The Chief Minister of Melaka, Dato Ali Rustam had personally requested budget airline, AirAsia, Dato Tony Fernandes to use aviation facilities at the newly-upgraded Batu Berendam Airport (the previous name) from May 1 of 2009. He said this in his statement to Bernama as "Saya akan panggil Datuk Tony Fernandez datang ke Melaka dalam minggu ini atau minggu depan. Kalau sempat beliau akan menjelaskan di dalam mesyuarat Exco esok supaya Air Asia boleh terbang lebih awal,"katanya lagi." Mohd Ali said he will meet AirAsia chief executive officer Datuk Seri Tony Fernandes soon on the matter.The airport, given a RM131.5 million facelift, can be used from mid-April. It can accommodate Boeing 737 aircraft and Airbus at half-load, he told reporters after inspecting work progress at the airport. Upgrading work by Konsortium Uni-Integrated started in April 2007 to facilitate health tourist arrivals, particularly from Sumatra, who number close to 60,000 a year. The airport will have a 7,000 square metre new terminal and will be equipped with facilities to receive domestic and international flights.
Mohd Ali said facilities for full load landing by Boeing and Airbus are expected to be ready in October, with the runway extended by 400 metres to 2,200 metres from 1,800 metres.

Dato Tony Fernandes, after a meeting with Mohd Ali in August last year, had said for a start AirAsia had identified six destinations which is four in Sumatra and two domestic which also been operated from the airport. Boeing aircraft will be used to land and take off for Palembang, Pekan Baru, Padang and Medan in Sumatra, Penang and Langkawi. Dato Tony Fernandes however has told the state government AirAsia's passenger and cargo planes will use the Batu Berendam Airport only at full load capacity.

I believe Dato's decision is good because to accomondate a satisfaction of its passengers flying with Air Asia. According to Dato Mohd Ali said the airport can handle 1.5 million tourists and rake in RM1 billion revenue when it is fully operational.The Batu Berendam Airport, the country's first health tourism airport, has plans to handle flights from Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand and Hong Kong, he added. For me, I believe Air Asia is the best airline that have been pursued by the Melaka Goverment instead of other airlines companies in Malaysia. The true concept of producing low fares to everyone is making the Melaka Goverment to believe Air Asia is the right airline to promote tourism to Melaka by encouraging all tourist from all around the world including London and also Australia. The expectation of inaugural from LCCT Terminal from Sepang to Melaka will be around end of this year. An low budget airline had conqured most of the domestic flights in Malaysia and hopes more will enjoy and be happy with Air Asia who makes people's dream to fly in an aeroplane to any part of the world....


Bon Voyage and meet you all in my next post.