MAG chief clarifies airline charges stance as Batik Air voices support
Nasaruddin A. Bakar said applicable charges should cover foreign carriers too, while Batik Air said it was meeting its financial obligations.
Airport fees and passenger service charges (PSC) were the focus of his appeal for fair treatment among airlines, Malaysia Aviation Group (MAG) president and group CEO Captain Nasaruddin A. Bakar said. He said foreign carriers serving Malaysia should also pay the applicable charges.
Nasaruddin spoke to Business Times in Kuala Lumpur during the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines' 70th Assembly of Presidents. He was clarifying an earlier report that attributed to him a call for other airlines to receive any financial assistance offered to AirAsia Group Bhd.
According to that report, Malaysia Airlines Bhd was not requesting a government bailout and did not need one. It would, however, expect equivalent benefits if AirAsia obtained relief from airport charges.
Nasaruddin linked the slight variation in charges between Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 at Kuala Lumpur International Airport to differences in their facilities and infrastructure. Asked if any carriers were not paying, he declined to comment on other airlines, leaving the question unconfirmed.
Backing the appeal, Batik Air Malaysia CEO Datuk Chandran Rama Muthy stressed the importance of fair competition in aviation. He said Batik Air's financial commitments were up to date, citing income tax, airport fees and contributions to the Employees Provident Fund.
