SEPANG, 21 FEBRUARY, 2012: Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) will provide RM70 million for the airlines incentive program this year for existing and new airlines, its chief financial officer Faizal Mansor said today.

"Like a lot of airports out there, they continue to find ways and means to reward airlines that gives growth. We want such incentives to remain.

"We want to incentivize airlines that can bring us more passengers," he told reporters after announcing the company's financial results ended Dec 31, 2011 today.

Faizal said MAHB was targeting five to six new airlines to fly to Malaysia every year.

"This year, Air Koryo, Air Egypt, Transaero and Lion Air are among the airlines that will be flying to Malaysia," he said.

Currently, 60 airlines are operating at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA).

Asked whether Australia's Qantas and British Airlines would resume operations at KLIA, Faizal said MAHB remained optimistic on the two airlines to come back.

"We've always been liaising with these two airlines. As you know they used to operate in Malaysia back in early 2000 and we remain optimistic that there will come back."

"The positive news that will back up the optimism is of course the cordial relationship that is prevailing right now. This will further help in our discussions in attracting the two airlines to come back to KLIA," he added.

The airport operator registered a higher pre-tax profit of RM574.138 million for the financial year ended Dec 31, 2011 against RM474.964 million chalked up in 2010.

Its revenue rose 11.6 per cent to RM2.754 billion from RM2.468 billion.


- Bernama