Written/Compiled and Reported by Wei Ruyi
Due to the increase in airport taxes by Malaysian airports, starting from December this year, AirAsia international flights will be subject to new airport tax fees. AirAsia announced that, as a result of Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad (MAHB) raising the Passenger Service Charge (PSC) for all international flights at Malaysian airports, starting December 1, 2011, all passengers departing from Malaysia on AirAsia international flights will be required to pay the increased new airport tax fees.
AirAsia has long benefited travelers with its low-cost fares. (Photo provided by AirAsia)
AirAsia Chairman Dato’ Aziz Bakar said: “As a loyal supporter of low-cost airlines, we believe whether airport taxes should be increased depends on whether the airport itself provides passengers with truly excellent services and facilities. And currently, several major Malaysian international airports are definitely not up to the required standards: for instance, check-in counters are not spacious enough, parking spaces are clearly insufficient, toilet conditions are poor, the cleanliness of various facilities is not assured, and there are also safety concerns. These do not justify such high airport taxes. In addition, many friends from Kuching and Langkawi have repeatedly expressed hopes for more international routes to be added, but we may not be able to meet their needs now, because the increase in airport taxes will reduce travel demand in those areas. Especially as some airports have raised their airport taxes to RM65 (about NT$650), which is almost half the price of our international tickets. This will undoubtedly significantly reduce people’s interest in travel and will also have a serious impact on the entire tourism industry.”
AirAsia currently operates around 165 routes, covering Asia, Australia, and Europe. (Photo provided by AirAsia)
| Airport Name and Code | Original Airport Tax Price | New Airport Tax Price |
| Langkawi International Airport LGK | About NT$510 | About NT$650 |
| Penang International Airport PEN | About NT$510 | About NT$650 |
| Kuching International Airport KCH | About NT$510 | About NT$650 |
| Kota Kinabalu International Airport (Terminal 2) BKI | About NT$250 | About NT$320 |
| Kuala Lumpur International Airport Low-Cost Carrier Terminal KUL | About NT$250 | About NT$320 |