AirAsia refuses to budge, says move will ‘kill tourism’

Group CEO Tony Fernandes says relocating the low-cost carrier from KKIA’s Terminal 2 to Terminal 1 will also create heavy congestion.

KUALA LUMPUR: Making AirAsia relocate to Terminal 1 of the Kota Kinabalu International Airport from its present location in Terminal 2 is a sure way to “kill tourism”, said its Group Chief Executive Officer Tony Fernandes regarding the latest directive issued by the Transport Ministry.

“If you move us to Terminal 1 and increase airport tax to RM35, you will kill tourism,” he told reporters at a press conference at the Majestic Hotel today.

Also citing the high possibility of resultant heavy traffic, Fernandes said, “KK (Kota Kinabalu) tourism is fragile right now, and moving us to Terminal 1 will create heavy congestion and we are not going to move,” he said of his refusal to budge.

Fernandes also warned of a loss in jobs if the move was insisted upon and appealed to the Transport Ministry to reconsider their directive.

“We’ve done a fantastic job, hear us out,” Fernandes said, explaining that the KK route had been a great success for AirAsia and Sabah and that the state government should appreciate it.

“KK has been a huge success for us and I think the state government should appreciate it in terms of creating a tourism market that just wasn’t there (before). Today, every hotel in KK is full.”

He also said that the management of AirAsia knew what they were doing as the low-cost carrier had “created something out of nothing”.