Open skies policy important discussion at ASEAN Transport Ministers Meeting

The Open Skies Policy will be an important discussion at the ASEAN Transport Ministers Meeting scheduled for year-end.

Transport Minister, Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai noted the inaugural ASEAN Aviation Summit held during the just-concluded Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition (LIMA) 2015, had set the foundation for the meeting.

"The summit provided a platform for the implementation of the ASEAN Aviation Market, highlighting key components on the roadmap for the establishment of the ASEAN Economic Community this year.

"The liberalisation of ASEAN's aviation sector will be a major catalyst for the region's economic growth by 2030," he said in a statement here Sunday.

At the inaugural ASEAN Aviation Summit, participants shared their insight, provided analyses and explored the way forward as to how ASEAN could leverage on its strength in the aviation sector to spur continuous growth in the region, he added.

The two-day summit was attended by more than 200 industry players in the aviation sector, including the International Civil Aviation Organisation and the International Air Transport Association.

On another note, Liow said, given the remarkable success of LIMA 2015, the next LIMA exhibition in 2017 was expected to see stronger participation from the commercial sector.