By: Rosli Mansor Ahmad Razali
Photo: Bernama
IPOH – The Perak state government plans to hold discussions with AirAsia to ensure the continuation of the Ipoh-Singapore flight route, following the airline’s decision to suspend operations on April 25.
State Infrastructure, Energy, Water and Public Transport Committee chairman Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin said the meeting is crucial to gaining further clarification on the decision and exploring solutions to maintain the service.
He noted that compared to Singapore’s Scoot airline, which operates four weekly flights to Ipoh with consistently high passenger demand, AirAsia’s flights have also seen strong occupancy.
“There may be other factors behind this decision, so we want to engage with AirAsia to understand the real reasons. As it stands, the only remaining international route from Ipoh is to Senai International Airport in Johor.
“If the reasons behind the suspension can be identified, the state government is prepared to assist in ensuring the continuation of the Singapore-Ipoh route. This discussion will be led by the Perak State Executive Councillor for Tourism, Industry, Investment and Corridor Development, Loh Sze Yee,” he said.
He made the remarks after officiating the ‘Drive Safely, Stay Safe This Aidilfitri’ campaign at AEON Big Falim here yesterday.
Earlier, AirAsia announced that it would be suspending 17 flight routes, including Ipoh-Singapore, which has been operating via Sultan Azlan Shah Airport (LTSAS) since December 2018, as part of the airline’s efforts to review and streamline its operations.
The state government, however, hopes AirAsia will reconsider its decision and retain the route, given its significance to Perak’s tourism sector and economic growth.
