Fernandes said from the outset the airport had been positioned as a centre for budget airlines, according to a report in TheEdgeMarkets.

The AirAsia CEO said his airline would launch a campaign to promote klia2 as the Low-Cost Carrier Terminal 2 (LCCT2).

“As we grow towards becoming the Dubai of Asia, we want the world to know that the best value fares are here in Malaysia,” he said in a statement yesterday.

Fernandes said: “To me, klia2 doesn’t mean anything. LCCT2, on the other hand, is synonymous with low-cost. It is a brand that we built up together with Malaysia Airports and it shouldn’t go to waste.

“I urge MAHB (Malaysia Airports) to stop denying the fact that it is a low-cost hub,” he said.

Fernandes said LCCT2 would reinforce Malaysia’s position as an international low-cost aviation gateway.

klia2, built, owned and operated by MAHB, began operations on May 2, 2014. AirAsia handles about 97% of the business at the airport.