MALAYSIA - Johor government opposes budget airlines flights between Singapore and Malaysia

eTN Asia, 9-111-2006

Expressing its concern over the issue of liberalizing air routes between Singapore and Malaysia, the Johor state government is against a proposal to let budget airlines - AirAsia and Tiger Airways - operate direct flights between the neighboring countries.
Johor Tourism and Environment Committee chairman Freddie Long said travelers from Singapore who wanted to visit Sabah and Sarawak would bypass Senai Airport in Johor, and feared they would opt to fly on Tiger Airways to Kuala Lumpur for AirAsia connecting flights to East Malaysia.
Malaysian daily, The Star, quoted Long as saying between 60 and 65 percent of the tourist arrivals registered last year entered through Johor. According to the Immigration department’s records for year 2005, 60-65 percent of the 16.7 million tourists to Malaysia, enter through Johor.

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