Calls for reforms to Malaysian airport charges framework to be finalised

Airports Council International (ACI) Asia-Pacific has announced that it considers it a matter of urgency that the reforms being made to the Malaysian aeronautical charges regulatory framework must be finalised.

In order to provide a stable perspective to the airport operator, who intends to incur significant infrastructure investments in the near future, ACI Asia-Pacific are insisting that the reforms need to be finalised promptly.

Patti Chau, Regional Director of ACI Asia-Pacific, said: “Airports today are sophisticated, business-oriented service providers. Any regulatory intervention should be proportionate to the need of all relevant stakeholders. As the industry body representing the region’s airports, we advocate for the airport operator’s interests to be duly recognised. What is needed is a stable, consistent and proportionate economic oversight framework which facilitates timely investment in airport capacity.”

Praising the Malaysian Aviation Commission-led transparent consultation process, ACI-Asia Pacific anticipates the framework model will provide incentives for interested parties to make infrastructure investments that are aligned with government objectives.

In response to earlier consultations with the Malaysian Aviation Commission, ACI Asia-Pacific emphasised the importance of tailoring the new regulatory framework to the needs of the country, the aviation stakeholders and the communities they serve. An issue specifically raised was that the competitiveness of airports should be measured not only by level of charges, but also by quality of customer service – any charging scheme should ensure recovery of all costs at the airport network level whilst still providing for long-term economic sustainability.