Ipoh: A special committee will be formed between the Perak government and AirAsia to discuss the potential for several new flight routes from Sultan Azlan Shah Airport (LTSAS) here.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, State Tourism, Industry, Investment and Corridor Development Committee chairman Loh Sze Yee shared that the decision was reached following a meeting between both parties regarding the suspension of the Ipoh-Singapore route on March 27 in Kuala Lumpur. The exploration of new routes will focus primarily on domestic flights, possibly extending to the South or the East Coast, rather than international routes. Loh emphasized the importance of the committee, noting that AirAsia's access to passenger data will be instrumental in assessing the viability of these new routes.

On March 13, State Infrastructure, Energy, Water and Public Transport Committee chairman Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin indicated that the state government was open to discussions with AirAsia after the airline decided to suspend the Ipoh-Singapore route, with suspension taking effect on April 25.

Loh also expressed optimism about the committee's potential to boost tourist arrivals and enhance LTSAS's role as an air transport hub in Malaysia. With the completion of facility upgrades, LTSAS is now capable of accommodating 500,000 passengers annually, aligning with the targeted capacity.

He further added that more than 90 percent of the upgrade works have been completed, addressing several existing facilities with an RM8 million allocation from Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB). Improvements include enhancements to the waiting area, check-in counters, and Immigration Department (JIM) lanes, among others.