And, to end the year on a positive note, Transaero Airlines, Russia’s second largest airline, made its maiden landing at KL International Airport (KLIA) today.

Transaero, the sole airline from Russia to operate into Kuala Lumpur, operates one weekly flight every Saturday from Moscow and Kuala Lumpur and vice versa, using a Boeing 763 aircraft with 255 seat configuration, said Malaysia Airports in a statement.

The inaugural flight UN551 touched down at KLIA today and was given a warm Malaysian style reception by Malaysia Airports and Tourism Malaysia.

It said Transaero has been operating charter flights to KLIA for the last few years and has created sufficient market demand on this route for the airline to start scheduled operations.

Managing Director Tan Sri Bashir Ahmad was quoted as saying:”Malaysia Airports is very pleased with Transaero’s decision to include Kuala Lumpur in their network and establish a direct connection between Malaysia and Russia.

“Transaero’s service opens a new market for us and we wish them all the best for their operations in Kuala Lumpur. We look forward for the airline to stabilise and strengthen its operation into Kuala Lumpur and hopefully, increase their frequency to KLIA soon”.

He said it was Malaysia Airports’ close cooperation and relations with Tourism Malaysia plus the Ministry of Transport’s pro-business policies that brought this airline from Russia to Malaysia.

Transaero, the 57th airline serving Kuala Lumpur, will provide convenient access between Kuala Lumpur and Moscow and expand two-way trade, investment and tourism for both countries.

In 2011, apart from Transaero, KLIA also welcomed Air Koryo and Lion Air, while Egypt Air made a comeback to KLIA.

Transaero, which flies to China, Japan, Thailand and India, also plys to major Russian cities and is also the leading carrier to Kazakhstan.

Its network covers many European destinations such as Austria, Cyprus, England, Germany, Greece, Israel and Spain.

The reason: the government said that MAHB will now build the new LCCT within the Kuala Lumpur International Airport, or KLIA which MAHB manages, but in “close consultation” with Air Asia. “The company’s input in the building of the new terminal will have to be taken into consideration,” said the New Straits Times, citing a source familiar with the proceedings.

To read Air Asia comments on this, visit http://www.airasia.com/kliaeast/index.html

Get details explanation on this at Malaysia Insider.

We appreciate the DPM’s willingness to explore all options in helping to overcome the appalling conditions that our guests face daily at the cramped and crowded LCCT in Sepang.

Since the Cabinet’s approval of the Central Malaysian Vision Valley project, of which the KLIA-East LCCT is a vital component, AirAsia and Sime Darby Berhad have been in negotiations to finalise the details.

KLIA-East is a privately funded initiative and AirAsia has received numerous inquiries from domestic and international investors interested in participating in the project.

We look forward to presenting the DPM a detailed brief on KLIA-East and the advanced plans we have developed for making Kuala Lumpur the regional hub for low cost carriers.

The higher airport tax rate came into effect 10 days ago.

In a post on its Facebook fan page yesterday, AirAsia head of commercial, Jasmine Lee, said the carrier will continue to lobby the government “not in favour of the airport tax rise”.

It blamed airport operator Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) over the move to increase airport charges, saying the poor facilities at the LCCT does not justify the increase.
“Look at the queue at the immigration, space for check-in counters, quality of toilets, cleanliness of the facilities — is it really worth the increase?” Lee said.

In an earlier posting on Wednesday, AirAsia regional head of commercial, Kathleen Tan, said: “You (MAHB) can increase if you improve the facilities. I don’t see the justification for it as our guests (passengers) are the ones paying for it, and it costs more to fly now.”

Airlines like AirAsia collect the airport tax on behalf of MAHB.

MAHB had on Oct 27 received the Transport Ministry’s nod to raise the airport tax on international passengers from Nov 15. Under the move, departing international passengers at the LCCT in Sepang and Terminal 2 Kota Kinabalu have to pay RM32, up RM7 from RM25 previously.

According to industry observers, the move by AirAsia is unprecedented.

“They (AirAsia) would have to sort the matter out with the Transport Ministry as any increase or decrease in airport charges are within the latter’s purview, and not MAHB,” said an observer.

“Back in 2007, the Transport Ministry was also the one who halved the airport tax at the LCCT from RM51 to RM25 for international passengers and from RM9 to RM6 for domestic passengers,” he added.

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AirAsia X (AAX) has confirmed reports that it would switch its UK base from Stansted to Gatwick Airport from October onwards.  The low-cost, long-haul airliner will commence flights from Kuala Lumpur Low-Cost Carrier Terminal (LCCT) to Gatwick Airport, Britain’s second-largest airport, from Oct 24 with six weekly flights by mid-December.

AAX said in a statement that the switch from Stansted was to maximise commercial opportunities at Gat-wick, and to ultimately drive increased traffic flow between the UK and Malaysia, and also to the various key feeder markets within AirAsia’s network in Asia-Pacific.

With our new home base in Gatwick, guests would be able to further benefit from the airport’s destination served, airline diversity, and beyond market connectivity potential with faster and cheaper rail connectivity to the city as compared with Stansted,” said AAX CEO Azran Osman-Rani.

“AirAsia X sees strong potential for the airport as we believe our entry will address the fact that direct service to Asia is significantly underserved from Gatwick.”

To mark the occasion, AAX would be offering one-way all-in fare from as low as RM1,039 for economy seats and one-way all-in fare from as low as RM3,429 for premium fly flat bed seats through online bookings made from July 13 to 24, 2011, at www.airasia.com for the travel period from Feb 6 to June 6 next year.

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Transport Minister Datuk Seri Kong Cho Ha said flight AK5218, an Airbus A320, was carrying 124 passengers and six crew members.

“The plane was landing during a downpour and that is when it skidded,” he said Tuesday.

Kong said the plane had landed on soft soil on the edge of the runway. AirAsia and Kuching International Airport staff are working to remove the plane for checks.

As a result of the incident, services at the airport have been was disrupted, with up to 11 flights to the airport affected.

“I expect services at the airport to resume by noon,” he said after opening the National Maritime Conference in Kuala Lumpur.

AirAsia Group Chief Executive Datuk Seri Tony Fernandes tweeted: “Working hard to remove aircraft. All passengers are home.”

Source : TheStar

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Stansted Airport (STN) is located 35 miles (56km) to the north east of central London. London Stansted is London’s third international gateway and one of the fastest growing airports in Europe. It is home to many of the UK’s low-cost airlines, serving mostly European and Mediterranean destinations. It takes approximately 60 minutes to get to central London from Stansted.

Getting There

1. Traveling by Train between Stansted Airport and Central London

One of the most preferred option for travel from Stansted Airport to Central London is by using train. In Stansted airport, there is a train station underneath the terminal building.

Stansted Express

• Stansted Express is the quickest way into central London. Trains runs every 15 minutes with a journey time of 46 minutes to Liverpool Street station. Fares are from £18 one way and £26.80 for round trip. The Stansted Express service is a regular and convenient train service between the airport and London Liverpool Street station. Trains depart every 15-30 minutes.
• Trains depart from Liverpool Street station between approximately 03.40 (04.10 on Sundays) and 23.25 and return from Stansted Airport between approximately 05.30 and 00.30 (later at weekends).

National Express East Anglia

• National Express East Anglia (formerly ONE Rail) operate an hourly off-peak service (Monday to Saturday only) to and from Stratford for London Underground, London Overground and DLR connections. All trains depart from Stansted Airport rail station, situated directly below the terminal.

By Tube

• There is no direct connection from Stansted Airport to London by Tube and there will be some interchanges to take. The journey to central London takes approximately 90 minutes.
• London Underground (Tube) connections are available at Liverpool Street, Stratford and Tottenham Hale (on the Stansted Express line).

2. Coach Services between Stansted Airport and Central London

National Express

• National Express operate two separate 24-hour coach services between Stansted and central London.
• Coaches are available in the short-stay car park under the terminal. Services are operated by National Express and run from the airport to London Victoria, London Liverpool Street and London Stratford. The London Victoria and London Stratford services operate 24 hours a day, while the service to London Liverpool Street runs from midnight-0430.
• For more details on services into London please visit National Express.

Terravision shuttle bus

• The Terravision shuttle bus service operates from Stansted Coach Station, departing every 30 minutes to Victoria station and Liverpool Street. You can also get to Stansted from both these stations using the same shuttle service. You can now book your tickets online and then just enjoy your trip!
• Journey time: 75 minutes (from Victoria) and 55 minutes (to Liverpool Street)
• The fares for One Way is £9.00 and £14.00 for Round Trip.

Easy Bus

• Easy Bus service operates from Victoria Coach Station, via Baker Street, from 03.00 to 22.20, returning from Stansted from 07.00 to 01.05. Journey time is 90 minutes. Fares are much cheaper online. Prices from £2 single (online price).

3. Taxi between Stansted Airport and Central London

• You can usually find a queue of black cabs outside the airport. The fare is metered, but watch for extra charges such as late night or weekend journeys. Tipping is not compulsory, but 10% is considered the norm. Expect to pay around £85 to get to Central London. Only use a reputable mini-cab and never use unauthorized drivers who offer their services at airports or stations.
• Stansted Airport taxi operator Checker Cars operates a reservation desk on the international arrivals concourse and there’s a courtesy phone in the UK and Ireland baggage reclaim hall. A taxi to central London for one to four people costs about £99, depending on destination. To book a taxi in advance call 0800 747 737 (inside the UK) or +44 (0)1279 661 111 (outside the UK).
• View detailed Stansted taxi information
• The journey time to central London is approximately 60 minutes and should cost around £80 and £100. Getting a taxi can take the hassle out of your journey. Choose a taxi to suit you and your passengers. From executive travel to minibus, and coach taxis. You can just sit back and relax, knowing you will be at the airport soon.
• However, you could get a better price by booking your transfer in advance. Find a taxi company on our Stansted Airport Taxis and Transfers page. Alternatively, follow the signs from each terminal for taxi ranks.

4. Buses Around London

Most buses around London are low floor, making it easier to board the bus. Oyster cards are now accepted within the London buses network. More information on buses and their timetables can be obtained at Transport for London website.

London Liverpool Street Stopping Service

There is an hourly stopping service between the airport and London Liverpool Street station. This service stops at all principal stations on its route. Information: +44 (0) 8457 484950

Car Airport Parking

If you are planning to park your car at the airport while your away then you may find cheaper quotes if you book online or by phone in advance.
Car Hire

Planning your journey once you arrive at Stansted? Car hire is good options if you familiar with London road.

Congestion Charge

Driving in and around Central London means that you have to pay the Congestion Charge. You may be eligible to pay the congestion charge if you are travelling in central London between the hours of 7am and 6pm Mon – Fri. The charge is £8 daily, and you will be notified by signs when you are approaching CC zones, are within them and exiting them.

You can pay the congestion charge in a number of ways. By SMS, phone, online, at a shop and by post. For more information on how to pay the congestion charge, and where the congestion charge applies visit the Transport for London.

How does the congestion charge work? There are no physical toll booths or barriers, it is a network of cameras that monitor the entrances and exits of the congestion charge zones. If the camera recognises that you have paid to be in the zone then your image is automatically deleted from the database. If at midnight your image still exists an you should have paid the charge then a pentaly charge notice is produced and sent to the vehicle owner.
Lift Sharing

A fantastic way to reduce costs, pollution, congestion and parking is to lift share with someone who is making the same or a similar journey as you. You can then share a car with them, which is a great way to get to and from the airport. If you are interested in lift sharing with others who are making similar journeys then take a look at LondonLiftShare.

It’s free to register and you enter your journey details and it will automatically display others who are making similar journeys on that day.

Once you have signed up, the system will send out an automatic email, and get in contact with those you may wish to share the journey with.

It will also calculate the CO2 and financial savings if you are to share a car, rather than driving alone.

Cycling in London

Bicycles are permitted on the London Underground, however, some lines only allow non folding bikes – outside of peak times. Folding bicycles are permitted on the underground at all times, free of charge. You are not allowed to take non folding bikes on moving escalators, at any time.

Overground trains will take folding bicycles, free of charge at all times, on all sections of the network. Non-folding bicycles may be allowed on some sections of the networks, outside of peak times.

London buses may allow folding bicycles, however, it is up to the driver. The same applies to pushchairs and large shopping luggage.

The Docklands Light Railway (DLR) accepts folded bicycles if they are in a container.

Tramlink will only accept folded bicycles, however, they do not have to be in a container.

There is bike parking available at most stations around London. To find out if a particular station has bike parking and for more information on cycling around London take a look at the Transport for London website.

London Stansted is Britain’s third busiest airport, currently serving around 19 million passengers a year. Many leading low-cost scheduled airlines have made Stansted their base.

Stansted has a fantastic choice of transport links to central London, with options to suit all budgets, timetables and destinations.

5. By car

Stansted is about 40 miles outside central London – use our AA Route Planner tool to work out your route by road. Depending on your destination, you may have to pay the Congestion Charge.

Oyster Cards

Getting an oyster card is generally the cheapest way to get around using public transport in London. You can get a pay as you go oyster car, meaning you don’t have to worry about having the right change in your pocket.

You can use an oyster card on tubes, buses, DLR, trams, London overground and some National rail trains. For more information on where you can use your oyster card, visit TFL.

Just make sure you touch in with your card before boarding tubes and buses and Oyster will work out they cost of your journey at the end of the day. By doing this it means they can charge you less than the price of a day travelcard.

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Haneda Airport (HND), formally known as Tokyo International Airport, was opened in 1931. With the completion of the new Narita Airport (NRT) in 1978, Narita Airport took over most of Tokyo’s international air traffic, and Haneda Airport was designated to handle Tokyo’s domestic air traffic.

Effective October 2010 with the completion of a new runway and international terminal building, Haneda will resume handling an increased number of international flights including those from Air Asia X and Singapore Airlines.

Haneda Airport is located south of central Tokyo which is 10km away from the city centre with estimated travel time of 30 minutes. It consists of three terminal buildings: terminal 1 which is mainly used by JAL and its subsidiary airlines, terminal 2 which is mainly used by ANA and its subsidiary airlines and the international terminal which will be moved from its current shack like building into a brand new complex in October 2010.

Handling over 60 million passengers per year, Haneda Airport is by far Japan’s busiest airport and ranks among the world’s five busiest airports.

Website : www.tokyo-airport-bldg.co.jp

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Given the rapid growth of low-cost air travel, the new terminal brings the country many benefits such as job opportunities and boost tourism by attracting more airlines and visitors.

MAHB has anticipated the KLIA as whole to handle over 60 million passengers by 2020 and close to 45 per cent of those passengers are likely to be low-cost travellers.

The prime minister is confident that the new terminal construction will surpass expectations, saying that it is poised to serve as a hub and attract more low-cost carriers to fly to Kuala Lumpur.

KLIA 2, catering for 30 million passengers per annum, has the potential to expand for future growth and is expected to be completed in April 2012, based on a 20-month construction period.

Complimenting AirAsia for its innovative efforts to stimulate low-cost travel, Najib said while KLIA 2 is designed with consideration for the requirements of the AirAsia, it will be accessible to all airlines upon completion.

He is confident that KLIA 2 marked the beginning of an exciting new chapter in the history of air transportation in Malaysia.

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