Malaysia Airlines seeks equal access to any aid offered to AirAsia
Chief executive Nasaruddin A. Bakar said the national carrier could expand if its rival's difficulties worsen, subject to safety and financial sustainability.
Malaysia Airlines chief executive Nasaruddin A. Bakar has called for any financial assistance offered to AirAsia Group to be available to competing airlines too. The Malaysian government has said it has not committed to financial aid for the budget carrier.
Speaking during the Association of Asia-Pacific Airlines’ annual meeting in Kuala Lumpur, Bakar said equal access to support was necessary for fair competition. Authorities have been considering measures to assist AirAsia as high jet fuel costs add to its difficulties.
Bakar said Malaysia Airlines was prepared to expand aggressively should AirAsia encounter more serious operational problems. He cited the national carrier's responsibility to preserve domestic connectivity, but said expansion would require additional aircraft and crew and must be safe and financially sustainable.
AirAsia's shares fell sharply in September following a report that the government had approached other local airlines, including Malaysia Airlines, about potentially filling gaps if worsening financial problems forced AirAsia to suspend routes. The US-Iran war has disrupted global aviation, particularly weaker low-cost airlines.
