New Malaysia Widebody Charter Airline
 

A new privately owned airline, Eaglexpress Air Charter, is planning to start Boeing 747-400 operations in Malaysia as early as next month, assuming its air operator certificate (AOC) is approved.

[The AOC] "hasn’t been approved yet, but they have been issued with a service permit for provisional approval,” says Mohd Yunus Charlie Charrington, director of air transport within Malaysia’s department of civil aviation. “They have to pass a technical audit before they are issued with an AOC and certificate of airworthiness.”

Airline CEO Azlan Zainal Abidin says the carrier hopes to receive its AOC on Feb. 13, the same day it completes its proving flight. He says the airline on Monday signed a contract with Malaysia Airlines’ (MAS) parent, Penerbangan Malaysia Berhad (PMB), for the purchase of a former MAS Boeing 747-400, and it plans to buy two more 747-400s from PMB for delivery in March and April. MAS Engineering & Maintenance will help Eaglexpress with maintenance support, says Azlan.

In addition, Eaglexpress plans to acquire one 747-400F that will be used to launch wet-leased freighter services in April from Kuala Lumpur to Los Angeles and Anchorage via Seoul Incheon International Airport. Azlan says the carrier has already secured one customer for its freighter.

The passenger business, meanwhile, will be operating charter flights on behalf of travel agents, beginning with services from Malaysia to Australia, South Korea and China, says Azlan. The airline also wants to cater to Muslim pilgrimage traffic from Asia to Saudi Arabia. Azlan says there always seems to be a shortage of air services for Haj and Umrah, and this explains why the airline decided on the long-range 747-400s.

Once it has established its widebody passenger aircraft business, Eaglexpress hopes to expand into narrowbody passenger charters by flying Boeing 737-800s to destinations within Asia, Azlan says. Longer-term, it hopes to be in a position to acquire 747-8s and Boeing 787s, he adds.

Having a new airline in Malaysia—particularly a passenger airline operating aircraft as large as a 747—is significant because the Malaysian market is now largely dominated by AirAsia and MAS. It is difficult to get an AOC in Malaysia for scheduled services because this is a cabinet-level decision. But Eaglexpress needs approval only from the department of civil aviation because it will operate only charters. Azlan declines to rule out the possibility that it may operate scheduled services, but says this is up to the government to decide.

Azlan, who is a former MAS pilot, says he owns 20% of the airline, while South Korean pilot Shin Man Soo owns 40%. The other shareholders, each with 20%, are Wan Ismail Abdul Rahman, former CEO of Maybank Finance, and Aseh Che Mat, former secretary general of Malaysia’s Ministry of Home Affairs. Aseh is now chairman of MWE Holdings, a Malaysian company that makes clothing and electronic goods. He also sits on the boards of some other companies, including Pos Malaysia, the national postal service





Aviation Week 20/1/2012

Nothing can really move.
 

With the present BN government still in power , aviation industry for schedule passenger carriers is DEAD. If it is going to scratch Air Asia/AAX in anyway you can kiss and say goodbye. Virtually the whole Malaysian cabinet is in AA/AAX. The stake is just too high. PERIOD.

Isn't Azlan Z A ( "z"hort a**e ) together with Sam Black involved with Asmara Air in contravention of some MAS rules which subsequently led to their sacking by the pigmy nawawi? So MAS is doing business with people they unceremoniously sacked? The going ons in and around MAS never fail to amaze me!

Maybe they will reopen the routes AAX axed?:}

Seems interesting indeed looks promising with support from ex-ministers to make this set up smooth one. Any idea guys what kind of package they are offering for Capt's position? Are they still hiring Direct entry Capt? If so what would be the best way to 'channel' your application. Many thanks Happy Flying..:ok:

Eaglexpress Air Charter a shit company
 

Dear All,

I have been ****** by that company,and a conman his name is Azlan Zainal Abidin the CEO,he asked me to pay for my B747-400 type rating in the USA,and he will offer me a job starting as a First Officer the job offer was $5k per month and I did signed the contact before I start the training,and then after I finished my type rating,he change the contract,and offered me $2K,and I had to pay my apartment in KL,and my flight tickets and the transportation too,then when I asked why they did that and when I will get my salary!?,they terminate my contract the next day and I was out out just like that!!,I lost so much money and I'm without a job and can't find a job on the B747-400 any were!!,I hope no one go to work for them!:ugh::=

Skypilot320,

You just to have to search for Asmara Air on pprune to see the sort of short a*** , conman, unsavoury character this guy really is. You being conned is very believable.

Yeah I met that guy at a hotel in PJ once.
Seemed very full of himself and Full of something else.

Stay away from this company. Contracts have been broken by the management. Allowances have been cut.
A lot of promises before joining. Once joined, the contact is different. Many are waiting to leave.
The company is run by a group of insurance people who do not know how to run an airline.

I really wonder how much of the info given by all of you about this airline has any reliable credibility. Cause from a really close friend of mine who was in Airasia previously is now with EagleExpress. He seems pretty ok with the company.

I've asked him about working conditions and any bad stuff he's experienced so far and still he's pretty positive about his time there. He even said working with them is more relaxed, yes hours isn't as much as AirAsia cause when he was there he was getting milked dry every month.

And as for the user who said he got offered 5k before he did his rating in the States. My friends first question was "why did he go all the way to US while most of the non rated guys(including my friend) did ours in MAS? Plus, rating is initially paid off by the company and then deducted from your salary monthly once you get on line."

Also no one was offered such a low amount, my friend is getting 12k basic on the right seat. He did not disclose flight allowances etc but i assume he's getting around 15k a month.

So for me to see all these very very negative comments about this airline is quite baffling. My friend might be bull****ting too but why would he? He seems pretty happy about being there while when he was in AirAsia he used to complain to me about everything.

By all means if anyone has any solid evidence to back these negative claims please do come forward. We all need to know about facts, and not just "i heard from someone that heard from someone that knew someone in the company that told that someone" talk.

With all due respect. I don't think, that anyone would really waste their time, writing on these forums unless they have had some kind of bad experience. The negative comments speak loud and clear for themselves.

Gong shows like this don't last.

Koji188,
I concur with skyangel regarding his statement.
Nobody in the right frame of mind would want to spend time to belittle an up an coming company where one may be looking for a Job with this outfit someday when it became successful.
AirAsia when it started nobody would bet a penny to forecast that they will be what they are today.
So why we and some participate in this thread is to caution fellow pilot not to be taken for a ride.
Why dont you go in for SHOT and see it for yourself. They are desperate for young pilot . If you are >60 forget it, they have much too many.
The MAX 120 years total age on seat is making the CEO A**land desparate..

I symphatize you Skypilot....

Hello Dom P.

Although i was with you on your remarks for Eagle E. being a start up, and so on, your last remark in your Thursday message, especially your last sentence, made me wonder, what was that about, 120 years on seat?? Can you elaborate?

Anyway, are they operating as we speak?, making serious money?, if so,they may do something right. If not, someone may have gambled money without having the fun associated with doing so at the casino.:E

Cheers
E.B.

koji188, $15K in the right seat are you serious? Sounds a bit too good to be true ... unless of course you are talking ringgit not dollars, in which case it sounds too BAD to be true :hmm: which is it?

ess bus, i think dom p was talking about the total age of the crew sitting in front of the A/C (2 x retirees)

luke, 15k myr is pretty good here in MYS for right seat. fo's in AK would give their left nut for 15k myr

The company is Malaysian, of course we're talking about ringgit. And I never mentioned it to be in Dollars. As for what cavnotok said, yea its pretty decent for FO to get 15k RINGGIT in Malaysia. And the 15k was an assumption on my side, I assumed that amount by roughly calculating allowances etc. The FO only told me about the basic that he is getting.

My post about this company is based on what my close friend of mine told me about his experience there. Yes, some of you may think it's all bull and what the negative things that has been said about the company is far more believable than what i have mentioned, but all I'm doing is giving info that I have gotten first hand FROM someone in the company who is actually doing some flying.

And also, when he was in Airasia he was earning 10-12k a month, flying an average of 80 hours a month. That was pretty good money for him I would say. But he left because he was worked like a dog and he didn't like it. Now he's earning more and working in a more relaxed environment.

Thats why it would be nice if people like skypilot to bring out more details about his experience there. I'm not saying he's bluffing, but i'd like to point out again the details regarding his claim.

1. Skypilot claims that the company told him to go to the United States for his 744 rating. While my friend and a few of the non rated guys did it in MAS in Malaysia, Subang to be exact.

2. He also claimed that he had to pay for his own rating which he did in the States. Which was also quite weird because all the non rated guys that underwent the training, were initially funded by the company and then a sum is deducted from their salary monthly as repayment for the training.

Most of the pilots that went for training were FO's and 1 737 Captain. So Skypilot, would you be kind enough to give us more details regarding your experience with them? It would be very useful to everyone here.

Cheers.

perhaps skypilot is an expat, and your guys are local?

Still does not detract from the fact the airline is run by a no neck conman. No one in their right mind would make baseless claims, unless they have had their fingers burnt. I know someone that was conned out of money from the short a** CEO. A substantial amount. This guy will not stop at anything to make a fast buck, even if it means conning his employees and anyone else. The airline appears to be falling apart at the seams. There are too many people involved that have no experience in the airline business, and to add insult to injury they have a conman for a CEO. Anyone that knew him at MAS knows this guys track record. Wouldn't trust any outfit this guy's involved in. Be prepared to get your fingers burnt, lose cash and anything else if you're willing to get involved. Dom Perignon is right in what he's said in his posts.

Any other info besides a** CEO? Would love to know more detailed info about your experience with this individual.

Yeap all of em are local.

Yeah no problem Koji I thought you must be definitely talking ringgit, only the other guy definitely said $5000 dollars and you asked him why he accept such a low salary :eek:

I was getting excited for a minute there :(

Doesn't the Malaysian DCA have some ruling about no expat first-officers due to the 1000s of unemployed CPL/IR graduates in Malaysia? If so, then how could skypilot320 have been offered an F/O position with this airline? I think we need more info from Skypilot320 about what was actually offered to him, and whether he had it in writing. It appears from below, that he hadn't been employed but went ahead on did a type rating anyway in the hope of being offered employment? Do correct me if I'm wrong Skypilot320.

I believe DCA still dont approve Non Malaysian FO's

TW: If you read on he does mention signing a contract before Training started and then they changed it.
I am only guessing but if you read this Contract it probably says they reserve the right to change the terms as and when fit or something similar in small print. Covers there Behind's if it went to court which I doubt due the cost that Skypilot would bear.

Its happened before asking a Foreigner to pay for own rating, as you can imagine they could Run away if on a normal bond. Some Companies have been known to take a security Deposit (percentage of bonded sum) which is held in trust until Contract finished.

Eaglexpress Air
 

Does anyone know if there have been any changes in this company in the last 2 years?

Is it a better place to work now? Or people still getting scammed and conned?

Do they hire Non-typed expat FOs?


Is this racist policy still in effect? :rolleyes:

Yes, from what I hear it is. It's not racism; It's protectionism to ensure entry level airline jobs go to locals. Same applies in Australia in that non Australian citizens or residents are not permitted to work there. And what makes you think you have the god given right to work in Malaysia over the hundreds of other local Malaysian pilots already with a Malaysian CPL and fATPL for airline entry level jobs? Although you may have thousands of hours in GA in Australia, those hours means zilch in Malaysia and you are still considered as an airline wannabe seeking an entry level job.

Not true. Australia employs many non-citizens or non-residents provided they have the correct permit or visa. Even if you were specifically talking about pilots, there have been many foreign pilots hired in Australia - with the appropriate visa. The point being is that it is up to the immigration department of a country to decide if a person's skills and experience are required in the labour market; not the aviation authority. The Australian Civil Aviation Safety Authority will never have a blatantly discriminatory policy that says no non-Australian FOs.

Well, let's leave gods (and unicorns, dragons etc.) out of the argument shall we? But what makes me think I should have the right to work there? Because in many ways I am an idealist. As a citizen of this planet I believe that labour markets should be more open; we should be employing the best man/woman available for the job - it shouldn't be based on nationality or skin colour etc.

Unfortunately, you're right in that there are protectionist policies all around the world. The fact that the actual Malaysian DCA is implementing this protectionist policy proves the argument that there are better, more qualified and experienced pilots to be found outside the country... and they are merely protecting an inferior product.
Now, before you jump the gun and accuse me of being racist just re-read what I wrote. This argument could be applied to many other jobs, professions or even just physical commodities. We just happen to be talking about pilots in this case. If you can counter my argument logically and rationally I will be open to listen.

Actually, I have thousands of hours attained on 3 separate continents in both Airline and GA... but nice try.

You mean those hours mean zilch because I'm not Malaysian, right? If I were Malaysian, I'm betting that 5000 hours including multi-crew PIC would be an ok start? Correct? :ok:

So maybe the DCA is complying with Immigration instructions not to provide licenses to non citizens for low experience level openings .

You are being conveniently biased and a little holier than thou if you think it is not protectionist policies in Europe , US ,Australia or anywhere else on your planet ! Doesn't matter which department does it .

I am surely more qualified than a lot of your local guys and certainly do not think that Australia should employ me , just because I am the most skilled .Is Australia's Immigration department merely protecting an inferior product ? If you can champion your Immigration department to open the gates , then I will back your premise. Until then , most Countries restrict employment to qualified locals first( not necessarily the most experienced or skilled) , it's politics .

Stone cold,

You're correct in that these protectionist policies do exist all over the world; that doesn't make them right or beneficial.

Australia has allowed pilots to come in on 457 visas in recent years and taken jobs from qualified locals. It doesn't happen constantly but it has happened in the past. But even if Australia had the exact same policy, it wouldn't make it right.

This may be the case, but the wording that was written before was that they won't approve any non Malaysian FOs.
Now, considering some FOs have 10,000 hours and the job in question that this thread was started over is a FO position on a 747, would you call that a "low experience level opening"?

I empathize with the frustration and while I don't agree , the industry has dumbed down the f/o position to the bare minimum now . I have no idea , but they may just be prepared to put a fresh CPL in the right seat of a 747 ! It is quite common to have 3-400( or less) hour guys right seat in all types now .

This is a whole other thread , but a lot is not right with our profession now .

It is their train set and as long as the train leaves the station and arrives , the bean counters are happy , f**k experience . It is not much better in the left seat either . The experience level in the cockpit is not what it used to be .

I would say , pick your battles .
Changing Asia mindset ....not one you will win .

Eagle is just another bottom feeder picking up the slack from the Umrah / Hajj market over flow due to the sheer volume of pax. They are affected by the quantity of pax SV allocate to then through NAS and other contracts that they are able to secure. As is known by the old Hajj pilots, if you piss off the Saudis you could be gone immediately.

It has been said that allowances are not paid on time but generally the pilots seem to get their basic monthly. It is the Cabin Crew that have been suffering more.

So if you love the disco scene in Jeddah and the cheap beers and topless waitresses feel free to to sign up. You could also look at Pulman, Air Atlanta and other bottom feeders doing the same thing and earn in USD instead of ringgit and also explore the freedoms of EASA and FAA employment restrictions.

Cheers and good luck,

Wooblah.

Cheap Beer and Topless Waitresses
 

....in Jeddah???? SV here I come !!!!! Vman

Looks like they are advertising again for Captain an FO,

https://www.pilotcareercentre.com/Pi...ss+Air+Charter