AirAsia MAS together after all.
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Any more doubts about his business acumen?
By Yow Hong Chieh, The Malaysian Insider
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 6 — Aviation tycoon Tan Sri Tony Fernandes has denied his AirAsia benefited from the RM249 million in federal subsidies paid to its Fly Asian Xpress (FAX) for rural flights four years ago.
Putrajaya said it paid the amount when FAX operated the Rural Air Services (RAS) — flights to rural communities in East Malaysia — between August 2006 and September 2007, after which the service was handed back to flag carrier Malaysia Airlines (MAS)
“Fly Asian Xpress was the sole operator of the Rural Air Services and not AirAsia Berhad. AirAsia Berhad did not receive any financial benefit arising from the RAS operations,” the AirAsia boss said in a blog post yesterday.
“Although the shareholders of FAX were similar to AirAsia Berhad, they ended up losing almost RM5 million of shareholder capital, because the wind-up costs of FAX, including retrenchment payments, were not covered by the government subsidy.”
Fernandes said when RAS was operated by MAS and subsequently MASwings, both carriers similarly incurred significant operating costs, which were also subsidies by the government.
Deputy Transport Minister Jelaing Mersat told Parliament on Thursday that Putrajaya paid RM249 million to AirAsia to subsidise its rural flights to Sabah and Sarawak.
He also said that MASwings needed less than half the amount of subsidy when it took over the routes from the no-frills carrier’s unit subsidiary FAX in October 2007.
“MASwings only needed less than half the subsidy as it is more organised and uses newer aircraft which cost less to maintain,” Jelaing had said.
But Fernandes explained the higher subsidy bill was due to an “abnormally high” number of overhauls and repairs needed for aircraft it inherited from MAS in 2006.
He pointed out that FAX had paid RM48 million in maintenance costs at market rates to MAS Engineering, rather than at cost as had been offered to the national carrier previously.
“With MAS as the only licensed engineering provider, no supplier competition was available to extract better rates,” he said.
FAX also paid RM72 million to a third-party for additional maintenance not provided by MAS as the national carrier had been slow to respond to requests and had wanted to charge higher rates.
On top of that, FAX paid RM25 million for ground handling and other services by MAS; RM16 million on loan spares from MAS; RM9 million for pilot secondments from MAS between August 2006 and March 2007; and footed a write-down on spares worth RM9 million.
“Finally, another contributing factor in the difference in subsidy claims is the higher global fuel price versus prior years under MAS: RM10 million,” Fernandes said.
“MASWings benefited from the amount spent by FAX because 80 per cent of the amount spent would not have to be incurred in the 12 months after MASWings took over,” he added.
The return of RAS routes to MAS after just 14 months had raised concerns of whether it would affect the national carrier’s turnaround plans under then-chief executive Datuk Seri Idris Jala.
READ MORE HERE.
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 6 — Aviation tycoon Tan Sri Tony Fernandes has denied his AirAsia benefited from the RM249 million in federal subsidies paid to its Fly Asian Xpress (FAX) for rural flights four years ago.
Putrajaya said it paid the amount when FAX operated the Rural Air Services (RAS) — flights to rural communities in East Malaysia — between August 2006 and September 2007, after which the service was handed back to flag carrier Malaysia Airlines (MAS)
“Fly Asian Xpress was the sole operator of the Rural Air Services and not AirAsia Berhad. AirAsia Berhad did not receive any financial benefit arising from the RAS operations,” the AirAsia boss said in a blog post yesterday.
“Although the shareholders of FAX were similar to AirAsia Berhad, they ended up losing almost RM5 million of shareholder capital, because the wind-up costs of FAX, including retrenchment payments, were not covered by the government subsidy.”
Fernandes said when RAS was operated by MAS and subsequently MASwings, both carriers similarly incurred significant operating costs, which were also subsidies by the government.
Deputy Transport Minister Jelaing Mersat told Parliament on Thursday that Putrajaya paid RM249 million to AirAsia to subsidise its rural flights to Sabah and Sarawak.
He also said that MASwings needed less than half the amount of subsidy when it took over the routes from the no-frills carrier’s unit subsidiary FAX in October 2007.
“MASwings only needed less than half the subsidy as it is more organised and uses newer aircraft which cost less to maintain,” Jelaing had said.
But Fernandes explained the higher subsidy bill was due to an “abnormally high” number of overhauls and repairs needed for aircraft it inherited from MAS in 2006.
He pointed out that FAX had paid RM48 million in maintenance costs at market rates to MAS Engineering, rather than at cost as had been offered to the national carrier previously.
“With MAS as the only licensed engineering provider, no supplier competition was available to extract better rates,” he said.
FAX also paid RM72 million to a third-party for additional maintenance not provided by MAS as the national carrier had been slow to respond to requests and had wanted to charge higher rates.
On top of that, FAX paid RM25 million for ground handling and other services by MAS; RM16 million on loan spares from MAS; RM9 million for pilot secondments from MAS between August 2006 and March 2007; and footed a write-down on spares worth RM9 million.
“Finally, another contributing factor in the difference in subsidy claims is the higher global fuel price versus prior years under MAS: RM10 million,” Fernandes said.
“MASWings benefited from the amount spent by FAX because 80 per cent of the amount spent would not have to be incurred in the 12 months after MASWings took over,” he added.
The return of RAS routes to MAS after just 14 months had raised concerns of whether it would affect the national carrier’s turnaround plans under then-chief executive Datuk Seri Idris Jala.
READ MORE HERE.
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He can deny for all he wants but if the present do collapse in the coming GE13, we are going to dig into the paper/electronics trail into his scams.
We all have a sneaky feeling that the recent MAS/AK share swap offer opportunities for this crook and his patrons to make hay when the sun still shines.
We all have a sneaky feeling that the recent MAS/AK share swap offer opportunities for this crook and his patrons to make hay when the sun still shines.
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t bangla f - WRIGGLING OUT OF PAYING MAHB?
Now, is this outburst of a sandiwara a novel way to get the politico patrons to help him wriggle out of paying...after collecting billions from passengers who faithfully dished out the taxes included in their fares?
AirAsia boss vents anger on MAHB
(Bernama) - AirAsia Bhd’s group chief executive officer, Tony Fernandes, has called off a press conference on airport tax which was scheduled later today.
However, he used the social media, Facebook, to vent his frustration at the issue, saying airport taxes should be lower to make them afforable to the common people.
“AirAsia has been fighting to make them cheaper for the common man. Airport taxes are paid by Malaysians and the passengers.
“The money doesn’t go to AirAsia but Malaysia Airport Holdings Bhd (MAHB),” he said in his Facebook today.
He said Malaysia Airlines and AirAsia had given Malaysian airports ideas to increase their income by attracting more airlines.
“Then reduce the charges,” he said.
Fernandes said there were too many empty promises made by Malaysian airports and the airlines were blamed for their poor performance.
“AirAsia wants MAHB to come clean. The new Low-Cost Carrier Terminal (KLIA2) was supposed to be operational in June 2012 and cost RM2 billion,” he said.
It has been reported before that the cost of KLIA2, which has the capability to handle 30 million passengers, will cost more than the initial figure of RM2 billion.
Fernandes also questioned the need for a third runway at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA).
“Why is KLIA building a third runway when they don’t use dual mode on two runways? Heathrow has 60 million passengers with two runways.
“Fixing the air traffic system would have been cheaper than building another runway,” he said.
On criticisms from four MPs, Fernandes said they had made it very personal.
“Villagers could never fly before. We have worked so hard to make flying affordable and 130 million people have flown due to us,” he said.
(Bernama) - AirAsia Bhd’s group chief executive officer, Tony Fernandes, has called off a press conference on airport tax which was scheduled later today.
However, he used the social media, Facebook, to vent his frustration at the issue, saying airport taxes should be lower to make them afforable to the common people.
“AirAsia has been fighting to make them cheaper for the common man. Airport taxes are paid by Malaysians and the passengers.
“The money doesn’t go to AirAsia but Malaysia Airport Holdings Bhd (MAHB),” he said in his Facebook today.
He said Malaysia Airlines and AirAsia had given Malaysian airports ideas to increase their income by attracting more airlines.
“Then reduce the charges,” he said.
Fernandes said there were too many empty promises made by Malaysian airports and the airlines were blamed for their poor performance.
“AirAsia wants MAHB to come clean. The new Low-Cost Carrier Terminal (KLIA2) was supposed to be operational in June 2012 and cost RM2 billion,” he said.
It has been reported before that the cost of KLIA2, which has the capability to handle 30 million passengers, will cost more than the initial figure of RM2 billion.
Fernandes also questioned the need for a third runway at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA).
“Why is KLIA building a third runway when they don’t use dual mode on two runways? Heathrow has 60 million passengers with two runways.
“Fixing the air traffic system would have been cheaper than building another runway,” he said.
On criticisms from four MPs, Fernandes said they had made it very personal.
“Villagers could never fly before. We have worked so hard to make flying affordable and 130 million people have flown due to us,” he said.
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tf's/AK's modus operandi
Over the years, there have been persistent rumours that AK had never paid MAHB and DCA for the services rendered. Likewise MAS bean counters had intimated that AK had been poor paymasters for maintenance work done for it. tf had been able to get his patrons in the corrupt Malay government set up to help write off all these unpaid expenses. AS I said, there were rumours but I gather that there is no smoke if there isn't a fire.
The deafening silence amongst Malaysian aviation professionals certainly enbolden the corrupt and greedy quarters in the business to rip off the average Malaysian taxpayer and consumer. The in house MAPA forums are nothing short of utusan moolayu garbage with lots of hot air and curry flavoured farts!
The deafening silence amongst Malaysian aviation professionals certainly enbolden the corrupt and greedy quarters in the business to rip off the average Malaysian taxpayer and consumer. The in house MAPA forums are nothing short of utusan moolayu garbage with lots of hot air and curry flavoured farts!
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The real winners in Air Asia-MAS deal
The real winners in Air Asia-MAS deal
SPECIAL REPORTS
It looks like the little Napoleons in Khazanah are the ones who will benefit most from the controversial share swap.
Here, the truth of the matter is that Tony has had it up to his eyeballs with the little Napoleons at Malaysian Airports Holdings Berhad (MAHB) for virtually extorting him over the years through excessive fees. He sees the badly-managed MAHB as a leech, sucking Air Asia’s blood for all it is worth.
Joe Fernandez, Free Malaysia Today
Who are the real beneficiaries in the controversial Air Asia-Malaysia Airlines share swap? The answer should not be as confusing as has been made out to be in media statements from all and sundry.
Air Asia Chief Tony Fernandes isn’t being very helpful, and for obvious reasons. He fears that millions of his doting fans will abandon him and, in consequence, he will lose his throne as the God of Marketing in Malaysia and the region, if not the world.
We are told that Khazanah Nasional will have a 10% stake in Air Asia in return for the latter having a 20% state in Malaysia Airlines. Khazanah Nasional has a 17.33% stake directly in Malaysia Airlines. Indirectly, it has a 52% stake through Penerbangan Malaysia Sdn Bhd, its wholly-owned subsidiary.
There’s more than meets the eye in this cloak-and-dagger deal.
Tune Air Sdn Bhd, a private limited company which has a 20% controlling stake in Air Asia, is owned 50:50 by Tony and his partner Kamarudin Meranun. This means that each has a 10% stake in Air Asia through Tune Air.
Khazanah, for all practical purposes, did not enter Air Asia directly. But like Tony and Kamarudin, it went in through Tune Air. The 20% that Tune Air has in Air Asia is now owned 50% by Khazanah and 50% by Tony and Kamarudin.
Khazanah, in reality, now owns half of Tune Air. Tony and Kamarudin both hold the rest in equal measure. In return, Tony and Kamarudin accepted a 20% stake collectively in the virtually bankrupt Malaysia Airlines. Many will say that the two need to have their heads examined.
The bottom line is that buddies Tony and Kamarudin have both lost their once controlling stake in Air Asia via Tune Air.
The little Napoleons at Khazanah can go on to pick up Air Asia shares in the open market and build up its ownership of the airline outside Tune Air. The revenue from Air Asia is expected to help feed the war chest of the little Napoleons at Khazanah.
This is part of the real story that Tony isn’t telling anyone. Instead, like Kamarudin, he deliberately keeps mum on the deal while the media goes on a wild goose chase. Both men must have laughed their heads off recently when several MPs attacked Tony in Parliament over the share swap.
It’s a bit of a mystery why Tony and his partner gave up their controlling stake in Air Asia.
Under Tony, Air Asia had bragged from its inception that Now Everyone Can Fly. We can only guess at what his real motives are in accepting a deal with Khazanah so that Not Everyone Can Now Fly.
There was that story not so long ago that Air Asia would shift its headquarters to Jakarta. This was shortly after Tony started singing praises of the Indonesian capital. The Air Asia chief saw Indonesia as El Dorado and the Promised Land all rolled into one as Air Asia Indonesia was poised for as much success as Air Asia in Malaysia.
Genius plan
When caught with his pants down over the headquarters announcement, he quickly claimed that Air Asia would still keep its headquarters in Malaysia. Jakarta, he said, would be Air Asia’s Asean headquarters since that’s where the Asean Secretariat was located.
Apparently, he wanted to have a “closer working relationship” with the Asean Secretariat since Air Asia was in fact THE Asean Airline. If that’s the case, what role would the so-called Air Asia headquarters in Malaysia still play? Air Asia would end up with two headquarters under Tony’s genius plan.
Since the share swap deal, we have not heard anything about Air Asia’s Asean headquarters in Jakarta. Instead, we are told that Tony will set up a new airline—Caterham Jet—ostensibly to compete with, among others, Qantas in its plans for a new airline for the super rich in the region. Not Everyone Should Fly? God alone knows.
Here, the truth of the matter is that Tony has had it up to his eyeballs with the little Napoleons at Malaysian Airports Holdings Berhad (MAHB) for virtually extorting him over the years through excessive fees. He sees the badly-managed MAHB as a leech, sucking Air Asia’s blood for all it is worth.
The way he reckons it, he works hard only to see MAHB robbing him of the fruits of his labour and constantly blackmailing him. He is still sore that it denied him the right to build a new low cost airport near the Kuala Lumpur International Airport. Instead, MAHB decided to build its own—for the lucrative private contracts that the little Napoleons could take for themselves—and confine him to using their new airport.
MAHB even enlisted the support of former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, the omnipresent, to lobby public opinion against the new airport planned by Air Asia. Many stories in the Malay media on the issue bordered on the personal, were highly offensive and even downright racist.
That Air Asia has been a runaway success in Malaysia from the word “go” is in no doubt whatsoever. It has replicated and duplicated this success through subsidiaries in Thailand, Vietnam and the Philippines, besides Indonesia.
READ MORE HERE
SPECIAL REPORTS
It looks like the little Napoleons in Khazanah are the ones who will benefit most from the controversial share swap.
Here, the truth of the matter is that Tony has had it up to his eyeballs with the little Napoleons at Malaysian Airports Holdings Berhad (MAHB) for virtually extorting him over the years through excessive fees. He sees the badly-managed MAHB as a leech, sucking Air Asia’s blood for all it is worth.
Joe Fernandez, Free Malaysia Today
Who are the real beneficiaries in the controversial Air Asia-Malaysia Airlines share swap? The answer should not be as confusing as has been made out to be in media statements from all and sundry.
Air Asia Chief Tony Fernandes isn’t being very helpful, and for obvious reasons. He fears that millions of his doting fans will abandon him and, in consequence, he will lose his throne as the God of Marketing in Malaysia and the region, if not the world.
We are told that Khazanah Nasional will have a 10% stake in Air Asia in return for the latter having a 20% state in Malaysia Airlines. Khazanah Nasional has a 17.33% stake directly in Malaysia Airlines. Indirectly, it has a 52% stake through Penerbangan Malaysia Sdn Bhd, its wholly-owned subsidiary.
There’s more than meets the eye in this cloak-and-dagger deal.
Tune Air Sdn Bhd, a private limited company which has a 20% controlling stake in Air Asia, is owned 50:50 by Tony and his partner Kamarudin Meranun. This means that each has a 10% stake in Air Asia through Tune Air.
Khazanah, for all practical purposes, did not enter Air Asia directly. But like Tony and Kamarudin, it went in through Tune Air. The 20% that Tune Air has in Air Asia is now owned 50% by Khazanah and 50% by Tony and Kamarudin.
Khazanah, in reality, now owns half of Tune Air. Tony and Kamarudin both hold the rest in equal measure. In return, Tony and Kamarudin accepted a 20% stake collectively in the virtually bankrupt Malaysia Airlines. Many will say that the two need to have their heads examined.
The bottom line is that buddies Tony and Kamarudin have both lost their once controlling stake in Air Asia via Tune Air.
The little Napoleons at Khazanah can go on to pick up Air Asia shares in the open market and build up its ownership of the airline outside Tune Air. The revenue from Air Asia is expected to help feed the war chest of the little Napoleons at Khazanah.
This is part of the real story that Tony isn’t telling anyone. Instead, like Kamarudin, he deliberately keeps mum on the deal while the media goes on a wild goose chase. Both men must have laughed their heads off recently when several MPs attacked Tony in Parliament over the share swap.
It’s a bit of a mystery why Tony and his partner gave up their controlling stake in Air Asia.
Under Tony, Air Asia had bragged from its inception that Now Everyone Can Fly. We can only guess at what his real motives are in accepting a deal with Khazanah so that Not Everyone Can Now Fly.
There was that story not so long ago that Air Asia would shift its headquarters to Jakarta. This was shortly after Tony started singing praises of the Indonesian capital. The Air Asia chief saw Indonesia as El Dorado and the Promised Land all rolled into one as Air Asia Indonesia was poised for as much success as Air Asia in Malaysia.
Genius plan
When caught with his pants down over the headquarters announcement, he quickly claimed that Air Asia would still keep its headquarters in Malaysia. Jakarta, he said, would be Air Asia’s Asean headquarters since that’s where the Asean Secretariat was located.
Apparently, he wanted to have a “closer working relationship” with the Asean Secretariat since Air Asia was in fact THE Asean Airline. If that’s the case, what role would the so-called Air Asia headquarters in Malaysia still play? Air Asia would end up with two headquarters under Tony’s genius plan.
Since the share swap deal, we have not heard anything about Air Asia’s Asean headquarters in Jakarta. Instead, we are told that Tony will set up a new airline—Caterham Jet—ostensibly to compete with, among others, Qantas in its plans for a new airline for the super rich in the region. Not Everyone Should Fly? God alone knows.
Here, the truth of the matter is that Tony has had it up to his eyeballs with the little Napoleons at Malaysian Airports Holdings Berhad (MAHB) for virtually extorting him over the years through excessive fees. He sees the badly-managed MAHB as a leech, sucking Air Asia’s blood for all it is worth.
The way he reckons it, he works hard only to see MAHB robbing him of the fruits of his labour and constantly blackmailing him. He is still sore that it denied him the right to build a new low cost airport near the Kuala Lumpur International Airport. Instead, MAHB decided to build its own—for the lucrative private contracts that the little Napoleons could take for themselves—and confine him to using their new airport.
MAHB even enlisted the support of former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, the omnipresent, to lobby public opinion against the new airport planned by Air Asia. Many stories in the Malay media on the issue bordered on the personal, were highly offensive and even downright racist.
That Air Asia has been a runaway success in Malaysia from the word “go” is in no doubt whatsoever. It has replicated and duplicated this success through subsidiaries in Thailand, Vietnam and the Philippines, besides Indonesia.
READ MORE HERE
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Another one bites the dust
PETALING JAYA: Datuk Eddy Leong (pic) has called it a day at Malaysia Airlines (MAS).
Sources said he submitted his resignation letter to the new management of the airline yesterday.
Leong is believed to be negotiating on the date he could leave because there needed to be a transition period for the handover of duties.
Eddy Leong
He was chief executive officer of Firefly and chief operating officer of MAS’ short-haul operations.
Leong had been given the task to help the new team drive Firefly’s turboprop operations and at the same time operationally lead the new short-haul operations of the national carrier.
The reasons for his resignation after nine years with the airline are unclear but it is learnt that he had another offer.
He is the fourth top executive of MAS to resign within five months.
In July, senior general manger of marketing Datuk Bernard Francis announced his resignation after six years with the airline.
On the day the share swap with AirAsia was announced, then managing director Tengku Datuk Azmil Zahruddin resigned.
Early this month, chief financial officer Mohd Azha Abdul Jalil threw in the towel after 4½ years with the airline. His last day is the end of next month.
Sources said he submitted his resignation letter to the new management of the airline yesterday.
Leong is believed to be negotiating on the date he could leave because there needed to be a transition period for the handover of duties.
Eddy Leong He was chief executive officer of Firefly and chief operating officer of MAS’ short-haul operations.
Leong had been given the task to help the new team drive Firefly’s turboprop operations and at the same time operationally lead the new short-haul operations of the national carrier.
The reasons for his resignation after nine years with the airline are unclear but it is learnt that he had another offer.
He is the fourth top executive of MAS to resign within five months.
In July, senior general manger of marketing Datuk Bernard Francis announced his resignation after six years with the airline.
On the day the share swap with AirAsia was announced, then managing director Tengku Datuk Azmil Zahruddin resigned.
Early this month, chief financial officer Mohd Azha Abdul Jalil threw in the towel after 4½ years with the airline. His last day is the end of next month.
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The real winners in Air Asia-MAS deal
The so called little napoleans are operatives of the patrons and handlers of the bangla look alike tony francis. These morons only have taste for ill gotten gains with no sense of how much can be milked from the cash cow without causing haemorrhage. I am sure tf is mighty worried that once these hyenas are through, he may have little left for himself!
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What's up? MAHB calling in " iou's " ?
AirAsia: Stop harassing our staff
The Star) - AirAsia has issued an official warning letter to Malaysia Airports Holding Berhad (MAHB) for allegedly harassing its staff.
The company’s commercial director Jasmine Lee claimed MAHB had told airline staff to remove the “Say No to Airport Tax Increase” stickers on their uniform. She claimed that the airport operator also removed posters at their sales counters at LCCT.
“They even went to the check-in counters and told our staff not to wear the stickers and to stop sticking them on passengers’ boarding passes.
“We have sent an official warning letter to request that MAHB’s officers stop unlawfully obstructing our staff from doing their jobs,” she said, adding that the incident occurred from around 10am until lunchtime yesterday.
AirAsia is protesting against the decision by MAHB to increase the airport tax by RM7 and RM14 at five airports nationwide which took effect yesterday.
The airports are Langkawi International Airport, Penang International Airport, Kuching International Airport, Terminal 2, Kota Kinabalu International Airport and the low-cost carrier terminal (LCCT) at KLIA.
Lee also alleged that MAHB confiscated security tags from some staff working in restricted areas.
“This incident will not deter us. We will continue to wear the stickers tomorrow and will put back the posters,” she said.
AirAsia CEO Tan Sri Tony Fernandes later tweeted: “Malaysian airport staff tearing down our posters and taking away airport passes of our staff. And using intimidation. Can someone tell them this is Malaysia and not a police state.”
MAHB senior general manager for operations Datuk Azmi Murad, who was present during the incident, denied any harassment or intimidation took place but admitted they removed the posters.
“They were putting the posters in public areas and we took them down. Imagine if anyone could just walk in and start putting posters everywhere,” he said.
AirAsia has taken a full-page advertisement in The Star, urging the public to call MAHB and give their opinion on the increase in airport tax.
“AirAsia views this increase as not justified as the current airport facilities are not up to par,” said the advertisement.
The Star) - AirAsia has issued an official warning letter to Malaysia Airports Holding Berhad (MAHB) for allegedly harassing its staff.
The company’s commercial director Jasmine Lee claimed MAHB had told airline staff to remove the “Say No to Airport Tax Increase” stickers on their uniform. She claimed that the airport operator also removed posters at their sales counters at LCCT.
“They even went to the check-in counters and told our staff not to wear the stickers and to stop sticking them on passengers’ boarding passes.
“We have sent an official warning letter to request that MAHB’s officers stop unlawfully obstructing our staff from doing their jobs,” she said, adding that the incident occurred from around 10am until lunchtime yesterday.
AirAsia is protesting against the decision by MAHB to increase the airport tax by RM7 and RM14 at five airports nationwide which took effect yesterday.
The airports are Langkawi International Airport, Penang International Airport, Kuching International Airport, Terminal 2, Kota Kinabalu International Airport and the low-cost carrier terminal (LCCT) at KLIA.
Lee also alleged that MAHB confiscated security tags from some staff working in restricted areas.
“This incident will not deter us. We will continue to wear the stickers tomorrow and will put back the posters,” she said.
AirAsia CEO Tan Sri Tony Fernandes later tweeted: “Malaysian airport staff tearing down our posters and taking away airport passes of our staff. And using intimidation. Can someone tell them this is Malaysia and not a police state.”
MAHB senior general manager for operations Datuk Azmi Murad, who was present during the incident, denied any harassment or intimidation took place but admitted they removed the posters.
“They were putting the posters in public areas and we took them down. Imagine if anyone could just walk in and start putting posters everywhere,” he said.
AirAsia has taken a full-page advertisement in The Star, urging the public to call MAHB and give their opinion on the increase in airport tax.
“AirAsia views this increase as not justified as the current airport facilities are not up to par,” said the advertisement.
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This Jasmine is crying foul about MAHB's tightening of screws; looks like the red capped fat bangla may have lost his mojo bag with the little napoleons who are all out to make a buck or so when the going is still good.
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AirAsia Refutes MAHB's Claim That It Asked For A Bigger KLIA2
I guess uncle Tony is losing his magical powers...over his kingdom. Dictator of airlines of malaysia. His generals are stirring for a coup d'état.
Bersama 5th 2011
The fued between AirAsia Bhd and Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) took a turn for the worse when the low-cost carrier today refuted claims by the airport operator that AirAsia was the main reason for the cost of the new low-cost terminal, or KLIA2, to increase substantially.
In a statement here Monday, the low-cost carrier also said it did not ask for a bigger KLIA2.
AirAsia has called for a press conference tomorrow at its headquarters in Sepang to refute MAHB's claims of asking for a bigger KLIA2.
The budget carrier also provided copies of two official letters sent by AirAsia to MAHB and vice versa to prove that it should not be blamed for the price tag of KLIA2 to almost double.
AirAsia, MAHB's biggest customer, said its chairman, Datuk Abdul Aziz Abu Bakar, had in a letter on November 2009 to MAHB managing director Tan Sri Bashir Ahmad Abdul Majid, cautioned that the location of KLIA2 at KLIA West was not suitable and would cause construction costs to soar.
"The site will definitely be more expensive than the planned budget of RM2 billion," AirAsia said, adding it had also estimated for MAHB that the construction cost will increase to RM3.6-RM3.9 billion.
In a separate letter dated Aug 9 this year, Bashir had written to AirAsia X chairman, Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz, claiming that the proposed KLIA2 would be sufficient to handle 30 million passengers per annum.
"This figure has never been officially changed by AirAsia or MAHB since Aug 9, 2011," AirAsia said, in refuting claims made by MAHB in an article entitled "Why KLIA2 has to be bigger" posted on its website.
According to the article, MAHB claimed that AirAsia had been the one to estimate that passenger traffic at the new terminal would reach 28.7 million by 2015, 45.3 million by 2020 and 60.3 million by 2025.
AirAsia chief executive officer, Tan Sri Tony Fernandes, had also dismissed MAHB's justifications for doubling the cost of KLIA2 from its original RM2 billion estimate in 2009 to RM3.9 billion currently.
AirAsia had mentioned in a letter that the airline should not be held accountable for cost over-runs arising from the incorporation of these needs.
The airline also refuted MAHB's claim that it had asked for a fully-automated baggage handling system (BHS), which is believed to have caused delays in construction, saying it had only asked for a semi-automated BHS.
"The MAHB board had unilaterally decided on a fully-automated BHS to accommodate 45-60 million passengers, which was again not agreed to by AirAsia," it said.
AirAsia said its request for a 3,000-metre runway had been based on its original requirement to MAHB to cater to the wide-bodied Airbus A330 aircraft, which were operated by Air Asia X.
Later, the airline said, MAHB has since shortened the runway length to 2,750 metres, which can only cater to the A320 aircraft, without consulting AirAsia.
"As such, this should not be considered as an additional request/requirement from AirAsia as the original plan has always been for a 3,000-metre runway.
"Therefore, no additional cost should be incurred," it said.
Bersama 6th 2011
In the latest twist to the feud between AirAsia Bhd and Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB), the budget carrier today expressed its hope to work as a family and for the airport operator to give fair consideration to the airline's requirement in the new low cost terminal (KLIA2).
AirAsia Chief Operating Officer Bo Lingam said the airline would be the biggest company to utilise the new airport but some of its proposals and basic requirements were not entertained by MAHB.
"As per the meeting between MAHB and AirAsia which was chaired by Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, who was then Deputy Prime Minister, it was proposed that both the entities form a joint committee on the development of KLIA2.
"However, until now, there has been none. Although its quite late now, we are still open for a joint committee for the benefit of AirAsia, MAHB and all related parties in the development of the airport.
"Had the joint committee been formed, all these problems would not have cropped up as it would have been resolved internally," he told a media briefing here today.
He said the airline's main concern was the cost escalation of the new terminal which would result in higher rental, surcharges and extra bills imposed on AirAsia, when the company moves its operations to KLIA2 scheduled to operate in 2013.
This, he said, may also be a reason for AirAsia to increase its fares in future.
"Besides, we are requesting that MAHB agree to have a service level agreement with us to occupy the new airport as we have no such agreement now with the present low cost carrier terminal.
"We also want MAHB to state in black and white the current airport charges so that it will not be raised once we move to the new airport," he said.
Bo Lingam said the airline also requested for a taxiway to be built in the first phase of the new terminal and this was infact slated in the airport's initial runway plan, but the plan was aborted.
It has now been planned for construction in the second phase of the project.
"If the runway is not constructed, we are going to incur losses amounting to some RM40 million, annually, only on fuel, because we have to cross the runway without a taxiway," he added.
Bo Lingam also said AirAsia does not deny the fact that MAHB and the airline company had a total of 47 meetings on the new airport project.
"However, no decision was taken at the meetings. It was more one-sided with us presenting our latest plans and proposals and all they said was that the board would meet to deliberate and make a final decision.
"We want a low-cost airport, our operating procedures does not require a world-class airport. We have told them (MAHB) this many times but the latest development clearly shows that they are not getting what we are trying to prove here," he said.
Bo Lingam said in 2009, the company identified a piece of land and drew up a sample airport design.
"The cost of the project, if based on that design, would not have cost more than RM700 million, but without any reason, MAHB rejected both the site and design.
"We already know that the current site will incur more cost and work because the soil is soft but MAHB make the final decision and now the date of completion is being delayed from year-end to September 2013," he said.
He also said due to the delay, AirAsia had to defer new aircraft delivery due to space constraint.
"We are now talking with MAHB and related parties on securing a piece of land to park the new aircraft until the new airport is ready because we cannot keep deferring aircraft delivery just like that," he said.
AirAsia, Bo Lingam said had helped Malaysia place itself on the world map as one of countries offering low-cost travel.
"So, what's wrong if MAHB grants us a business partner relationship in this particular matter," he said.
AirAsia and MAHB are sheduled to have their update meetings on the new airport tomorrow.
Bersama 5th 2011
The fued between AirAsia Bhd and Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) took a turn for the worse when the low-cost carrier today refuted claims by the airport operator that AirAsia was the main reason for the cost of the new low-cost terminal, or KLIA2, to increase substantially.
In a statement here Monday, the low-cost carrier also said it did not ask for a bigger KLIA2.
AirAsia has called for a press conference tomorrow at its headquarters in Sepang to refute MAHB's claims of asking for a bigger KLIA2.
The budget carrier also provided copies of two official letters sent by AirAsia to MAHB and vice versa to prove that it should not be blamed for the price tag of KLIA2 to almost double.
AirAsia, MAHB's biggest customer, said its chairman, Datuk Abdul Aziz Abu Bakar, had in a letter on November 2009 to MAHB managing director Tan Sri Bashir Ahmad Abdul Majid, cautioned that the location of KLIA2 at KLIA West was not suitable and would cause construction costs to soar.
"The site will definitely be more expensive than the planned budget of RM2 billion," AirAsia said, adding it had also estimated for MAHB that the construction cost will increase to RM3.6-RM3.9 billion.
In a separate letter dated Aug 9 this year, Bashir had written to AirAsia X chairman, Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz, claiming that the proposed KLIA2 would be sufficient to handle 30 million passengers per annum.
"This figure has never been officially changed by AirAsia or MAHB since Aug 9, 2011," AirAsia said, in refuting claims made by MAHB in an article entitled "Why KLIA2 has to be bigger" posted on its website.
According to the article, MAHB claimed that AirAsia had been the one to estimate that passenger traffic at the new terminal would reach 28.7 million by 2015, 45.3 million by 2020 and 60.3 million by 2025.
AirAsia chief executive officer, Tan Sri Tony Fernandes, had also dismissed MAHB's justifications for doubling the cost of KLIA2 from its original RM2 billion estimate in 2009 to RM3.9 billion currently.
AirAsia had mentioned in a letter that the airline should not be held accountable for cost over-runs arising from the incorporation of these needs.
The airline also refuted MAHB's claim that it had asked for a fully-automated baggage handling system (BHS), which is believed to have caused delays in construction, saying it had only asked for a semi-automated BHS.
"The MAHB board had unilaterally decided on a fully-automated BHS to accommodate 45-60 million passengers, which was again not agreed to by AirAsia," it said.
AirAsia said its request for a 3,000-metre runway had been based on its original requirement to MAHB to cater to the wide-bodied Airbus A330 aircraft, which were operated by Air Asia X.
Later, the airline said, MAHB has since shortened the runway length to 2,750 metres, which can only cater to the A320 aircraft, without consulting AirAsia.
"As such, this should not be considered as an additional request/requirement from AirAsia as the original plan has always been for a 3,000-metre runway.
"Therefore, no additional cost should be incurred," it said.
Bersama 6th 2011
In the latest twist to the feud between AirAsia Bhd and Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB), the budget carrier today expressed its hope to work as a family and for the airport operator to give fair consideration to the airline's requirement in the new low cost terminal (KLIA2).
AirAsia Chief Operating Officer Bo Lingam said the airline would be the biggest company to utilise the new airport but some of its proposals and basic requirements were not entertained by MAHB.
"As per the meeting between MAHB and AirAsia which was chaired by Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, who was then Deputy Prime Minister, it was proposed that both the entities form a joint committee on the development of KLIA2.
"However, until now, there has been none. Although its quite late now, we are still open for a joint committee for the benefit of AirAsia, MAHB and all related parties in the development of the airport.
"Had the joint committee been formed, all these problems would not have cropped up as it would have been resolved internally," he told a media briefing here today.
He said the airline's main concern was the cost escalation of the new terminal which would result in higher rental, surcharges and extra bills imposed on AirAsia, when the company moves its operations to KLIA2 scheduled to operate in 2013.
This, he said, may also be a reason for AirAsia to increase its fares in future.
"Besides, we are requesting that MAHB agree to have a service level agreement with us to occupy the new airport as we have no such agreement now with the present low cost carrier terminal.
"We also want MAHB to state in black and white the current airport charges so that it will not be raised once we move to the new airport," he said.
Bo Lingam said the airline also requested for a taxiway to be built in the first phase of the new terminal and this was infact slated in the airport's initial runway plan, but the plan was aborted.
It has now been planned for construction in the second phase of the project.
"If the runway is not constructed, we are going to incur losses amounting to some RM40 million, annually, only on fuel, because we have to cross the runway without a taxiway," he added.
Bo Lingam also said AirAsia does not deny the fact that MAHB and the airline company had a total of 47 meetings on the new airport project.
"However, no decision was taken at the meetings. It was more one-sided with us presenting our latest plans and proposals and all they said was that the board would meet to deliberate and make a final decision.
"We want a low-cost airport, our operating procedures does not require a world-class airport. We have told them (MAHB) this many times but the latest development clearly shows that they are not getting what we are trying to prove here," he said.
Bo Lingam said in 2009, the company identified a piece of land and drew up a sample airport design.
"The cost of the project, if based on that design, would not have cost more than RM700 million, but without any reason, MAHB rejected both the site and design.
"We already know that the current site will incur more cost and work because the soil is soft but MAHB make the final decision and now the date of completion is being delayed from year-end to September 2013," he said.
He also said due to the delay, AirAsia had to defer new aircraft delivery due to space constraint.
"We are now talking with MAHB and related parties on securing a piece of land to park the new aircraft until the new airport is ready because we cannot keep deferring aircraft delivery just like that," he said.
AirAsia, Bo Lingam said had helped Malaysia place itself on the world map as one of countries offering low-cost travel.
"So, what's wrong if MAHB grants us a business partner relationship in this particular matter," he said.
AirAsia and MAHB are sheduled to have their update meetings on the new airport tomorrow.
Join Date: Mar 2009
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AAX picking off choice MAS routes?
Recent developments are really disturbing...MAS is going to reduce frequencies on the lucrative kangaroo route and AAX is going in to pick up the extras. Looks like MAS is slowly but surely being stripped off the choice cuts.
How are MAS employees and the taxpayers going to take it? Turn 180 and open the back dooors for continuous shafting by the ruling regime's cronies?
How are MAS employees and the taxpayers going to take it? Turn 180 and open the back dooors for continuous shafting by the ruling regime's cronies?
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It's all so sad to see the national flag carrier come to this. Apathy, apathy, apathy...sh*t, sh*t, sh*t like a certain ee BRA him shouted once - what has come of this wau bulan!!!
The country has gone down the drain, all its institutions rotten to the core and now, my rice bowl is brought down by greedy diabolical forces anti clockwise down the jamban. Sigh, sigh, sigh.
The evil in the world flourish because the good people did nothing, so opined Mohandas Karanchand Gandhi.......how true. All the good people in MAS and Malaysia sit and watch, happy with the little crumbs that came our way. We called the brave ones who ventured out " traitors ", not knowing the real traitors within wreck havoc to our rice bowl and the national flag carrier we love so much. Going for A380 course well ahead just to screw up some more deserving seniors.........ya, yeh, yeah, lato g string is sure proud of his prodigies by default!
The country has gone down the drain, all its institutions rotten to the core and now, my rice bowl is brought down by greedy diabolical forces anti clockwise down the jamban. Sigh, sigh, sigh.
The evil in the world flourish because the good people did nothing, so opined Mohandas Karanchand Gandhi.......how true. All the good people in MAS and Malaysia sit and watch, happy with the little crumbs that came our way. We called the brave ones who ventured out " traitors ", not knowing the real traitors within wreck havoc to our rice bowl and the national flag carrier we love so much. Going for A380 course well ahead just to screw up some more deserving seniors.........ya, yeh, yeah, lato g string is sure proud of his prodigies by default!
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MAPA's hisapputing is one up on lato gur g-string who used MAPA office to up his membership number........hisapputing leapfrogged over seniors to go up the b744 and now A380. See the pattern, no? You still no see huh? You guys brain dead or what?
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History repeating itself in another guise. The ones with out principles and scruples unfailingly screw the deserving ones in MAS. What else is new? MAPA is duty bound to maintain the sanctity of the seniority system and fairplay in particular.... Someone wrote in some other thread that the politics in MAS mirror that of the rotting bolehland, sad but very very true. The people let BN run wild with the blatant looting, unfair practices, utter irrational polices. Likewise in MAS, the little tuans f**k the whole company and all the nice things up. What can we do? What can you do? What can I do...let's call for an EGM and get hisapputing out!
Someone wrote in some other thread that the politics in MAS mirror that of the rotting bolehland, sad but very very true. The people let BN run wild with the blatant looting, unfair practices, utter irrational polices. Likewise in MAS, the little tuans f**k the whole company and all the nice things up. What can we do? What can you do? What can I do...let's call for an EGM and get hisapputing out!
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With all these A330s arriving this year, who is going to crew them? I understand they cancelled the recruitment.
