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  • Batik Air Malaysia, AirAsia X Cleared To Launch Central Asia Routes

    Batik Air Malaysia, AirAsia X Cleared To Launch Central Asia Routes

    The Malaysian Aviation Commission (MAVCOM) has granted air traffic rights to Batik Air Malaysia and AirAsia X, enabling them to expand their networks into Central Asia.

    Under these newly awarded rights, Batik Air has received approval to initiate scheduled flights linking Kuala Lumpur and Tashkent, Uzbekistan. Concurrently, AirAsia X has been given the go-ahead to inaugurate a route connecting Kuala Lumpur with Almaty, Kazakhstan. The move paves the way for both Batik Air and AirAsia X to launch their first flights to Central Asia.

    According to data provided by OAG Schedules Analyser, Batik Air has already scheduled the launch of the Tashkent service, with flights set to operate twice a week from Nov. 1 using Airbus A330 aircraft. The carrier will compete on the sector with Uzbekistan Airways, which resumed the route in November 2022 after a hiatus of more than two years because of the pandemic. It currently provides a 2X-weekly service aboard A321neos.

    In the Kuala Lumpur-Almaty market, AirAsia X will be the sole operator of nonstop flights between the cities if the route launches as planned. Air Astana previously provided a direct link, but last operated the flights in October 2020.

    Alongside awarding the traffic rights for Kuala Lumpur-Tashkent and Kuala Lumpur-Almaty, MAVCOM says it approved 55 other requests between April and June 2023, consisting of 43 international and 12 domestic routes. The total represented an 87.5% increase year-on-year, signalling “an invigorated momentum within the aviation sector.” The number of air traffic applications during the second quarter of 2023 was also 5.3% higher than during the same period in 2019.

    “As part of the commission’s continued efforts to ensure that Malaysia’s aviation industry remains dynamic and responsive to global travel trends, we have approved [air traffic rights] for various new destinations as well as to establish new hub connections,” says MAVCOM Executive Chairman Datuk Seri Hj. Saripuddin Hj. Kasim.

    “These decisive measures are specifically tailored to enhance connectivity, spur economic growth and catalyse the recovery of the aviation sector. We are particularly encouraged to see airlines seizing these opportunities for expansion.”

    In addition to securing permission to fly to Tashkent, Batik Air also gained rights to serve Okinawa, Japan. The airline intends to open a Kuala Lumpur-Taipei, Taiwan-Okinawa route on Aug. 16, operating four times per week using Boeing 737-800s.

    Elsewhere, Malaysia Airlines’ LCC subsidiary Firefly has been approved to launch flights from Kota Kinabalu, on the island of Borneo, to Tokyo Narita and Taipei, while AirAsia has been awarded a host of rights, including a routing from Kuala Lumpur to Jaipur, India, and from the northwestern Malaysian state of Penang to Hong Kong.

    MYAirline has also been cleared to serve several destinations in Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam from Kuala Lumpur. These include Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang, Vietnam; Jakarta, Indonesia; and Krabi, Thailand. Airlines are required to utilize the air traffic rights allocated within six months from the approved date.

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  • Mavcom imposes fines on AirAsia, AirAsia X, MAHB

    Mavcom imposes fines on AirAsia, AirAsia X, MAHB

    he Malaysian Aviation Commission (MAVCOM) has imposed financial penalties on AirAsia (AK, Kuala Lumpur Int’l), AirAsia X (D7, Kuala Lumpur Int’l) and MA Sepang, a subsidiary of Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad (MAHB), according to a press release issued by the commission. The airlines breached the consumer protection code, while the airport operator failed to meet the quality of service (QoS) standards.

    According to MAVCOM, the airlines contravened the Malaysian Aviation Consumer Protection Code 2016 (MACPC) in the period from August 10, 2019, to September 11, 2019, by charging credit card, debit card, and online banking processing fees separate from their base fares. Both were fined MYR2 million ringgit (USD490,000) for the breaches.

    The two airlines were charged with the same contravention in September 2019, this time in the period between June 1, 2019, to August 9, 2019. On that occasion, AirAsia and AirAsia X were fined MYR200,000 (USD49,000) each.

    According to the ch-aviation capacities module, AirAsia is the largest seat provider at Kuala Lumpur Int’l, with a weekly capacity of 270,000. AirAsia X is the third-biggest airline, with close to 74,000 weekly seats, behind Malaysia Airlines (MH, Kuala Lumpur Int’l) in second spot.

    MAVCOM imposed a MYR865,875 (USD210,000) fine on MA Sepang for failing to meet several requirements of the Airports QoS Framework during the period of April 1, 2019, to June 30, 2019. The framework, which came into effect at Terminal 1 and 2 at Kuala Lumpur on September 1, 2018, was introduced to ensure that air

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  • MavCom fines AirAsia, AirAsia X RM200,000 each

    MavCom fines AirAsia, AirAsia X RM200,000 each

    RM200,000 each for charging credit card, debit card and online banking processing fees separate from their base fares.

    MavCom said in a statement on Tuesday the fees charged by the airlines contravened the Malaysian Aviation Consumer Protection Code 2016 (MACPC). It said MACPC came into effect on July 1,2016, and was published in line with MavCom’s aim to protect the rights and interests of consumers.

    MavCom said as the first consumer protection code specifically intended for Malaysia’s aviation industry, the MACPC ultimately provides for more transparency on aviation service providers’ obligations towards consumers and clearer guidance for consumers on their rights and interests as air travellers.

    MavCom said from June 1,2019, it had been monitoring for compliance with the new provisions of the MACPC.

    “AirAsia and AirAsia X have been found to contravene subparagraph 3(2) of the MACPC which requires full disclosure of the final price of the airfare.

    “As part of the due process to determine whether a contravention has been committed, MavCom issued show-cause letters to both airlines and afforded opportunities to the airlines to provide factors to mitigate the quantum of the penalties.

    MavCom said that Section 69(4) of the Malaysian Aviation Commission Act 2015 [Act 771] together with paragraph 22 of the MACPC empowered it to impose a financial penalty for a non-compliance of the MACPC, an amount not exceeding RM200,000 and in the case of a second or subsequent non-compliance, an amount ten times of the financial penalty which was imposed for the first non-compliance.

    “Upon thorough evaluation and taking into consideration the written representations by the airlines, the commission has imposed on AirAsia and AirAsia X a penalty of RM200,000 each for the first violation of subparagraph 3(2) of the MACPC, for the period commencing June 1,2019 to Aug 9,2019, ” it said.

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  • AirAsia X lose bid for MAVCOM judicial review

    AirAsia X lose bid for MAVCOM judicial review

    Malaysia’s High Court has dismissed applications made by AirAsia and AirAsia X seeking a judicial review of the Malaysian Aviation Commission’s (MAVCOM) decision not to mediate a dispute between the carriers and Malaysia Airports (MAHB).

    Both carriers acknowledged that their application was dismissed “with no costs,” and they will review the decision with their legal counsel.

    The judicial review application was made in mid-May, with the airlines arguing that MAVCOM “has a statutory duty to decide on the dispute once mediation between parties has failed, or is deemed to have failed”.

    The dispute was first sparked in December, when MAHB filed a MYR36.4 million lawsuit against the airlines the month before for failing to remit higher passenger services charges since 1 January 2018.

    That was followed by a MYR480 million counter-claim by AirAsiaand AirAsia X against MAHB relating to economic losses and poor service levels at the KLIA2 terminal it operates from at Kuala Lumpur International airport.

    A subsequent mediation offer made by the airlines to MAHB was rejected by the airport operator.

    AirAsia Group chief executive Tony Fernandes has repeatedly complained about high charges and poor infrastructure at the KLIA2 terminal. The airline has resisted a regulatory ruling that it should pay the same passenger charges as airlines using the main terminal at KLIA, arguing that the terminal is a low-cost facility and should be charged as such.

    MAHB maintains that KLIA2 is not a low-cost terminal and provides more capacity at the airport.

  • AirAsia receives highest number of air traffic rights from Mavcom

    AirAsia receives highest number of air traffic rights from Mavcom

    Airasia received the highest number of approvals from the Malaysian Aviation Commission (Mavcom) for Air Traffic Rights (ATR) with 26 allocations, followed by Malindo Air with 15 allocations.

    This was revealed in an update release from Mavcom for the Commissions’ allocation of ATR to Malaysia’s local carriers for the period of Jan 1 to march 31, 2019.

    One hundred percent of Air Traffic Rights (ATR) applications by Malaysia’s local carriers for the period of Jan 1 to March 31, 2019 were approved by MAVCOM, with 53 allocations in total. Of these, 52 ATR applications were approved in full while one application was approved partially.

    As reference, for the year 2018, a total of 205 ATR were issued. AirAsia Group was recorded as the highest recipient with 98 ATR allocated, followed by Malindo Air with 52.

    Of the 53 applications, 32.1 per cent were for domestic routes while 67.9 per cent was for international routes. Mavcom approved ATRs for 17 domestic routes, 13 for routes to Asean destinations, 11 for destinations in China, two for destinations in India, five for destinations in Australasia and five for other Asian destinations.

    Breaking down the numbers further, a total of 26 international ATR were issued for flights originating from Kuala Lumpur International Airport, three for Kota Kinabalu International

    Airport, one each for Penang International Airport and Senai International Airport and five for other airports in Malaysia.

    In addition, 20 ATR that were previously approved by Mavcom were not utilised by the ATR recipient and were returned to the Commission during the period of Jan 1 to March 31, 2019.

    The highest number of unused ATR returned to the Commission was from the AirAsia Group with 13, followed by Malindo Air with five.

    “In allocating ATR, the Commission undertakes a thorough analysis, taking into consideration multiple aspects in order to facilitate orderly growth, competition and consumer choice over the long term as well as the prevention of consumer inconvenience,” Mavcom executive chairman Dr. Nungsari Ahmad Radhi said in a statement.