11 May 2022
Another ultra low cost carrier for flyers to consider
A new photo of a plane with the MYAirline livery taxiing on the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) tarmac has caused a bit of a stir among Malaysian netizens lately, with many curious about the new ultra low-cost carrier that’s aiming to grab a slice of the budget flight pie currently dominated by AirAsia in these parts.
Despite not being operational yet, many commenters on the company’s Facebook page have expressed their excitement about a new competitor in the arena and have even enthusiastically welcomed the new player – probably with hopes that more competition will inspire better quality services from all local airlines in general.
But where did MYAirline come from in the first place?
It was revealed that MYAirline was one of two new ultra low-cost airlines conditionally approved by the Malaysian Aviation Commission (Mavcom) for an air service license at the end of 2021.
The airline – which was initially founded and registered as Z9 Elite Sdn Bhd – was given a 12-month license to conduct scheduled passenger and cargo services identical to other carriers such as AirAsia, Malaysia Airlines, and Firefly. This license is valid until December 31, 2022, and can be renewed via a written application by the airline to Mavcom 90 days before expiry.
As far as ownership goes, the startup’s shareholders as listed include Zillion Wealth Bhd (88 percent), Trillion Cove Holdings Bhd (10 percent), and former AirAsia Group Head of Sales Rayner Teo Kheng Hock, who holds two percent of the company’s shares.
Prominent directors of the company include Rayner himself alongside former Malaysia Airports Holding Company COO Abd Hamid Mohd Ali and Azharuddin Abdul Rahman, who was formerly the Director-General of the Malaysian Civil Aviation Department (DCA) and the former chairman of the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM).
What to expect from the new airline?
Despite reports that the airline plans to operate on a shoestring budget model out of KLIA with two confirmed Airbus A320s, little else is known about exactly when exactly the first flights will take place, or even what destinations the airline will service.
To the various comments on its Facebook posts, the airline only went as far as to say that they would announce their launch date soon without any specifics alongside announcing numerous vacancies for cabin crew staff with at least 24 months of experience.
But seeing as the airline hopes to rival popular low-cost carrier AirAsia, it can be assumed that MYAirline will at least service major airports within Malaysia as well as a number of popular locations in the Southeast Asia region.
It’s also currently uncertain as to how the airline plans to grow or what its corporate aspirations are, but with the travel economy now picking up speed again following two dire years during the COVID-19 pandemic, it does seem like an opportune time for a new competitor in the space to compete with two currently struggling heavyweights in Malaysia Airlines and AirAsia.
For the countless individuals desperate to travel again, a new and cheaper option for flying could very well be the most attractive option, which is probably what MYAirline aims to become eventually.
Source: sea.mashable.com
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