KUALA LUMPUR: Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport in Subang remains under the management and operational oversight of Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB), said Transport Minister Datuk Seri Wee Ka Siong.
Any business capital done by MAHB was based on the operating agreement between the government and the company, Wee was quoted by Bernama today.
"Until now, MAHB is still authorised to operate Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah in Subang so there is no change in that. Many people are of the view that the airport needs to be upgraded as every country has a city airport," he said at the launch of new airline SKS Airways today.
Wee also said Malaysia's airport passenger volume was expected to be between 32.6 million and 42 million this year, depending on Covid-19 situation.
News broke last May that WCT Holdings had proposed to enter into a new concession with the government to operate Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport (often called Subang Airport) in Selangor and turn it into a city airport.
WCT's reported proposal was for a 50-year concession with the government to operate the entire Subang Airport area until 2092, with an option to extend for another 20 years.
The reconcession plan would see jets making a return to the airport's runway and a brand new passenger terminal and an executive jet terminal being built, among others, at a cost of RM3.7 billion over 10 years.
WCT, through its 60 per cent-owned Subang Skypark Sdn Bhd, had submitted a concept paper to the transport, finance, and energy and natural resources ministries on March 1 last year.
This triggered a tussle with MAHB, which was planning to redevelop the airport under its RM1.3 billion Subang Airport Regeneration Plan into a leading aerospace and business aviation hub in Asia Pacific.
Meanwhile, SKS Airways has taken to the skies with short-haul flights to holiday island resorts as domestic travel rebounds after months of lockdown due to the Covid-19 pandemic last year.
The airline, using 19-seater Twin Otter turboprop aircraft, offers flights between Subang to Pangkor Island beginning Jan 26, Subang to Pulau Redang from Jan 31 and to Pulau Tioman from Subang and Johor Bahru in the second quarter of 2022.
With the commencement of the three routes, there will be 12 scheduled flights per day at the full capacity of 228 passengers with all-in fares from RM160 one way.
The launch comes even as other local airlines including budget carrier AirAsia Group Bhd are still struggling to ride out the effects of the pandemic.
"As a new set-up, we are nimble, agile and flexible and able to tap into any opportunities that arise. We are positioning ourselves to capitalise on the current pent-up demand for domestic travel," SKS Airways director Rohman Ahmad reportedly said at the launch.