June 5, 2023
Event / Melaka

Air Asia will be coming to town…

asmalianaby asmaliana


air-asia-to-melaka.jpg

Batu Berendam International Airport Melaka (LTBB) will be a new hub for Low Cost Flight company Air Asia. The opening is expected on 8 December 2008 and Air Asia will do their first Inaugural Flight to 4 international destination and 2 domestic route from LTBB. 2 domestic route are 1) Melaka – Penang, 2) Melaka – Langkawi and for international route are 1) Padang, 2) Palembang, 3) Pekan Baru dan Medan.

Melaka CM has discussed with Air Asia Chairman Datuk Aziz Bakar and its CEO Datuk Tony Fernandez and they have agreed to start operation in 8 December with Boeing 737. After work to lengthen the runway another 400 meter finished, Air Asia will use Airbus 320. The move to make LTBB as a hub for Air Asia will boost Health Tourism Industry as many of Indonesian like to visit Melaka for medical attention as Melaka have state of the art medical facilities with it’s 3 private hospital but the price remain cheap compares to other state in Malaysia.

Melaka targeting about 500,000 people will use this facilities for 5 years operation and Melaka State Government will strive in order to to make LTBB as a Terminal for Low Cost flight or LCCT (Low Cost Carrier Terminal) and all the community will get benefit. For the locals, no need to go to Sepang International Airport just to go to Langkawai for vacation.

asmaliana

Hi, I'am Asmaliana, I work at Tourism Melaka. I love my state, Melaka, the world heritage city by UNESCO.

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48 thoughts on “Air Asia will be coming to town…”

  1. Having learnt the tentative routes to be flown by AirAsia from Melaka, I am wondering if there are any plans to fly to Hong Kong! It will also be an interesting move to connect Macau with Melaka as these were former Portuguese colonies and it will then complete partially the historical tapestry of the Portuguese in the East. Of course, connecting Goa in India will give even a fuller picture !However, airlines usually work on the basis of profits and not sentimentality ! With this last sentence, I will end my dreams !

  2. Yup Doc Macau and Melaka is like a twin cities although Melaka have not yet do the twin cities convention with Macau. Doc, Air Asia now I think already have route to Hong Kong but through KLIA (LCCT), like you said doc, airlines must go on profit first.

  3. Thank you for your rather prompt reply ! You are correct… Air Asia does have flights from HK to KLIA. However, I am keen to see it operate from HK to Melaka. Will be a potential client if the latter route comes on line.

  4. Thanks for the updates. Like Dr Mah, I have been keenly following the developments. Mostly I would like to have the option of flying from KLIA to Melaka. However, it appears that that’s not the works just yet. Any chance of this happening? In part, this would make travelling for me much easier each time I come home.
    BTW, any chance of getting some pics of the airport?

  5. Hi Dr. Goh,

    The tentative is in early December. I will post some pic of the newly develop LTBB runway after this becoz just on the way to my office. Here some reading about the Air Asia coming to Melaka.

    http://malaysiahotelnews.blogspot.com/2008/08/airasia-to-start-operation-in-melakas.html
    http://www.bernama.com.my/bernama/v3/news_lite.php?id=352490
    http://developing8.org/page/news/19/8/2008/malaysian_air_asia_facilitates_health_tourism_with_lowcost_carrier_business

  6. Yes ! Some pics of the new runway, passenger terminal, control tower and the surrounding environment will
    be very interesting and give a perspective of how things are going with the upgrading ! Did the builders
    manage to preserve the old control tower that has so much historical significance ? Incidentally, my dad
    had a hand in the building of the old runway during the Japanese occupation …manually carrying rocks to
    re-enforce the tarmac. I am quite sure many Malacca old-timers will remember being conscripted to do that
    chore. Will be interesting be able to hear from them re their experiences and their opinions of our
    spanking new airport ! Melaka has come a long way ,baby !

  7. Wow doc, I don’t know the Airport have history from the Japanese occupation in Malaya. You sound like my father doc. This is new for me. I must find it more from my friends at Museum dept. Thanks for the info doc.

  8. Hi, asmaliana, where can i view the current upgrading airport photos? can you share the link??? Thanks a lot.

  10. Hi asmaliana,

    Look forward to your photos. Do you have any news when will Airasia starting their operation at Batu berendam airport, will still maintain on 8 December?

  11. By looking at the construction at the airport, is like 90% completed. As for now the tentative is still around December and the state government not making any announcement yet. Will updates if any…

  12. 8 dec 2008 is approaching, i don’t think the airport will get ready for operation on that day. Any latest update especially photo from asmaliana?

  13. Just snap the photos few weeks ago using my hp. I can’t tell when it will be completed. Bu I can see the work in progress there…


    The Tower

    Lane on the Right

    Construction side

  14. Judging from your photos,the airport still looks like a huge chunk of construction mess ! Doubt any flights can be inaugurated on time !
    Still, I am happy that good old Malacca is entering the jet age at last !

  22. asmaliana,
    You said: “Can’t say much..but this year for sure…”
    is a good guess anyone can make.

    The Malacca state govt and Airasia should tell the public what happen to the “The opening
    is expected on 8 December 2008” now that it’s 3 months past the opening date!

  23. Asmaliana,
    Being the R&D Manager with Tourism Promotion Unit, Melaka Chief Minister’s Department makes you in my opinion as a senior govt official who would have a first hand information to the many questions asked regarding the reasons why ” The opening on 8 December 2008?and did not take place or if the plan has been deffered and to what date.

    Being the R&D Manager with Melaka Tourism Promotion Unit you’ll will need to know first hand the important informations so that people in the tourism business and the public can get the necessary informations from you.

  24. Hi Limht,

    Nooolah, at my rank, I will not get all the first hand infos about the infrastructure & development. There is another unit call State EPU that handles project. I also read from the local news. But in terms of updated event, promotion and latest statistics that is my job. But I will help others about Melaka State Infos as best as I can…

  26. Asmaliana,

    Thanks for yr reply.

    I wonder why the State EPU is keeping quiet esp when it’s more than 3 months past the opening date. Don’t they have a public relation department that updates the progress of the project for the public?

    Do you think you can get some infor from the State EPU, even if it’s some unofficial but reliable infor for update.

  37. In about a month, the PM will be officially declaring open the Malacca International Airport. Things do not seem to be going strong re the advertising of flights to and from the airport. Airlines calling at the place are unknown . Somehow, it is all a very hush-hush affair ! Maybe you can enlighten us on anything about the airport as of late.

  39. i agree if Malacca becomes AA hub as as you see, large percentage of tourists in Malacca are actually came from KLIA. to tour Malacca they had to take a haphazard route like this; Hong Kong-KLIA-Melaka-KLIA-Hong Kong. If AA open new hub in Melaka, The journey is slashed half like this; Hong Kong – Melaka – Hong Kong without having them to go through busy airport like KLIA.

    For charter flight, I believe that Melaka International Airport has a capability to handle Haj Flight Melaka-Madinah or Melaka-Jeddah

    Other profitable routes for AA includes;
    Melaka-Jakarta,
    Melaka-Surabaya,
    Melaka-Medan,
    Melaka-Brunei,
    Melaka-Bangkok,
    Melaka-Kuching,
    Melaka-KK,
    Melaka-Manila
    Melaka-Singapore
    Melaka-Langkawi
    Melaka-Tioman
    Melaka-Penang

  43. hello how are u ,from melaka people ,i so headed la mlk airport still heaven running for air asia very slow .pls any people msg tu Datuk Mohd Ali Rustam ,make sure can start on this years
    31 ogos 2010 .sure many tourism coming and sure very good economy.i hope melaka can good futures on this years ,for my opinion if this airport can make it like klia sure very very good……….i feel tired nex times msg here again bye bye all melaka people .

  44. haha…stop dreaming…owh its AA…they r not interested with Malacca keeps nego here and there..look at Ipoh few years ago when AA took over MAS KUL-IPH-KUL…now wht happen? no single flight from KUL-IPH…haha…dats a game of business…today they say “owh we will fly then” suddenly tomorrow discontinue the flight as they wish just like that…hoho…at the end when no load returns back to MAS same goes with FAX n MASWings case in sabah n srwk…wht a game from AA..its over…

  46. Asmaliana,

    You posted on 26 August 2008-
    The opening is expected on 8 December 2008 and Air Asia will do their first Inaugural Flight to 4 international destination and 2 domestic route from LTBB. 2 domestic route are 1) Melaka – Penang, 2) Melaka – Langkawi and for international route are 1) Padang, 2) Palembang, 3) Pekan Baru dan Medan.

    When is Airasia coming to Malacca after close to RM200 Millions being spent on the airport???

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