Best Airports 2009

[xaviers]

Best Airports 2009 (http://www.aci.aero/cda/aci_common/display/main/aci_content07_banners.jsp?zn=aci&cp=1-7-46^35015_725_2__)

Just thought I'll share. Looks like tak berapa bagus la

[mykern]

Being in the top 5 of the mid size range airports is 'tak berapa bagus" for a small country like M'sia?

[Sentinel]

As long as I don't get my baggaga misplaced, missing or ransacked and as long as I don't bump into a foreign illegal hiding in some corridors when strolling around the airport, thats good enough.

Just maintain the place and have clean toilets... let Singapore win, afterall we can never compete with anyone of them anymore, not even Beijing Airport! Lets not kid ourself... we are not competitive anymore and we do not belong to the same league anymore...

[USJ27Resident]

IMHO!... for as long as the dumb monopoly of airport taxi (so-called LIMO) services exist.... the KLIA will never be the best rated airport in the world...

why can't it be run like Singapore or like HongKong.... you guess is as good as mine... VESTED INTEREST!

the irony of it, the newly rated 5-15mil TOP AIRPORT (HYD RAJIV GANDHI INT'L) is partly built/run/managed by Malaysia Airports Consultancy Services (sub of MAHB).... now why is that !!! ??? :confused:

Sentinel - fact is, KLIA IS one of the best airports in the world.... all it needs is to kick out those cronies and cohorts...(i would know :p ) and mebbe then, insyallah.... things would change !

[Sentinel]

Agree USJ27Resident. If they discard the present taxi service, then taxi fares to the airport would be halved as taxis can pick up passengers on their way back from airport, no need to charge us passengers. Wonder which political warlord is holding the rights to operate these airport limos?

[Erino]

ya "booo" to the cronies tat manage the airport, really "jatuh air muka sendiri" :D

[tupai]

If you had travelled the world's airports...u will without tutup 1mata, say klia is about the top 1-3BEST looking airport.

In my books, klia is the #1 airport. #1 as in the most ghost town looking per arrival. KLIA looks so deserted for such a 5* premise...

I heard from a few lil' birds that we, as desperadoes, are literally giving away freebies, discounted parking, fuel subsidies etcetc to get the foreign airlines to land in kl...From a business standing, its Pathetic tapi benar.

My main bitch? Y is is that even with regular (from the log sheet hanging beside the door) attendance (cheap foreign labor) , the toilets are wet, smelly and do not look clean? Sint there a toilet superviser from mab looking into this?

Yang Banyak pissin' diklia latotupai

p/s The fact is that klia is sandwichjed between BKK & Sin...so what hope do we have to be the regional hub?? TIME mag wrote about klia (??years ago?) that m'sia might just as well build XXBillion$$$ airport in Ulan Bator, if we had so confidently believe that by having such an expensive 5* airport WILL automatically draw in the planes...boy! I HATE to admit it, but TIME is spot on. :o

[Tong]

I am "lucky" to have visited a lot of airports .. and KLIA is one of my favourites anyway.. easy/cheap parking & drop-off .. good facilities quick to get through formalities and easy to negotiate to the gates. I can be at the gate in less than 1-1/2 hours after leaving my house in Kota Kemuning Never had a problem with the toilets Tupai .. you should see them in Heathrow .. so bad I once took photos and sent them to the press.(didn't publish them though the miserable bar stewards :mad: :mad: )
it is unfortunate that LCCT is not near as good but you pays your money and takes your choice I would say Singapore is a good second in my book. and heathrow the very worst.

Just come back from Chengdu where the airside has only one small cafe to serve all .. we ordered food and half of it arrived just as our flight was boarding so wifey had only one (free) mouthful of noodles and we had to leave!!

such is life.
:) :)

[USJ27Resident]

Tupai... I understand your gripes... like I said - TOO MANY VESTED interest in this GOLDMINE called KLIA... even the parking fees are exhorbitantly expensive, like RM130+ just for 3 days... (Your car but Parked at your own risk :eek: ... nonsense!)

[clfoo]

IMHO!... for as long as the dumb monopoly of airport taxi (so-called LIMO) services exist.... the KLIA will never be the best rated airport in the world...

why can't it be run like Singapore or like HongKong.... you guess is as good as mine... VESTED INTEREST!

the irony of it, the newly rated 5-15mil TOP AIRPORT (HYD RAJIV GANDHI INT'L) is partly built/run/managed by Malaysia Airports Consultancy Services (sub of MAHB).... now why is that !!! ??? :confused:

Sentinel - fact is, KLIA IS one of the best airports in the world.... all it needs is to kick out those cronies and cohorts...(i would know :p ) and mebbe then, insyallah.... things would change !

spot on.
as a car producing country, with lowest fuel cost and lower labor cost, yet the taxi fare can be as high or higher than airasia fare. go figure.

[ng]

spot on.
as a car producing country, with lowest fuel cost and lower labor cost, yet the taxi fare can be as high or higher than airasia fare. go figure.

Yes, the taxi fare is the highest when compared with the average income.

In bangkok, it costs only 50 ringgit to get to town center. In chiangmai, only 10 ringgit.

Even our so-called KLIA transit/express is way too expensive and should be reduced to rm 10 per trip. After all, if a bus from LCCT to KL sentral only cost rm 10, why not a train ?

Somebody should write a letter to the press.

[CS Chua]

Agree USJ27Resident. If they discard the present taxi service, then taxi fares to the airport would be halved as taxis can pick up passengers on their way back from airport, no need to charge us passengers. Wonder which political warlord is holding the rights to operate these airport limos?
He is living in Penang. Very near to where you are. :p

[CS Chua]

To be fair, the taxi fare at KLIA was reasonable until the last hike a few months ago. KLIA decided to use LCCT's zoning system. So, Kota Kemuning moves up from Zone 4 to Zone 5 like every zone. That is an additional RM15 +-. Airports are like 2nd homes to me so to me KLIA taxi fares are not too bad. You cannot compare to Singapore because Changi Airport is nearer to the city than KLIA. KLIA is darn far. Even if you want to use Changi Airport for comparison, I paid S$20.00 from Changi to Chinatown - a journey of about 20 minutes - about $48.00 From KLIA to SS14, I used to pay RM48.00 but that is 40 minutes and use a fast highway - twice the distance of Changi to Chinatown. So, taxi fares compare to Singapore is cheaper.

However, with the recent hike, a Premium taxi to Kota Kemuning now costs RM101.00. My traveling budget has certainly taken a hit. My main gripe about KLIA is their overnight parking facilities. They are too darn expensive. If they can lower it to RM20.00 a night and provide good security, it will be very good.

[patrick]

Yes, the taxi fare is the highest when compared with the average income.

In bangkok, it costs only 50 ringgit to get to town center. In chiangmai, only 10 ringgit.


In Chiengmai, if you have a group of more than 5 pax, get a van for only RM50. Average out to less than RM10 per pax!! ;-)

[Sentinel]

He is living in Penang. Very near to where you are. :pHe lives across on the mainland actually, in Bukit Mertajam, but he has a holiday home a few houses from ours. He only comes about once or twice during the year - minus his bow tie lah...

[spongebob]

IMHO!... for as long as the dumb monopoly of airport taxi (so-called LIMO) services exist.... the KLIA will never be the best rated airport in the world...

why can't it be run like Singapore or like HongKong.... you guess is as good as mine... VESTED INTEREST!



VESTED INTEREST! Spot on!!!

My heart goes out to the cabbies who are genuinely trying very very hard to make ends meet by ferrying their regulars to/from KLIA and occasionally pickup passengers from the arrival terminal. This all now is not possible as the authorities have setup 247 roadblock off the arrival terminal, waiting to pounce on any cabs with passengers leaving the arrival terminal.

As a regular road-warrior, I am now resorting waiting in long queues to take the airport limos (albeit the budget version) to go home. Based on my understanding, the airport limos are not allowed to pickup passengers from town but now the limo drivers are blatantly canvassing for round-trip businesses by practically shoving their calling cards in your face as soon as you get into the vehicle. It will only be a matter of time before good honest cabbies like my regular will be put out of business ... ;(

Mrs Spongebob

[Sentinel]

The problem with the cab servicing the KLIA and even Penang Airport is simple... get rid of the monopoly taxi / limo cabs and open up the business to all. Whoever is hardworking and willing to wait, will get the business. Passengers also get better service and lower fares.

But do you think our government can take this political decision? I don't think so. Looking after their cronies is more important than looking after the average Joe Public...

If you are still not registered as a voter or thinking of not even voting this coming general elections, then God help us.... :mad:

[chewie]

cronies will always be there no matter what. what else can be done? we cant do anything. there are so many airport taxi, no matter is KLIA or LCCT. They have to queue for hours to reach their turn. imagine that they are queuing for 4 hours and once reach their turn, the passenger only wants to go to somewhere nearby which is about rm50 in fare and the taxi driver only get about rm45. so do you think is worth it? some even have to queue over night just to meet end needs....

i dont think the government will change the system overnight. look at the amount of taxi limo at klia or even at lcct. look at the queue.... even now when i need to go to lcct, i will take the rm8 bus from kl sentral...or maybe get a friend to send me...

in Kota kinabalu, the taxi is all flat fare. RM20 to town which is 15 mins away only.... and from town, any taxi will take u to airport for rm20 to rm25.... there is even bus service to airport which is every 30 mins...

to me, even how advance or how good the airport is, the taxi service still counts... even if passenger takes the express rail, and reach kl sentral, the taxi there also still the same, using coupon system and still expensive for a 10 min ride ....

[USJ27Resident]

VESTED INTEREST! Spot on!!!

My heart goes out to the cabbies who are genuinely trying very very hard to make ends meet by ferrying their regulars to/from KLIA and occasionally pickup passengers from the arrival terminal. This all now is not possible as the authorities have setup 247 roadblock off the arrival terminal..... ;(

Mrs Spongebob

Mrs SpongeBob>> just for your information - these limos are actually "rented" to the drivers @ RM155 per day - regardless if the taxi is 'on the road' or otherwise. Fuel and maintainence has to be borne by the driver... and this is where you and I shud start wondering... if the drivers would have skimped on parts and maintainence, to pay for their "daily rentals"....

Now we have the JPJ fellas parked at the converging lanes, waiting to nab unauthorised taxis... :rolleyes: which makes me wanna laugh my head off, as the unlicensed ones (the ones that are usually dressed as tourism 'ófficials' with bushjackets and IDs hanging) are now using private cars & MPVs to pick up unsuspecting passengers...

In the end, our KLIA would probably end up at the bottom of the heap - not because of worn out facilities but because of other factors - like transportation ripoffs to pilfered baggages...

oh - by the way (if you wanna know), baggage handling for most, if not all airlines - is now outsourced by KLIA to an external contractor....


But do you think our government can take this political decision? I don't think so. Looking after their cronies is more important than looking after the average Joe Public...

If you are still not registered as a voter or thinking of not even voting this coming general elections, then God help us.... :mad:

Cronies would help themselves... and God help us - cos' things won't change if people are still not bothered to vote and help change ... :rolleyes:

[fRaNkY]

Same as Miri,Sibu and Kuching... RM20-RM35 for a 15mins ride... but that is via the counter at the airport...

RM10 to anyplace within the city 5mins... what to do? Cant walk that far and cheaper than renting a car for a day.. at least got receipt for me to claim from company... :)

While travelling, I heard from my MAS friend that the thiefs that steal from the luggage at a certain airport is not from M** but from M**, as they scan the bags and know whats the content to alert the bag handlers... they were caught....

Thus, now you have services for wrapping the luggage with films of plastic.. like veggies... so if cut can immediately alert...

[Sentinel]

cronies will always be there no matter what. what else can be done? we cant do anything. there are so many airport taxi, no matter is KLIA or LCCT. They have to queue for hours to reach their turn. imagine that they are queuing for 4 hours and once reach their turn, the passenger only wants to go to somewhere nearby which is about rm50 in fare and the taxi driver only get about rm45. so do you think is worth it? some even have to queue over night just to meet end needs....

i dont think the government will change the system overnight. look at the amount of taxi limo at klia or even at lcct. look at the queue.... even now when i need to go to lcct, i will take the rm8 bus from kl sentral...or maybe get a friend to send me...

in Kota kinabalu, the taxi is all flat fare. RM20 to town which is 15 mins away only.... and from town, any taxi will take u to airport for rm20 to rm25.... there is even bus service to airport which is every 30 mins...

to me, even how advance or how good the airport is, the taxi service still counts... even if passenger takes the express rail, and reach kl sentral, the taxi there also still the same, using coupon system and still expensive for a 10 min ride ....C'monlah Chewie, get rid of the airport taxis and airport limos and let all taxis ply the route and sooner than you think, the whole system will self-regulate. Just look at the taxis in Singapore Changi and you will know what I mean.

[chewie]

yup sentinel... been to SG and took the taxi from the airport...and KLIA taxi service is way way behind them...

[shthang]

in my view, i hate to say that malaysia's taxi service is one of the worst in the world...refuse to use meter, pick and select destinations/passengers, reckless driving, etc. Many of my expat friends told me the same and this really affected the image of 'truly asia'.

http://www.adventuretoes.com/stay-away-from-the-worlds-worst-taxi-rides/

if the airport is opening up to all cabs like in Spore or HK, the taxi fare will come down but not sure the taxi service will get better or worse :confused: . to me, the root causes of poor taxi service in bolehland is due to poor enforcement, lack of good governance/management and this problem is exacerbated with corruption, cronyism, etc. :mad:

i hope i can witness good, courteous and sustainable taxi service in bolehland within my lifetime....perhaps after next GE.... ;)

[Sentinel]

Shthang, I was at the Shangri-la Hotel about a few days before CNY for a dinner meeting. Not wanting to be caught in the pre-festive traffic, I took a cab from The Summit USJ where I was staying. I couldn't get a cab from the Summit unless I am willing to pay RM45 to the hotel Shangri-la. As I was running late, I had no choice but to agree to the fare.

At Shangri-la, about 10 taxis came and dropped passengers off at the foyer but yet not a single cab was willing to take me back to The Summit. All kind of excuses - jauhlah, tukar shiftlah, traffic jamlah... all kind of bull.

Imagine as a tourist, what kind of impression that has left on you? So, Dato Nazri was right, cab drivers are worst than prostitutes! (Coming from one who is ALLEGEDLY owner of 6,000 taxi permits... thats a bold statement!) :D

[USJ27Resident]

i hope i can witness good, courteous and sustainable taxi service in bolehland within my lifetime....perhaps after next GE.... ;)

Depends... if PKR keeps taking and fielding ex-BN/UMNO veterans that were dumped as BN Candidates... then God help us, again!! :eek: :rolleyes:

[CS Chua]

I think the gripes about KLIA taxi giving poor service is not justified. One cannot compare the KLIA Limo service to the taxi industry in KL. The taxi service generally in KL is one of the worse in the world, that I can vouch for. Once, I was in Kathmandu and due to a strike, every car was limited to 5 liters of petrol only. Despite that, our taxi driver DID NOT increase his fares. He only grumbled that he has to queue up again to get his 5 liters.

I have used the KLIA Limo services, to and fro, for many years. In spite of many skepticism and sarcasticism in this forum, they have not failed me once. Of course, if the taxi does not turn up, he is fined RM200.00 (or has it increased?) and that helps to maintain discipline. At the end of the day, I do get good and reliable services. My main grouse is the waiting time for the budget taxi during peak hours - which is why I no longer take budget taxi. I just buy Premium taxi and hop into one right away.

I am agreeable with shthang, that opening up the KLIA to city cabs may bring worse problems. Their taxis are too small and dirty with uncivilized drivers looking to fleece every passenger. These city cabs will be charging innocent passengers from KLIA in US dollars or euro, if they have half a chance.

What we need is competition in KLIA. Increase the number of buses to more places like USJ, SJ, Puchong, Klang, PJ etc. Add in another 2 limo operators. That should perk things up a bit.

[USJ27Resident]

Add in another 2 limo operators. That should perk things up a bit.

Yup.... and the drivers that queue up for passengers, would end up borrowing money from Ah Chong Inc. ... errr, I meant Ah Long Inc. - to pay for their taxi rentals... Come May 1st and you'd see more of these fellas [literally] go underground - due to the impending fuel price hikes !! :rolleyes:

Do you know that these fellas are required to come up with 4-figure deposits as collateral - BEFORE they can become "limo" drivers.... which in actual fact the deposits are forfeited, shud they decide to leave driving their "limos"...

Do you know that "every" coupon you buy - the consessionaire also takes a portion off the coupon price as well...

I have seen drivers do 18 hrs stretch/waits - just to cover their daily rentals... :(

[chewie]

airport taxi driver need to do at least 2 or 3 trip just to cover their rental.....

[fRaNkY]

airport taxi driver need to do at least 2 or 3 trip just to cover their rental.....

They can make at least 5 trips a day according to one I spoke to recently

[CS Chua]

Yes, they need to make 4 or 5 trips everyday to cover their initial rental. But since they are able to fetch passengers to KLIA, their incomes have improved tremendously. I paid about RM100.00 a trip from Kota Kemuning. Since they use NGV, they use only about 6 or 7 liter of gas which is less than RM5 per trip. Add in the RM2.00 for toll, their immediate cost is around RM7.00 per trip.

So, after they have paid off their rental, they stand to make handsome profit, right? For the hard working drivers, they can make 8 trips easily a day - to and fro with passengers. So, do your maths.

[starrnorth88]

Let the normal taxi pick up passengers at the airports. Prepare special lanes for them so that they have to line up to wait their turn to pick up the pasengers. Also set up exit booths so they pay a fees for picking up the passengers. No one is allow to hassle the passenger inside the airport terminal. Passenger just walk out to the the taxi lane and take the first taxi in line. No taxi in the queue can refuse to take passenger. The moment there is some haggling, this taxi is ask to leave and line up from behind again.