Increase flights to keep fares affordable, Transport Minister tells airlines

SEPANG: Airline companies have been told to increase flight frequencies especially during festive seasons to ensure that flight tickets are affordable.

Transport Minister Anthony Loke said if airline companies increased the number of flights, supply and demand would reach an equilibrium and reduce dynamic pricing.

He said the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM) had also given their commitment to extend operating hours for airports and air traffic control towers especially in Sabah and Sarawak to support the increase.

Airports in Sabah and Sarawak currently operate until about 11pm daily.

“One of the issues the public had always expressed dissatisfaction on is flight ticket pricing, especially those who need to fly to Sabah and Sarawak during festive seasons,” he said to the media after his working visit to Kuala Lumpur Air Traffic Control Centre, here, on Monday (Dec 12).

Loke said CAAM given their commitment that extended operation hours would start a week before the Chinese New Year and the week after celebrations – as well as during other festivals.

He said with this, airline companies no longer any excuse not to increase flights.

On another matter, Loke said he would be monitoring airline companies who regularly delay their flights.