. This is part of AirAsia’s future expansion plans,” Liaw said adding that they were informed of AirAsia’s plans to increase its number of flights operating out of Kota Kinabalu and also adding more airplanes to its current fleet of six based here.
AirAsia in 2014, Liaw said, carried a total of 3.6 million passengers to Kota Kinabalu via KKIA Terminal Two compared to the 3.2 million passengers disembarking at KKIA Terminal One.
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