SEPANG – Anthony Loke says that airlines should increase the number of flights, especially during holidays, to make sure that plane tickets are affordable

The Minister of Transport said that if airlines increased the number of flights, supply and demand would reach a balance and dynamic pricing would go down.

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

At the moment, Sabah and Sarawak airports are open every day until about 11 p.m.

“One of the things that bothers people is the price of plane tickets, especially for people who need to go to Sabah and Sarawak during the holidays,” he told reporters yesterday after a work trip to the Kuala Lumpur Air Traffic Control Centre.

Loke said that CAAM had promised to keep its doors open longer a week before and a week after the Chinese New Year, as well as during other celebrations.

With this, he said, airlines should have no more reasons not to increase the number of flights.

“We would also keep an eye on airlines that often have flight delays,” he said.

Loke also said that the aviation industry would get a much-needed boost when the Standard Departure Routes and Standard Landing Routes system is put into place at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport and KLIA 2 on May 18, 2019. This is when flights are expected to be cut by 18 to 22 minutes.

He also said that airlines that use KLIA could save up to RM500 million per year on fuel because of shorter flight times and better use of the airport’s maximum landing and takeoff capacity of 108 planes per hour.

“This is a huge way for airlines to save money. It will not only help the aviation industry, but it will also cut down on carbon emissions and help slow down climate change, he said.