SEPANG: Malaysian Aviation Commission (Mavcom) believes that the newly-introduced airport transfer fee is fair to Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) and it will not affect passenger traffic numbers into thr country. 

Mavcom executive chairman Datuk Seri Saripuddin Kasim said the fee is not something new in Southeast Asia as airports in Singapore and Thailand are also charging such fee to transit passengers. 

"I think it's fair because the basic principle behind the transfer passenger services charges (PSC) is based on the facilities provided by airport and the usage of the facilities."

"Currently, transfer passengers are using the airports (in Malaysia) for free. For example, someone from the UK flying to Australia and transit at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) for eight hours or more can use the (airport) facilities at no cost.

"We have to be fair to MAHB as well because they are the services provider. They need money to maintain and introduce new services," Saripuddin told reporters at a media briefing here today. 

The airport transit fee as well as the revised PSC rates for Asean and non-Asean destinations at KLIA Terminal 1, KLIA Terminal 2 and other airports in Malaysia will come into force starting June 1 this year to Dec 31, 2026.

Mavcom had said the fees that will be collected would support Malaysia's aviation industry recovery and adaptability in the post Covid-19 pandemic. 

The domestic PSC remains at RM11 at all airports in Malaysia while the charges for international departure at KLIA Terminal 1 have been standardised for RM73 for Asean and beyond Asean destinations. 

Previously, the departure fees for Asean and non-Asean destinations at KLIA Terminal 1 were fixed at RM35 and RM73 respectively.

The international departure PSC at KLIA Terminal 2 and other airports in Malaysia is set at RM50 for Asean and beyond Asean destinations from RM35 and RM73, respectively.

In March, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) had viewed that the airport transit fee could affect KLIA's competitiveness in Southeast Asia.

"The introduction of the transfer PSC can impact the competitiveness of KLIA, especially when vying for transfer traffic in Southeast Asia, which has strong aviation hubs in Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore," it had said. 

Speaking on Mavcom's upcoming merger with the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM), Saripuddin said the regulator's role will remain regardless of the merger. 

"Mavcom's role will remain as the economic (aviation) regulator. To us, it's business as usual," he said, adding that details of the merger should be asked to Transport Minister Anthony Loke. 

Mavcom director of consumer and public affairs Pushpalatha Subramaniam said the decision on the merger was made in 2019 but the regulator's work continues. 

"It doesn't deter us to do our role as the economic regulator," she said. 

On improving the arrival passenger traffic at KLIA Terminal 1 and Terminal 2, Immigration KLIA deputy director of control Noorul Adzim Ateman said an 11th country will be allowed to use the autogate facilities at the two terminals very soon. 

He said the reason behind adding one more country into the list is so that Immigration could reach its target to process 85 per cent of arrival traffic in 25 minutes. 

"We're focusing on the usage of autogate to speed up the arrival process. The government will decide a new country to be included in the list very soon," he said. 

Currently, only citizens from 10 countries are allowed to use the autogates at KLIA Terminal 1 and Terminal 2. 

These countries include Australia, Brunei, Germany, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, the United States and United Kingdom.

https://www.nst.com.my/business/corporate/2024/04/1044172/new-airport-transfer-fee-fair-mahb-says-mavcom