Kong: ‘No objection’ to AirAsia X’s KL-Sydney route
By LEONG HUNG YEE SEPANG: The Transport Ministry has neither confirmed nor denied
AirAsia X's plan to fly the KL-Sydney route.
Minister Datuk Seri Kong Cho Ha said that the ministry was not trying to prevent any airlines from flying to a new destination or stopping flights to certain destinations.
“We have no objection to AirAsia X (on KL-Sydney route) or any local airlines.
“Airlines apply for new or additional flights all the time. And sometimes they also cut down and put certain stop. It is the dynamics of their operation. So it is nothing new,” he said at a ceremony to welcome Emirates Airlines'
A380 from Dubai.
StarBiz reported yesterday that AirAsia X was ready to sell tickets for the much-awaited KL-Sydney route next week and will begin mounting flights to Sydney by April this year.
Malaysia Airlines (MAS) is still the only carrier serving the KL-Sydney route after Jetstar withdrew from the sector in 2009.
Asked if the rights for KL-Sydney were from MAS, Kong said it was “not true”, without elaborating.
“They may be flying soon. It is for them to arrange,” he said, when asked if it was just a matter of time before AirAsia X flew the KL-Sydney route.
Meanwhile, AirAsia X announced yesterday the withdrawal of services to India (Mumbai and New Delhi) and Europe (Paris and London) from its Kuala Lumpur hub, as part of a network realignment.
Separately, Emirates senior vice-president, commercial operations for Far East and Australasia, Richard Jewsbury expects traffic demand for KL-Dubai to remain high.
He said that Emirates currently had an average seat factor of about 80% on its flight from KL and was confident of filling up its jumbo jet.
Jewsbury said the decision to operate one of the non-stop services with the
A380 followed strong and increasing demand for flights, not just from business travellers but also from leisure travellers.