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Inspiration<br />
WHAT WOULD BE<br />
MALAYSIA AIRPORT'S<br />
PLANS WITH REGARDS TO<br />
SGIA'S GROWTH?<br />
Dato' Azmi Murad: Once the second<br />
runway is completed, aircraft movements<br />
are expected to double. But at present,<br />
the growth in passenger movements will<br />
be slightly less than what was achieved<br />
last year due to current constraints on<br />
runway capacity due to the ongoing<br />
construction works, which will see some<br />
scheduled closures of aircraft operations.<br />
We are currently in talks with several<br />
airlines in an effort to attract them to<br />
operate at SGIA. Last year, Emirates has<br />
started offering daily flights from Dubai<br />
to SGIA, and we are expecting another<br />
Middle Eastern carrier to begin its<br />
operation by mid 2016 as well. Some<br />
airlines have also begun to increase their<br />
flight frequencies such as Qatar Airways<br />
for its Doha-Istanbul route. Turkey’s<br />
national carrier, Turkish Airlines,<br />
meanwhile plans to place more aircraft<br />
at SGIA, introduce new destinations<br />
(domestic and international) and increase<br />
its flight frequency as well.<br />
We are also doing quite well in our nonaeronautical<br />
businesses, especially the<br />
128-room ISG Airport Hotel, which<br />
recorded more than 80 per cent<br />
occupancy rate over the last few months.<br />
In light of this, we will be implementing<br />
several initiatives to further benefit<br />
travellers from around the world.<br />
Beginning from the retail side, we hope<br />
to showcase more of Malaysian products<br />
at SGIA. These can be local handicrafts,<br />
food and beverage.<br />
Hopefully by the first quarter of this year,<br />
there will be advertisements to promote<br />
Malaysian destinations. We also hope<br />
to create opportunities for Malaysia’s<br />
SMEs to market their products in Turkey.<br />
This is a good business prospect because<br />
there are no Malaysian companies<br />
operating at SGIA terminal thus far. I<br />
hope to discuss with the relevant<br />
agencies, both in Turkey and Malaysia,<br />
to help us realise this goal.<br />
IS THIS EXPECTED TO<br />
INCREASE THE<br />
CONTRIBUTION OF NON-<br />
AERONAUTICAL SEGMENT<br />
TO MALAYSIA AIRPORTS AS<br />
A WHOLE?<br />
Dato' Azmi Murad: Of course, the nonaeronautical<br />
businesses itself is currently<br />
contributing more than 50 per cent of<br />
the group’s revenue. We hope that the<br />
plans for SGIA will make a positive<br />
contribution to our non-aeronautical<br />
segment in the near future.<br />
How do you find the<br />
experience of working<br />
in Turkey?<br />
Dato' Azmi Murad: To be honest, I am<br />
proud to see Malaysia’s name in the<br />
international arena, not to mention<br />
Malaysia Airports being the only<br />
company from Asia that is managing an<br />
European airport. We appreciate all the<br />
support we received from the Turkish<br />
government and its people; they have<br />
given us a positive experience indeed.<br />
It is quite an experience to work with the<br />
local community in Turkey. There are times<br />
when I do not understand their language<br />
but then again, I have also inadvertently<br />
communicated in Bahasa Malaysia.<br />
We are actually planning to bring SGIA<br />
employees into Malaysia and vice versa<br />
to give them an idea of how airport<br />
management is done in a different<br />
country. The exchange programme will<br />
hopefully be implemented in the first<br />
quarter of this year.<br />
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