US is pushing for Subang Airport Reopen

United States is again trying to meddle in our internal affairs, apparently due to some fine prints within our Open Skies Agreement with US.

US is trying to get Subang Airport reopen for any airlines that want to fly there. While I am not an expert in this, I still think that this kind of decision of which airport is open, it should be an internal affair.

After all, Air Asia is still having significant growth at LCC-T. We should take into account those people who stay near Subang Airport, or if not, those restaurant operators, like La La Cheong and other seafood restaurants near Subang Terminal.

So, I'm definitely against US Government trying to push us to open Subang Airport for commercial flights, be it for passengers or for air cargo. It is not cost efficient to do so, and I still feel that it is the rights of our country to dictate which airport to open. Perhaps, I just don't understand the details. :(

Full articles quoted from AirCargoNews.net here.

----
Malaysia's airports under US scrutiny
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

06-Feb-2008 : AN Open Skies argument between Malaysia and the US could force Malaysia to reopen its Subang airport.

The US alleges that Malaysia is in violation of the agreement by barring all but a few airlines from using the city airport, relocating them to Sepang’s Kuala Lumpur International Airport mid-January.

Subang airport is currently used for charter aircraft and there are plans to turn it into an aircraft maintenance and exhibition centre.

However, if the US continues to pressure Malaysia it could be reopened to all international carriers. There are fears that low-cost airlines, established at Sepang, will want to move to the city airport.

AirAsia, JetStar Asia and Tiger Airways recently launched from Sepang, where a new low-cost terminal is being completed for expansion.

Malaysia Airports will turn the existing low-cost terminal into a cargo transportation hub when its new LCCT is completed in the next three to four years.

-----
Click here to read more of Chen Chow's posts