Work with us and Malaysia will win, AirAsia tells Malaysia Airports and Malaysian Aviation Commission
AirAsia Group has long had a tumultuous relationship with its landlord, Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB). Both companies have clashed in the past over issues related to klia2, ranging from its location, cost and facilities to delays in its completion.
But the feud has escalated of late because of differences over the passenger service charge (PSC), triggering a lawsuit by the airport operator after the low-cost carrier (LCC) refused to collect the RM73 (RM24) in PSC gazetted by the Malaysian Aviation Commission (Mavcom) and stuck to the previous rate of RM50.
Not helping matters is AirAsia co-founder and group CEO Tony Fernandes’ penchant for speaking his mind, often taking to social media to express his dissatisfaction and frustrations with MAHB.
Hopes that the establishment of an independent aviation regulator such as Mavcom would help ease tensions between AirAsia and MAHB have also dissipated.
Fernandes, who admits to throwing his support behind Mavcom three years ago, believes the commission has failed in its role and does not understand the LCC business. AirAsia now seems to have an additional adversary in Mavcom.
The Edge Malaysia met Fernandes recently at his home in Kuala Lumpur, which doubles as his office. He was his usual feisty self during the interview, which covered topics ranging from the LCC’s struggles and achievements to what he thinks MAHB and Mavcom need to do or did not do. E