Check in online, urges AirAsia @ Penang International Airport

In the midst of the airport expansion works, I believe this is the best way to check in to AirAsia flights to avoid any inconvenience.

AirAsia is urging passengers to check in online during the ongoing expansion of the Penang International Airport.

Its Penang station manager Kenneth Tan said this would also help ease congestion and delay during peak times and festivals such as the forthcoming Thaipusam and Chinese New Year.

“We are expecting large number of passengers for Thaipusam and Chinese New Year and we hope that passengers would check in using AirAsia’s website in the convenience of their homes or offices instead of coming to the airport and waiting in queue to check in,” he said yesterday.



Expansion works costing RM250mil at the airport is expected to be completed by June 2012.

Tan said passengers could check in by logging in to www.airasia.com and clicking on to the web check-in.

“For the web check-in, passengers need to refer to the terms and condition online,” he said.

He also advised passengers to be at the boarding gate at least 40 minutes before boarding time.

New management for Sg Nibong express bus terminal

Passengers using the Sungai Nibong express bus terminal here will begin to notice changes to the facility now following the appointment of a new management.

Among the visible changes now are fewer ticketing touts and a new coat of paint for the building.

The changes were attributed to the new management who took over in November last year.

Syarikat Aspirasi Utara Engineering Sdn Bhd, which was awarded the tender, has acted to resolve pressing issues by discussing with the express bus operators, the Penang Municipal Council and the state government.

Its manager Mohd Faisal Abdul Kadi said the priority now was to ensure a smoother flow of traffic.

“Traffic flow is being hampered by motorists and motorcyclists when dropping off passengers during peak hours.

“The terminal’s main entrance is actually the one facing the Pesta Pulau Pinang,” he said.

Mohd Faisal said many passengers do not know where was the main entrance and some were afraid to enter the terminal’s right-side access road due to the parking fees imposed near its entrance.

“Many people prefer to drop or pick up passengers along the terminal’s side entrance without the need to pay for parking fees,” he said.

He said the management was in talks with the state government, who owns the Pesta Pulau Pinang land, to provide some space so as to encourage more people to use the main entrance.

Mohd Faisal said one other aim of the new management was to ensure that every bus company has its own counter.

“There are only six counters operated by registered bus operators. The rest are actually appointed agents who do not own buses,” he said.



He explained that an operator can hire an agent to sell its tickets and the agent, who represents a few operators, uses only one counter.

“In this manner, they only pay expenses for a single counter such as monthly rent. They maximise their profits, but this is against the stipulated contract with us.” Mohd Faisal said adding that he now aims to ensure that there is only one counter per bus company.

MPPP councillor Zulkifli Mohd Noor said the upgrading works cost more than RM300,000 and is expected to be ready by end February.

“We need to build proper waiting and pick-up points for the public,” he said.

Zulkifli also wants the enforcement agencies to prevent bus drivers from picking up passengers in other parts of Penang.

“As express buses operators, they are only allowed to pick up passengers from this terminal and leave the island. This can also reduce the traffic congestion in town as express buses need not journey there,” he said.

The top floor of the terminal will also undergo changes with the setting up of a convenience store, a bakery and an Internet cafe for passengers’ convenience.

New management? I sure hope it's better management and well-manage place! After all, it's our island's main bus terminal, not counting the one in mainland.

MPPP calendar of events 2011 at Komtar office

Then, we have the event calendar by the state government. Now we have the event calendar from MPPP? I'm sure there will be a lot of overlaps. Why not just combine up and come out with a single calendar in order not to make the public confuse? Or maybe it's just 1 calendar after all, just the name different?

ThePenang Municipal Council (MPPP) has launched its calendar of events for the year.

Its president Patahiyah Ismail said the pocket-sized calendar, which is distributed free to the public, contains the date and location of 14 events to be held throughout this year.

She also said it was the first time the council had published such a calendar.

She said the events are organised by the council in collaboration with NGOs and corporate bodies.

Among the events are futsal, bicycle fun ride, bowling, charity run and recreational programmes.

The calendar also contains 13 sporting events for council workers such as table-tennis, ten-pin bowling, fishing, paintball, archery and sepak takraw.

State Local Government and Traffic Management Committee chairman Chow Kon Yeow launched the calender during the council’s Family Day celebrations at Penang International Sports Arena (PISA).

Members of the public can obtain the limited copies of the calendar at the council office on Level 3, Komtar.

Tourists & Public TAKE NOTE: Ban on horses, ATVs in Batu Ferringhi

Hmm, I believe our beach will be safer with the action of banning these 2 activities, just wondering what new tactics will the operators coming up with after this...read on:

Penang’s North-east district land office will put up billboards at Batu Ferringhi to inform the public that horse riding and beach buggies (all-terrain vehicle) are now banned activities at the beach.

State Local Government and Traffic Management Committee chairman Chow Kon Yeow said the office would soon put up the billboards while the Penang Municipal Council (MPPP) will intensify its enforcement.

“The billboards will let the operators and beach-goers know that these activities are no longer available.

“So far we have been advising the operators that the activities are prohibited. We haven’t seized any buggies yet.

“However, the council had earlier confiscated several horses that have been claimed back by the operators. We have advised them to sell off the horses,” he said after launching an intermediate Chinese course at Han Chiang College on Saturday.

The council had in November last year decided to ban commercial horse rides and beach buggies on the Batu Ferringhi beach starting this month to protect beach goers.

An MPPP online poll earlier had shown that 69.2% of 501 respondents disagreed that beach buggies be allowed on the beach while 40.1% were against horse rides.

I still remembered few years back when I went to the beach there after so many years of my last visit. It was filled with beach activities and operators and touts everywhere. Can't I just sit along the beach and enjoy the breeze?

RED is BACK at Kenny Rogers ROASTERS...12-Jan-2011 TODAY !!!

Time to don RED all over again this 12 January 2011 as the annual ROASTERS Eating Day (RED) is back! Wear RED – the colour of life, to celebrate good health and vitality through good eating and healthy living with Kenny Rogers ROASTERS (KRR).

The ticket to a year full of vitality starts with an active lifestyle fuelled by a wholesome and healthy diet. KRR is in support of maintaining your resolution to a healthy 2011 for you and your loved one.

Celebrate health and vitality by wearing something RED to any KRR restaurant and get two (2) Kenny’s Quarter Meals for the price of one.

Whether it is a RED lipstick, cap, t-shirt or trousers, celebrate health and vitality of you and your loved one or friend by wearing RED – the colour of life to KRR!

YUP, the promotion is back again, and it's TODAY !!! Only go if you have the time, for I forsee it'll be super crowded...

FIFA's best 2010...drum rolls pls....

Argentina's Lionel Messi wins the FIFA Ballon d'Or while Brazil's Marta is winner of the FIFA Women's World Player of the Year. They received their trophies Monday night at the FIFA Ballon d'Or ceremony in Zurich.

And how can we forget him, the Special One? Jose Mourinho of Portugal receives the coach of the year alongside Silvia Neid of Germany winner of women's coach of the year award during the FIFA Ballon d'or Gala on 10th Jan 2011.

Happy 11-1-11 everyone :)

Today, Tuesday, it is 11111.

That is, the 11th day of January in the year 2011, or 11/1/11.

On January 1, it was 1111 or first day of January 2011 or 1/1/11.

On the first day of November, it will also be 11111 or 1/11/11 and on the 11th of November, it will be another 1 added on to make it 111111 or 11/11/11.

When will the next such thing happen? Perhaps on the second day of February 2022 - 2222 or 2/2/22.

TheStar

Hmm, i was thinking we had a lot of special dates in recent years....few years back it was 7/7/07 until 10/10/10...but just like what's been mentioned above, after 12/12/12....we need to wait until 2022 already :)