Asian Express Pilots
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Aviation Nightmare
WOOBLAH YOU SAID THIS:
" I am living the aviation dream. And I am the last of that generation.
It is precisely people like you that have destroyed a once proud industry, where we were looked upon by society as white collar workers, side by side with doctors and such. Where salary, terms and conditions were paramount. Where we stood side by side united as a force to be reckoned with. And believe me, the bloody bosses would shiver in their flying boots before trying to screw with us as a community.
What have you done?? You work for peanuts and accept truly substandard conditions. All in the name of the love of aviation, trying to get my foot in the door and all the other bull**** you use to add credibility to being a scab. And then, then you whine incessantly about what is handed to you. Well wake up and smell the roses. You have terms and conditions commensurate with what you agreed to."
WOOBLAH WHAT IS SAID IS SO SO RIGHT!!!!!!!!CAN SEEM TO DISAGREE WITH YOU.
YOU HIT THE NAIL RIGHT.VERY WELL SAID
GOOD ON YOU MATE YOUR LUCKY TO LIVE THE AVIATION DREAM AND NOT LIVING THE AVIATION NIGHTMARE WITH AK
" I am living the aviation dream. And I am the last of that generation.
It is precisely people like you that have destroyed a once proud industry, where we were looked upon by society as white collar workers, side by side with doctors and such. Where salary, terms and conditions were paramount. Where we stood side by side united as a force to be reckoned with. And believe me, the bloody bosses would shiver in their flying boots before trying to screw with us as a community.
What have you done?? You work for peanuts and accept truly substandard conditions. All in the name of the love of aviation, trying to get my foot in the door and all the other bull**** you use to add credibility to being a scab. And then, then you whine incessantly about what is handed to you. Well wake up and smell the roses. You have terms and conditions commensurate with what you agreed to."
WOOBLAH WHAT IS SAID IS SO SO RIGHT!!!!!!!!CAN SEEM TO DISAGREE WITH YOU.
YOU HIT THE NAIL RIGHT.VERY WELL SAID
GOOD ON YOU MATE YOUR LUCKY TO LIVE THE AVIATION DREAM AND NOT LIVING THE AVIATION NIGHTMARE WITH AK
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THE WALL STREET JOURNAL ON TONY FERNANDES OF AIRASIA
AIRASIA FOUNDER LIKES WORKERS TO SPEAK UP
(From THE WALL STREET JOURNAL ASIA ) Malaysian Tony Fernandes founded AirAsia, Asia 's first low-cost carrier, in 2001 and expanded the company by setting up joint-venture airlines in Thailand and Indonesia . Mr. Fernandes, 42 years old, graduated from the University of London in 1987 with a finance degree and in 1992 moved back to Malaysia, where he became managing director of Warner Music Malaysia, and later, vice-president of Warner's Southeast Asian operations. He quit in 2001 to start AirAsia.
One of Malaysia 's most outspoken business executives, Mr. Fernandes not only has strong ideas on the way airlines should be run, but also how Southeast Asia 's top-down corporate culture should change. He spoke to reporter Cris Prystay about his style. WSJ: What was your first job and what did you learn from it?
Mr. Fernandes: My first job was a waiter in London at the Cavendish Hotel. I was 17. I learned that working was hard and you had to be professional, even as a waiter. You had other colleagues. If my performance was poor, it let down the whole team. My first [career] job was as an accountant at an auditor in London . It was mind-blowingly boring. I was a junior auditor and was photocopying and adding up rows of columns. The big lesson there: make sure you go into a job that you enjoy. Otherwise, you don't give any value to your employer, and you certainly don't add any value to your own mind. WSJ: Who gave you the best business advice?
Mr. Fernandes: It was probably Stephen Shrimpton (the former chief executive officer of Warner Music International) at Warner. I was a man in a rush. I was 28 when I became the managing director of Warner Music Malaysia , and I wanted to be the regional MD. I wanted to take over the world. One night, Steve talked to me outside the Sheraton Hotel in Hong Kong for three hours. He told me there's no need to rush and that it's about developing my own personality and making sure I'm ready for the next job. I see that now: No matter how bright someone is at 25, there's nothing like experience. He slowed me down, and made me understand that you need to take time to understand the business better, to understand your people better. WSJ: What's the one thing you wish every new hire knew?
Mr. Fernandes: Humility -- and knowing what the real world is like. The new generation is coming in pretty soft. A lot of these young guys haven't lived through a recession. There are plenty of jobs out there and they think, "I can always walk into another job." The hunger and determination to do their best is sometimes not there. WSJ: Is there a difference between the management culture in Asia and the West?
Mr. Fernandes: The management culture here is very top-down. There's less creativity and fewer people who are willing to speak out. They're more implementers than doers. There's less freedom of speech, and that impacts the business world. Even when they know things are not right, they won't speak out. They just do what they're told to do.
WSJ: What's the biggest management challenge you face?
Mr. Fernandes: To get people to think. At AirAsia, we want 4,000 brains working for us. My biggest challenge is to get people to talk, to express themselves, to get people to challenge me and say "Tony, you're talking rubbish.
" That's what I want, not people who say "Yes, sir." The senior management doesn't have all the answers. I want the guy on the ramp to have the confidence to tell me what's wrong. WSJ: What are you doing to clear that hurdle?
Mr. Fernandes: We have no offices. We dress down. You wear a suit, and you put distance between you and your staff. We're on a first-name basis. I go around the office, around the check-in desks, the planes constantly, talking to people. Fifty percent of my job is managing people in the company. You get people to open up to you by just asking them to do it, and then responding to them. You don't send a memo, or do some "speak up" incentive program. It's got to be from the heart.
WSJ: What was the most satisfying decision you've made as a manager?
Mr. Fernandes: Once a month, I carry bags with the ramp boys, or I'm cabin crew, or at the check-in. I do this to get close to the operation. I also want to know my people. When I first started this, I met all these bright kids at the check-in or carrying bags. We were starting this cadet pilot program, and I said, "Let's open it up to anyone. Let some of these kids apply." They have the brains, but they just didn't have the money to get the education.Out of the first batch of 19 cadets, 11 came from within the company. Some of these boys got the highest marks ever in the flying academy. There was one kid who joined us to carry bags, and 18 months later he was a First Officer of a 737. Can you imagine what that does for the motivation in the company? Everyone talks about developing human capital, but we did it.
AIRASIA FOUNDER LIKES WORKERS TO SPEAK UP
(From THE WALL STREET JOURNAL ASIA ) Malaysian Tony Fernandes founded AirAsia, Asia 's first low-cost carrier, in 2001 and expanded the company by setting up joint-venture airlines in Thailand and Indonesia . Mr. Fernandes, 42 years old, graduated from the University of London in 1987 with a finance degree and in 1992 moved back to Malaysia, where he became managing director of Warner Music Malaysia, and later, vice-president of Warner's Southeast Asian operations. He quit in 2001 to start AirAsia.
One of Malaysia 's most outspoken business executives, Mr. Fernandes not only has strong ideas on the way airlines should be run, but also how Southeast Asia 's top-down corporate culture should change. He spoke to reporter Cris Prystay about his style. WSJ: What was your first job and what did you learn from it?
Mr. Fernandes: My first job was a waiter in London at the Cavendish Hotel. I was 17. I learned that working was hard and you had to be professional, even as a waiter. You had other colleagues. If my performance was poor, it let down the whole team. My first [career] job was as an accountant at an auditor in London . It was mind-blowingly boring. I was a junior auditor and was photocopying and adding up rows of columns. The big lesson there: make sure you go into a job that you enjoy. Otherwise, you don't give any value to your employer, and you certainly don't add any value to your own mind. WSJ: Who gave you the best business advice?
Mr. Fernandes: It was probably Stephen Shrimpton (the former chief executive officer of Warner Music International) at Warner. I was a man in a rush. I was 28 when I became the managing director of Warner Music Malaysia , and I wanted to be the regional MD. I wanted to take over the world. One night, Steve talked to me outside the Sheraton Hotel in Hong Kong for three hours. He told me there's no need to rush and that it's about developing my own personality and making sure I'm ready for the next job. I see that now: No matter how bright someone is at 25, there's nothing like experience. He slowed me down, and made me understand that you need to take time to understand the business better, to understand your people better. WSJ: What's the one thing you wish every new hire knew?
Mr. Fernandes: Humility -- and knowing what the real world is like. The new generation is coming in pretty soft. A lot of these young guys haven't lived through a recession. There are plenty of jobs out there and they think, "I can always walk into another job." The hunger and determination to do their best is sometimes not there. WSJ: Is there a difference between the management culture in Asia and the West?
Mr. Fernandes: The management culture here is very top-down. There's less creativity and fewer people who are willing to speak out. They're more implementers than doers. There's less freedom of speech, and that impacts the business world. Even when they know things are not right, they won't speak out. They just do what they're told to do.
WSJ: What's the biggest management challenge you face?
Mr. Fernandes: To get people to think. At AirAsia, we want 4,000 brains working for us. My biggest challenge is to get people to talk, to express themselves, to get people to challenge me and say "Tony, you're talking rubbish.
" That's what I want, not people who say "Yes, sir." The senior management doesn't have all the answers. I want the guy on the ramp to have the confidence to tell me what's wrong. WSJ: What are you doing to clear that hurdle?
Mr. Fernandes: We have no offices. We dress down. You wear a suit, and you put distance between you and your staff. We're on a first-name basis. I go around the office, around the check-in desks, the planes constantly, talking to people. Fifty percent of my job is managing people in the company. You get people to open up to you by just asking them to do it, and then responding to them. You don't send a memo, or do some "speak up" incentive program. It's got to be from the heart.
WSJ: What was the most satisfying decision you've made as a manager?
Mr. Fernandes: Once a month, I carry bags with the ramp boys, or I'm cabin crew, or at the check-in. I do this to get close to the operation. I also want to know my people. When I first started this, I met all these bright kids at the check-in or carrying bags. We were starting this cadet pilot program, and I said, "Let's open it up to anyone. Let some of these kids apply." They have the brains, but they just didn't have the money to get the education.Out of the first batch of 19 cadets, 11 came from within the company. Some of these boys got the highest marks ever in the flying academy. There was one kid who joined us to carry bags, and 18 months later he was a First Officer of a 737. Can you imagine what that does for the motivation in the company? Everyone talks about developing human capital, but we did it.
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info, misinfo and disinfo... which one's which?
can anyone confirm jetjockeys post regarding IAA's cancelled flights due to pilots mc's?
I agree with Chrome that something's not quite right about the following...
Flight to Jakarta that I’m talked about was flight ak954 on the 1st of February 2008...
The flight departed from KL on time ( 14.40lt ), when they were in contact with s’pore radar, they advised them that Jakarta closed since 08.20lt. Crew tried to contact Flt ops in KL, since they not been informed that Jakarta Int’l airport was closed, and no information on the NOTAM and Forecast wx is still within limit. Until they are out of reach, Flt ops ( your eagle ops ) unable to give any information to the crew. PIC decided to continue the flight to Jakarta, at that time most of alternate aerodrome was closed due weather or Full of a/c diverted ( PLM, SUB, HLM, DPS ) , Jakarta radar give them Solo airport as there alternate aerodrome and inform them that airport closed not because of low visibility but because of flooding on the runway due to heavy rain in the morning . At 15.10, ak 952 make holding over bunik at FL 270, PIC decided to contact Tower to know an update situation in the airport, Fortunately the ATC is his friend in the Flying school, so he can talk freely with their language and got an update condition of the runway. 15.40, ak952 landed in Jakarta airport, using only half of the runway 07L, because 1000m end of the runway filled with standing water ( 4mm-8mm ), while 07R still closed. Ak flight was the first a/c landed in Jakarta Soekarno Hatta airport that day ( its in the local news paper , Kompas and Suara pembaruan 2nd feb 2008 ), and most of the pax stranded in the airport until midnight because lack of transportation facility in the airport.
The flight departed from KL on time ( 14.40lt ), when they were in contact with s’pore radar, they advised them that Jakarta closed since 08.20lt. Crew tried to contact Flt ops in KL, since they not been informed that Jakarta Int’l airport was closed, and no information on the NOTAM and Forecast wx is still within limit. Until they are out of reach, Flt ops ( your eagle ops ) unable to give any information to the crew. PIC decided to continue the flight to Jakarta, at that time most of alternate aerodrome was closed due weather or Full of a/c diverted ( PLM, SUB, HLM, DPS ) , Jakarta radar give them Solo airport as there alternate aerodrome and inform them that airport closed not because of low visibility but because of flooding on the runway due to heavy rain in the morning . At 15.10, ak 952 make holding over bunik at FL 270, PIC decided to contact Tower to know an update situation in the airport, Fortunately the ATC is his friend in the Flying school, so he can talk freely with their language and got an update condition of the runway. 15.40, ak952 landed in Jakarta airport, using only half of the runway 07L, because 1000m end of the runway filled with standing water ( 4mm-8mm ), while 07R still closed. Ak flight was the first a/c landed in Jakarta Soekarno Hatta airport that day ( its in the local news paper , Kompas and Suara pembaruan 2nd feb 2008 ), and most of the pax stranded in the airport until midnight because lack of transportation facility in the airport.
9M-AHC AK954 STA 1440Z+7 On blocks 1435Z+7 off blocks 15:34 as AK955... Oh hang on, flyeast was mentioning the time on Z+8?
Despite Jakarta being closed, 4 QZ aircraft did get in when the reported visibility was 300 meters, but the aircrafts mentioned declared runway in sight at 800ft AGL...
By the time AK954 was in the area, PLM was full, SUB open (with a long queue to the parking stands), HLM closed, DPS was still welcoming diverts.
By the time AK954 landed 07L/25R was open, but 07R/25L was closed, it reopened later with LDA/TORA 2200m from 07L (runway section between S1 - S3 closed due to standing water). Landings were on 25R if I remember correctly, and take offs were done on both 25R and 25L (2200 TODA after S3).
The aircraft that made it in were 9M-AFF (AK952) which came and went at 0800 - 0830-ish... just made it out before it was closed. Both AK flights were parked in D41...
The others were (in arriving order):
QZ7551 (-AWU), QZ7431 (-AWT), QZ7523 (-AWO) and QZ7497 (-AWQ)
DGAC investigated those arrivals and determined while those were technical breaches, they were not safety breaches as PICs were visual with runway at 800ft AGL... I guess other airlines/captains are now applying Rain-X on their windscreens now... Despite the airport being closed, those 4 wagonjets were cleared for the approach, and despite being visible at 800'AGL, Tower just kept telling them standby... Their reason for continuing to land... "we were in weather, visual with the runway, all alternates were clogging up, what do you expect us to do? Land in a swamp somewhere when the alternates end up closed?"
Flyeast I am quite impressed with your European flying and all but this is not the issue here. At first you say it's AK954 then later in the story it's AK952 but let's not care about that for now shall we?
Now if there wasn't anything in the NOTAM and weather forecasted was good, how would they (if they had the intelligence to read it in the first place ) hide something that is not there in the first place?
[quote]With all his flying experience (JAA Switzerland ATP etc etc) how would he know his old friend was working that day in the Tower?[/quote[
By the time AK954 left SIN ATC, CGK was clearing up anyways! And lo-and-behold, AK954 was on blocks only 14 minutes late, and was originally estimated to be 5 mins early... but traffic sequencing due to the backlog make it ending up slightly late.
Unable to call Eagle Ops or get latest METAR? I thought there is such thing called SATCOM or ACARS
Mr. Fernandes: To get people to think. At AirAsia, we want 4,000 brains working for us. My biggest challenge is to get people to talk, to express themselves, to get people to challenge me and say "Tony, you're talking rubbish.
" That's what I want, not people who say "Yes, sir." The senior management doesn't have all the answers. I want the guy on the ramp to have the confidence to tell me what's wrong.
" That's what I want, not people who say "Yes, sir." The senior management doesn't have all the answers. I want the guy on the ramp to have the confidence to tell me what's wrong.
PK-KAR
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THE WALL STREET JOURNAL ON TF OF AIRASIA INTERVEIW.
WHAT A LOAD OF RUBBISH FROM CHEATING PEOPLE INTO BUYING CHEAP VCD'S DURING HIS TIME AT WARNER.
NOW IN THE AVAITION INDUSTRY TAKING HIS 4000 STAFFS AND ALL OF US FOR ONE HELL OF A JOY RIDE!!!!
THANKS MATE.
WHAT A LOAD OF RUBBISH FROM CHEATING PEOPLE INTO BUYING CHEAP VCD'S DURING HIS TIME AT WARNER.
NOW IN THE AVAITION INDUSTRY TAKING HIS 4000 STAFFS AND ALL OF US FOR ONE HELL OF A JOY RIDE!!!!
THANKS MATE.
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AK Load Factors
I know this is a bit off topic, but asking if any Pilots or other AK staff have a general feeling of load factors and PAX traffic from October 2007 to present? AK has not published their PAX numbers since September and it would be good to hear from those who acually fly as to what the general trends are?
THANKS!
THANKS!
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guys,the time has come for us f/o's in AA to stand up show that we have a set of BALLS. we can't let them keep using us as their doormat.this so call pay increase for the f/o's is an insult and a bloody joke...it just shows that TF and the so called mgt think of us as pushovers...i don't blame them coz we keep letting this happen to us.
we 2 share the blame if something happens to the a/c,so why aren't we given a good pay hike.we need to stand up and act as ONE,so this **** will stop.
TAKE MASS MC'S AND SEE THE FLT OPS COME TO A HALT,SHOW THIS MONKEYS THAT WE ARE NOT GOING TO TAKE THIS ANYMORE..
we 2 share the blame if something happens to the a/c,so why aren't we given a good pay hike.we need to stand up and act as ONE,so this **** will stop.
TAKE MASS MC'S AND SEE THE FLT OPS COME TO A HALT,SHOW THIS MONKEYS THAT WE ARE NOT GOING TO TAKE THIS ANYMORE..
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I'm obviously online more often than you....good, you have a life!
A couple of posts have been deleted either by the writers or the moderators so there is no issue anymore.
Happy Landings.
A couple of posts have been deleted either by the writers or the moderators so there is no issue anymore.
Happy Landings.
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The truth about Air Asia
Fasten Your Seat Belts : The Air Asia, Badawi, Singapore, Kamaludin, Tg Adnan, Kalimullah Story
Wednesday, 27 February 2008
By Little Bird
Kawan-kawan, please fasten your seat belts now. I thought that I knew something about what is really going on in the administration of Abdullah Badawi. Today I found out I have not even scratched the surface. The following is panas-panas news. You may want to hit the ejection button (not yours but theirs) after reading this.
Firstly, the shareholders and/or stakeholders of Air Asia (directly, indirectly, through proxies, etc.) include Kamaluddin bin Abdullah Badawi, Kalimullah Maseerul Hassan (also into Tune Hotels), Khairy Jamaluddin, Tony Fernandez, etc.
We all know the story of Air Asia. Well, we all thought it was a rags to riches story. It is actually a story about riches. The rags part is actually very hazy.
When MAS entered into a phase of 'restructuring' about three years ago, Air Asia, through Tony Fernandez, struck fast and furious.
Before we go further, you may want to ask why did MAS have to suffer yet another 'restructuring'? That is a story by itself for another day but just bear in mind that Badawi's brother, Ibrahim, is the owner of the catering company (Skychef?) that used to supply mineral water at RM35 a case to MAS.
With that kind of pricing, surely MAS would need 'restructuring'.
Anyway, Air Asia stepped in and pushed the Gomen for a 'rationalisation' of the domestic air routes in Malaysia. Air Asia asked to be given MAS' Sabah and Sarawak routes. MAS could keep flying in Semenanjung, they said. Despite objections by MAS, Air Asia was granted its wish.
But the wish did not just happen. Zaki, a fourth floor boy at the PM's office, helped Air Asia make its wish come true.
Once MAS lost its Sabah and Sarawak routes to Air Asia, there was a staff redundancy. So MAS had to organise a VSS. MAS demanded that since Air Asia was taking over their Sabah and Sarawak routes it would make some of their staff redundant so Air Asia should pay MAS some compensation.
Everyone (MAS, Gomen and even Air Asia) agreed that compensation was payable to MAS. But Air Asia would not pay anything. Finally, the Gomen (err that means you and me lah, Encik Taxpayer) paid the compensation to MAS, which MAS promptly used in one of the most expensive VSS payments in our history.
If your blood is starting to boil, stop reading and better cool off because it does not get better.
Then, within one year, Air Asia realised that the Sabah and Sarawak routes were not profitable. They never were. MAS was performing national service in Sabah and Sarawak. Flying chickens and goats is not a money-making venture.
No problem. Air Asia made another wish. They told the Gomen, we have to return these air routes back to MAS. Again MAS objected. Again overruled. Not relevant.
Then came the handing over ceremony of the air routes and the airplanes. When they took over the Sabah/Sarawak routes, Air Asia had 'acquired' seven airplanes from MAS in perfect working condition. (MAS does have one of the best safety records in the world.)
However, when Air Asia 'returned' the planes to MAS, only one was left in working condition. The other six planes were grounded, not fit for flying and could not fly.
In actual fact, Air Asia was cannibalising parts from the six planes to keep the seventh one flying. Again MAS objected. Again overruled. Not relevant. It eventually cost MAS in excess of RM50 million to make the planes flyable again. This was a direct subsidy to 'rags to riches' Air Asia's profits.
Then Air Asia started eyeing the lucrative KL-Singapore routes. Tighten your seat belts. This one will really jolt. But they went about it the roundabout way. They said they wanted to go international. They did (some) but international routes are tough. No Zaki, Badawi, Khairy, Kalimullah or Kamaluddin to make your wishes come true.
But the KL-Singapore sector was generating RM40 million in PROFITS to MAS. This was the plum in the pudding. Air Asia wanted it badly.
So they made another wish. It came true. This is how they did it. Air Asia's bid to break into the KL-Singapore sector was first discussed in Cabinet when Badawi was on holiday overseas. Najib chaired the meeting and Air Asia's application was rejected.
The application was rejected for two main reasons:
i. By 2009 the whole of ASEAN becomes open sky anyway. ASEAN airlines can fly to all ASEAN capitals without restrictions. So why open up KL-Singapore in double quick time?
ii. If budget flights are allowed between KL-Singapore, KLIA will die an unnatural death. KLIA will become a feeder airport for Singapore's Changi. People will fly from KL to Singapore and then fly off from Singapore to the rest of the world. MAS will then die a natural death. So the request was declined.
Then Badawi came back from his travels and asked Tengku Adnan the Minister of Tourism to prepare a paper on tourism, linking MAS, Air Asia, SIA, etc., to tourist arrivals. At the next Cabinet meeting chaired by Badawi, he asked Tengku Adnan to present the 'Cabinet paper'.
Insiders say that the paper was an 'out of Agenda' item - meaning it surprised everyone, but the dunggus approved it nonetheless. Air Asia got its wish again. Tengku Adnan also secured his Putrajaya seat.
Now here is the killer. Soon after Air Asia started flying the KL-Singapore sector, they started giving away 300,000 free tickets, 5 sen tickets and all the other gimmicks. Singapore is believed to be subsidising Air Asia for all these expensive gimmicks.
For SIA, losing RM40 million (S$17 million) profit from the KL-Singapore sector is chicken feed. Air Asia is feeding thousands of transit passengers from KL to Changi . Air Asia is providing RM19 bus rides from KL to KLIA. From KLIA, passengers fly almost free to Changi. From Changi the passengers can connect to the world.
Now, Air Asia is making another wish - they want to fly direct from Kuching, KK, Penang, Alor Setar, Kota Bharu, etc., to Changi. They will earn even more 'subsidies' from Singapore. KLIA will drop dead later, MAS will die first.
This is how we go from 'rags to riches'. And we all thought Tony Fernandez was such a great guy too. The shareholders and/or stakeholders of Air Asia (directly, indirectly, through proxies, etc.) include Kamaluddin bin Abdullah Badawi, Kalimullah Maseerul Hassan (also into Tune Hotels), Khairy Jamaluddin, Tony Fernandez, etc.
Yes, we believe in open skies, competition and all that. But friends, fellow Malaysians, this is the PM, his son, his S-I-L and his cronies lah. How can they sell out their own country? But this is what they are doing.
Kawan-kawan, come March 8th, 2008 you have an opportunity to hit the button for the ejecion seat. Hit the ejection button and send these people out into oblivion. Don't give them any parachutes either.
Lim Eng Ban
Fasten Your Seat Belts : The Air Asia, Badawi, Singapore, Kamaludin, Tg Adnan, Kalimullah Story
Wednesday, 27 February 2008
By Little Bird
Kawan-kawan, please fasten your seat belts now. I thought that I knew something about what is really going on in the administration of Abdullah Badawi. Today I found out I have not even scratched the surface. The following is panas-panas news. You may want to hit the ejection button (not yours but theirs) after reading this.
Firstly, the shareholders and/or stakeholders of Air Asia (directly, indirectly, through proxies, etc.) include Kamaluddin bin Abdullah Badawi, Kalimullah Maseerul Hassan (also into Tune Hotels), Khairy Jamaluddin, Tony Fernandez, etc.
We all know the story of Air Asia. Well, we all thought it was a rags to riches story. It is actually a story about riches. The rags part is actually very hazy.
When MAS entered into a phase of 'restructuring' about three years ago, Air Asia, through Tony Fernandez, struck fast and furious.
Before we go further, you may want to ask why did MAS have to suffer yet another 'restructuring'? That is a story by itself for another day but just bear in mind that Badawi's brother, Ibrahim, is the owner of the catering company (Skychef?) that used to supply mineral water at RM35 a case to MAS.
With that kind of pricing, surely MAS would need 'restructuring'.
Anyway, Air Asia stepped in and pushed the Gomen for a 'rationalisation' of the domestic air routes in Malaysia. Air Asia asked to be given MAS' Sabah and Sarawak routes. MAS could keep flying in Semenanjung, they said. Despite objections by MAS, Air Asia was granted its wish.
But the wish did not just happen. Zaki, a fourth floor boy at the PM's office, helped Air Asia make its wish come true.
Once MAS lost its Sabah and Sarawak routes to Air Asia, there was a staff redundancy. So MAS had to organise a VSS. MAS demanded that since Air Asia was taking over their Sabah and Sarawak routes it would make some of their staff redundant so Air Asia should pay MAS some compensation.
Everyone (MAS, Gomen and even Air Asia) agreed that compensation was payable to MAS. But Air Asia would not pay anything. Finally, the Gomen (err that means you and me lah, Encik Taxpayer) paid the compensation to MAS, which MAS promptly used in one of the most expensive VSS payments in our history.
If your blood is starting to boil, stop reading and better cool off because it does not get better.
Then, within one year, Air Asia realised that the Sabah and Sarawak routes were not profitable. They never were. MAS was performing national service in Sabah and Sarawak. Flying chickens and goats is not a money-making venture.
No problem. Air Asia made another wish. They told the Gomen, we have to return these air routes back to MAS. Again MAS objected. Again overruled. Not relevant.
Then came the handing over ceremony of the air routes and the airplanes. When they took over the Sabah/Sarawak routes, Air Asia had 'acquired' seven airplanes from MAS in perfect working condition. (MAS does have one of the best safety records in the world.)
However, when Air Asia 'returned' the planes to MAS, only one was left in working condition. The other six planes were grounded, not fit for flying and could not fly.
In actual fact, Air Asia was cannibalising parts from the six planes to keep the seventh one flying. Again MAS objected. Again overruled. Not relevant. It eventually cost MAS in excess of RM50 million to make the planes flyable again. This was a direct subsidy to 'rags to riches' Air Asia's profits.
Then Air Asia started eyeing the lucrative KL-Singapore routes. Tighten your seat belts. This one will really jolt. But they went about it the roundabout way. They said they wanted to go international. They did (some) but international routes are tough. No Zaki, Badawi, Khairy, Kalimullah or Kamaluddin to make your wishes come true.
But the KL-Singapore sector was generating RM40 million in PROFITS to MAS. This was the plum in the pudding. Air Asia wanted it badly.
So they made another wish. It came true. This is how they did it. Air Asia's bid to break into the KL-Singapore sector was first discussed in Cabinet when Badawi was on holiday overseas. Najib chaired the meeting and Air Asia's application was rejected.
The application was rejected for two main reasons:
i. By 2009 the whole of ASEAN becomes open sky anyway. ASEAN airlines can fly to all ASEAN capitals without restrictions. So why open up KL-Singapore in double quick time?
ii. If budget flights are allowed between KL-Singapore, KLIA will die an unnatural death. KLIA will become a feeder airport for Singapore's Changi. People will fly from KL to Singapore and then fly off from Singapore to the rest of the world. MAS will then die a natural death. So the request was declined.
Then Badawi came back from his travels and asked Tengku Adnan the Minister of Tourism to prepare a paper on tourism, linking MAS, Air Asia, SIA, etc., to tourist arrivals. At the next Cabinet meeting chaired by Badawi, he asked Tengku Adnan to present the 'Cabinet paper'.
Insiders say that the paper was an 'out of Agenda' item - meaning it surprised everyone, but the dunggus approved it nonetheless. Air Asia got its wish again. Tengku Adnan also secured his Putrajaya seat.
Now here is the killer. Soon after Air Asia started flying the KL-Singapore sector, they started giving away 300,000 free tickets, 5 sen tickets and all the other gimmicks. Singapore is believed to be subsidising Air Asia for all these expensive gimmicks.
For SIA, losing RM40 million (S$17 million) profit from the KL-Singapore sector is chicken feed. Air Asia is feeding thousands of transit passengers from KL to Changi . Air Asia is providing RM19 bus rides from KL to KLIA. From KLIA, passengers fly almost free to Changi. From Changi the passengers can connect to the world.
Now, Air Asia is making another wish - they want to fly direct from Kuching, KK, Penang, Alor Setar, Kota Bharu, etc., to Changi. They will earn even more 'subsidies' from Singapore. KLIA will drop dead later, MAS will die first.
This is how we go from 'rags to riches'. And we all thought Tony Fernandez was such a great guy too. The shareholders and/or stakeholders of Air Asia (directly, indirectly, through proxies, etc.) include Kamaluddin bin Abdullah Badawi, Kalimullah Maseerul Hassan (also into Tune Hotels), Khairy Jamaluddin, Tony Fernandez, etc.
Yes, we believe in open skies, competition and all that. But friends, fellow Malaysians, this is the PM, his son, his S-I-L and his cronies lah. How can they sell out their own country? But this is what they are doing.
Kawan-kawan, come March 8th, 2008 you have an opportunity to hit the button for the ejecion seat. Hit the ejection button and send these people out into oblivion. Don't give them any parachutes either.
Lim Eng Ban
Join Date: Mar 2008
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Hi Guys, Am new to the thread, but have been following all your views/comments/frustrations etc... closely.
Anyways, I must say "angelgabriel" has a point, you F/Os need to stand for your rights. TAKE MASS MC'S and show the managment you guys are worth more and not any piece of ****.
When one ant fights its prey, its chances of being killed is high but can you imagine when a thousand ants go for one prey which is 3x its size what would it be like.......
Go for it guys...kick them in the ass.
Anyways, I must say "angelgabriel" has a point, you F/Os need to stand for your rights. TAKE MASS MC'S and show the managment you guys are worth more and not any piece of ****.
When one ant fights its prey, its chances of being killed is high but can you imagine when a thousand ants go for one prey which is 3x its size what would it be like.......
Go for it guys...kick them in the ass.
Join Date: Jul 2000
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Well Said Mcbeal,
There is a sickening trend of degradation in the terms and conditions world wide and there seems to be a continuing trend of pilots accepting these conditions. I sincerely believe that the pilot community as a whole needs to band together and put a stop to this. Pilots lose their jobs and pensions and management get a pay rise and a huge bonus from the pension fund. "This stinks"
Wooblah.
There is a sickening trend of degradation in the terms and conditions world wide and there seems to be a continuing trend of pilots accepting these conditions. I sincerely believe that the pilot community as a whole needs to band together and put a stop to this. Pilots lose their jobs and pensions and management get a pay rise and a huge bonus from the pension fund. "This stinks"
Wooblah.
