KLIA2 delay expected, says Fernandes

KLIA2 delay expected, says Fernandes
Business & Markets 2013
Written by Cynthia Blemin
Tuesday, 11 June 2013 10:21


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KUALA LUMPUR: AIRASIA BHD [] founder Tan Sri Tony Fernandes said he had anticipated the delay in the completion of klia2, the new low-cost carrier terminal.

This is the reason AirAsia has yet to start building its headquarters near the new terminal, he told the media yesterday.

“We expected the delay, it [the headquarters] will be ready when klia2 is ready,” he said.

Fernandes said the delay in the completion of klia2 will not impact its operations, adding that the airline has back-up plans. The airline is currently operating from LCCT Sepang.

Recently, AirAsia CEO Aireen Omar expressed her disappointment over the delay of klia2, which was supposed to be up and running on June 28. Bina Puri Bhd executive director Matthew Tee had pointed out that the delay was mainly due to changes in the design of the terminal. Bina Puri is one of the contractors of klia2.

AirAsia’s request to install an automatic baggage handling system half way through the project was also said to have caused the CONSTRUCTION [] to be delayed by a year.

The new terminal will be equipped with some 60 gates, 80 aerobridges, and retail space spanning 32,000 sq m.

The klia2 project was first tendered out in 2009 at an initial cost of RM1.9 billion, which has since ballooned to some RM4 billion. KUALA LUMPUR: AirAsia Bhd founder Tan Sri Tony Fernandes said he had anticipated the delay in the completion of klia2, the new low-cost carrier terminal.

This is the reason AirAsia has yet to start building its headquarters near the new terminal, he told the media yesterday.

“We expected the delay, it [the headquarters] will be ready when klia2 is ready,” he said.
Fernandes said the delay in the completion of klia2 will not impact its operations, adding that the airline has back-up plans. The airline is currently operating from LCCT Sepang.

Recently, AirAsia CEO Aireen Omar expressed her disappointment over the delay of klia2, which was supposed to be up and running on June 28. Bina Puri Bhd executive director Matthew Tee had pointed out that the delay was mainly due to changes in the design of the terminal. Bina Puri is one of the contractors of klia2.

AirAsia’s request to install an automatic baggage handling system half way through the project was also said to have caused the construction to be delayed by a year.

The new terminal will be equipped with some 60 gates, 80 aerobridges, and retail space spanning 32,000 sq m.

The klia2 project was first tendered out in 2009 at an initial cost of RM1.9 billion, which has since ballooned to some RM4 billion. — By Cynthia Blemin


This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily, on June 11, 2013.