THE RECENT increase in the airport tax and charges starting from 1st of December 2011 had forced many air travelers to pay extra in their air travel no matter they are on the international or domestic route.
The increased rates all over the airports in Malaysia are very high and it has become a burden to many people. The low cost carrier Air Asia has staged strong protest to the Malaysian Airport Holding Berhad (MAHB) who is managing our airports.
The high airport tax will definitely affects the travelers especially when we are taking affordable low cost fight through the low cost airlines. The Air Asia sometimes offers ‘zero fair’, but the expensive airport tax makes this look ridiculous. We fly with zero fare, but have to pay expensive air port tax of RM32 one way, and RM64 on return trip, where is the logic?
The KK MP Hiew King Cheu viewed the move to increase the airport taxes is a ‘day light robbery’ by the government and the MAHB. The government should not play deft on this increase in the airport tax. For sure the MAHB is making huge money through the heavy taxes collected in the past, and now they want to double up their profit by transferring the heavy burden to the travelers.
When compared to the discomfort we are having in the Kota Kinabalu International Airport Terminal 2, the travelers will tell you that they think the MAHB do not deserve to be given the increase on airport tax. The Terminal 2 is having poor air-conditioning system make you sweat, not enough seats in waiting room and badly arranged, not enough car parking space and entrance jammed pack with cars.
There are many other facilities needed to be improved. If the Terminal 2 is eventually to be closed down and the MAHB is not going to spend money to improve the facilities, then the MAHB should not charge any increase on the airport taxes. We want the worth of our money.
The airport tax on the international route in Kota Kinabalu Terminal 1 is charged with an increase from the old rate of RM18 to RM32 which is an increase of RM14, and the Terminal 2 is from original RM25 to RM32, an increase of RM7. These increases are very high in a sudden and this is not acceptable. That is why many travelers see this as a ‘daylight robbery’! MP Hiew asked the MAHB to immediately cancel the high rate and revert to the original tax level.
If the BN government is serious to ‘walk the talk’ about ‘people first’, they should immediately sit down with MAHB and the MCA Transport Minister Dato’ Seri Kong Cho Ha to resolve this matter. The people will definitely show their anger and seek revenge during the PRU13 to knock out the BN.
No comments:
Post a Comment