KUCHING, Oct 13: Transport Minister Anthony Loke was furious with the irresponsible action of MYAirline by just “disappearing” following its abrupt suspension of its flight operations that has affected 125,000 passengers.
He characterised the actions of the budget airline as “wholly unacceptable” and demanded a public apology to all affected passengers, including those stranded at the airport without prior notification of the service suspension.
Loke pointed out that MYAirline had not notified either his Ministry or the Malaysian Aviation Commission (Mavcom) about their decision, causing shock when the news broke at 6am.
“We were taken completely off guard. They (MYAirline) did not even notify us or Mavcom.
“MYAirline just disappeared. They stopped operating, the flights didn’t take off and their employees were also not around at the airport, leaving passengers in total confusion.
“This is very irresponsible of them and we will pursue this matter. They must refund all affected passengers. You cannot just abruptly stop operations like this,” he was reported as saying by various national media following a press conference at the Parliament lobby here in Putrajaya yesterday.
Yesterday, MYAirline cited financial pressures as the reason for its abrupt suspension of its operations with immediate effect until further notice.
Expressing his disappointment, Loke said the chaotic events yesterday had tarnished the country’s reputation, especially since some affected ticket holders were foreign travellers.
He mentioned that the suspension had impacted 125,000 passengers who had collectively purchased RM20 million worth of tickets, valid until March 2024.
Loke disclosed that the Ministry had directed Mavcom to establish a special committee to look address the issue and collaborate with Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) to ensure that all affected passengers receive refunds for their purchased tickets.
“Mavcom will continue to monitor this situation to ensure that the airline will fulfil their responsibility for the public’s interest,” he said.
Confirming that MYAirline holds a valid air service licence (ASL) until Nov 14, Loke said Mavcom will call for an emergency meeting to decide on the status of the licence.
MYAirline, which has only been operating for 10 months, operates eight aircraft and has about 900 employees, providing services from KLIA Terminal 2 to eight domestic destinations (Penang, Kota Bharu, Langkawi, Kota Kinabalu, Sibu, Tawau, Kuching and Miri), as well as one international destination (Bangkok). — DayakDaily
