LANGKAWI – Travel trade and community leaders here have accepted the marginal ferry fare increase which came into effect on August 5 for tourists entering the island.
By the same token, they cautioned that the consortium overseeing the main transport mode between the resort island and the mainland needs to improve the quality of service.
The fares have generally been increased by RM3 or RM3.50 for domestic passengers.
The return fare between Kuala Perlis and Langkawi for adults is now RM21, compared to RM18 before, while a return trip between Kuala Kedah and the island has risen to RM26.50 from RM23.
The fare for foreign passengers on the Kuala Perlis round trip has risen by RM9 to RM27 for adults and by RM6.50 to RM19.50 for children.
The Kuala Kedah line now costs RM26.50 for local adults, an increase of RM3.50, while foreigners have to pay RM34.50, an increase of RM11.50 – marking the highest fare hike recorded.
It should be noted that residents of Langkawi continue to be charged RM20 per adult for the round trip between the island and Kuala Kedah.
The Malaysian Association of Hotels’ Kedah/Perlis chapter chairman Eugene Alan Dass said that with rising living costs and the demands from the operator to offset the increasing operational costs, it is only logical that there is a minimum fare increase.
However, it must be accompanied by an improvement in the services rendered, said Dass, who experienced severe seasickness during a recent ferry ride.
There is also a need to schedule more trips during peak periods, such as during extended public holidays or school breaks, he said.
Dass reminded the consortium that the Covid-19 pandemic continues to reign; hence it is imperative that it adheres to the standard operating procedures, especially on physical distancing and it must ensure better ventilation systems on the ferries.
The hoteliers also plan to hold a meeting with Langkawi Ferry Line Ventures Sdn Bhd – the consortium that operates 17 ferries plying the routes between the island resort and the jetties at Kuala Perlis and Kuala Kedah – later this month.
There is also a need to consider opening more routes, such as the one from Penang to Langkawi, and even link other islands to Langkawi too, said Dass in an interview.
Need for better maintenance, dredging at harbours
Langkawi Businesses Association deputy president Datuk Alexander Isaac said that the islanders understand the need to increase the fares but there is a need to improve the service quality as well as to pay more attention to the maintenance needs.
We have experienced many breakdowns of late that disrupted services. The ferry service is considered an essential one because it is the only one which connects the island to other parts of the country that is affordable and strategically located.”
Also, many enterprises here rely on the service for cargo movement and to transport the unwell to hospitals in mainland Kedah or Penang.
Alexander also noted that the fare increase does not involve Langkawi residents or long-stay workers who provide proof of their residence to the operator.
This means that Langkawi residents can only purchase their tickets at the counters in the ferry terminals and not online, Alexander said.
He also urged the Transport Ministry to speed up the deepening of the berthing areas in Kuala Kedah and Kuala Perlis as siltation has crept into the coastal areas.
“The dredging efforts must be hastened to ensure the services are improved.”
Fares discouraging to budget travellers
However, the rise in the fares did not sit well with two veteran travel trade spokesmen.
Tourism Langkawi chairman Ahmad Pishol Isahak said that it will likely cause many budget travellers to think twice about coming to the island due to the escalating costs.
“If (the price of) everything shoots up, from food to accommodation to transport, I think people will not easily come,” he said.
Langkawi is one destination which needs planning. People simply cannot drive over. And with limited ferry rides provided, tourists need to plan.”
He urged the authorities and the private sector to work at keeping travelling costs at a bare minimum despite the inflationary pressure on the economy.
The chairman of the Kedah branch of the Malaysian Nature Society, Eric R. Sinnaya, said that the higher costs in ferry fares must be compensated by a pledge to improve the services.
Sinnaya, a former Kedah Malaysian Association of Tours and Travel Agents chairman, said there were no promises made by the operator to improve the services, yet it constantly badgered for more hikes in the fares.
“The least they can do is to improve the seating area to make it relaxing for the passengers instead of cramming them up like a can of sardines during peak periods.”
Sinnaya also urged for better enforcement to ensure that the ferries run on time and to compensate passengers if they are late or if the ferries suffer breakdowns. – The Vibes, August 13, 2022
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