Azlan’s plans clipped by local regulatory restrictions
Azlan Zainal Abidin, an experienced widebodied aircraft pilot, is a man in a hurry these days. He can’t wait to do what he does best — to soar into the skies again and fly passengers to their destinations safely.
But Azlan is hampered from doing so despite the vast potential of the aviation business. He is grounded because of some regulatory hurdles following one or two legacy issues.
He feels he deserves a second chance just like some businessmen or professionals who had managed to blossom again after having met early setbacks.
“People do make mistakes in one way or the other in life, but one should be given a chance to start all over once they have learnt where they had gone wrong,” he said.
He says his earlier failures are not on his professional capacity nor business acumen, but with his choice of business partner and senior management staff whom he had trusted to help run his business, while he was flying planes in the air.
Six years ago, Azlan was flying high when his company was undertaking chartered flights for the haj and umrah pilgrimage to Mecca.
His company had ferried almost three million pilgrims from 10 countries in Africa, Indian sub-continent and Southeast Asia from 2012 to 2016.
“It was a lucrative business as we gained the trust of our business partners and au- thorities in Saudi Ara- bia. In terms of foreign exchange, we brought in RM350 million while we were in operation.
“Our company was not competing against Malaysia Airlines, but was complementing it as not all the pilgrims who signed up for the haj could travel with the national carrier in one single haj season because of lack of capacity. We filled in that demand besides taking pilgrims from other countries.”
The operations of his Bumiputeraowned firm started on a wet-lease charter business model. A wet-lease is a leasing arrangement whereby one airline (the lessor) provides an aircraft, complete crew, maintenance and insurance to another airline.
To fly its five widebodied aircraft, the company received the Aircraft Operating Certificate and Aircraft Service Permit (ASP).
From the word “go”, it was also able to recruit Malaysian pilots from abroad who wanted to return home to work as well as retired cabin crew.
On Boxing Day in 2016, its operations were boxed in by the authorities who demanded that his company must have at least RM30 million in the bank each month.
In stating that it was difficult to come up with that kind of money within a short time, Azlan explained that a company operating on a wet-lease depended on monthly payments from the party that leased the aircraft.
This, he says, is different from airlines like Malaysia Airlines, AirAsia or Malindo Air that have over-the-counter and online sales of tickets for future flights where the funds received could be placed in their bank accounts.
Azlan sees his obstacles as a test from the Almighty for they enabled him to see who his real partners and friends were in times of adversity. It also enabled him to understand what needed to be done if he were to start all over again.
He hopes that the local air regulators would be able to review his position and be aware of the vast potential that the aviation business can bring to Malaysia in terms of the tourism promotion, foreign exchange earnings and job creation for Malaysians.
As things stand, he has lost some RM350 million in potential earnings following the withdrawal of the ASP.
Sources in the aviation industry point to the irony of the situation where many business opportunities from abroad have come knocking at Azlan’s doors as he had gained much trust and goodwill from foreign airlines in the past but he is unable to act as he is stymied by local regulatory restrictions.
He now hopes to start anew with renewed confidence and new partners and investors with better integrity.
“Once I get the relevant certification, I’m ready to fly again and serve my country because there’s so much potential for us with our capability and experienced talents,” he said.