KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) said the development of a strong hub is not about facilitating a single airline business model as it involves the seamless integration and connectivity of all systems and network of airlines.
The airport operator said it has constantly benchmarking successful airports in the world in a bid to turn Malaysia’s into a strong global hub, backed by its strong position as one of the world's biggest airport operator groups.
MAHB said Malaysian aviation industry is poised to capitalise on growth that is centred within the Asia Pacific (APAC) region.
Based on the International Air Transport Association (IATA) 20-Year Passenger Demand Forecast, APAC will be the biggest driver for demand from 2015 to 2035 with more than half of new passenger traffic coming from the region.
“Four out of five of the fastest growing markets in terms of additional passengers per year will be from Asia i.e. China, India, Indonesia and Vietnam. To leverage this growth, the Malaysian aviation industry should work towards a common goal of building a strong global aviation hub,” it said in a statement today.
IATA and Airports Council International (ACI) also recommended where feasible that existing terminals should be fully utilised before new ones are built.
“It also recommends where possible that the operations be contained within a single terminal to allow for the lowest possible minimum connecting time (MCT) for connectivity and hub development,” it said.
MAHB said a lower MCT is a catalyst for more airline operations offering connectivity and compounded growth, citing that it should seamlessly be connected, preferably through a single terminal, or for bigger passenger volume through integrated terminals.
According to the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), an indicator of a strong hub will be the magnitude of its air connectivity including a network’s concentration and its ability to move passengers from their origin to destination seamlessly.
Among other factors, MAHB said a hub will be able to bring about benefits if it has strong home-based carriers, extensive routes coverage, variety of commercial airlines, high flight frequencies, efficient facilities for connecting flights, strategic location and sufficient airport capacity with efficient airline operations and passenger processing.
“A true hub requires seamless integration of facilities and airport terminals as well as extensive connections between all types of airlines, be it full service or low cost,” it added.
MAHB said Kuala Lumpur International Airport is currently connected to 1,028 destinations via 268 airlines through Malaysia Airlines oneworld’s alliance.
“Thus far, low-cost carriers (LCCs) such as AirAsia does not yet have such possibilities as it primarily attracts point-to-point traffic although it is connected via its own network from 13 airlines and 129 destinations.”
MAHB said AirAsia is a crucial player in the local aviation industry due to its willingness to integrate its operations with other airlines in the Malaysian network.
“This could be the turning point for our national aviation industry and would bring about the quantum leap in traffic growth.
“Having separate terminals for LCCs may not be the only solution for collective growth of the aviation industry and for increasing passenger experience.
“While we may have differing views, the aviation industry players in Malaysia have a common objective for growth and strengthening Malaysia's position as a global aviation hub.”