No talks with govt on Malaysia Airlines taking over AirAsia’s local routes, says MAG

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 13 — Malaysia Aviation Group (MAG) has not engaged in any official conversations with the government regarding the acquisition of AirAsia Bhd’s domestic market or the takeover of its routes. Captain Nasaruddin A Bakar, MAG president and group chief executive officer, stated this to reporters during a break at the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines (AAPA) 70th Assembly of Presidents (AP70) event.

As the national carrier, Malaysia Airlines is responsible for ensuring both domestic and international connectivity, Captain Nasaruddin emphasized. To clarify, when referring to a level playing field, he was discussing airport charges for airlines utilizing the same infrastructure, not financial support. According to Captain Nasaruddin, all airlines operating from the same airport facilities should face identical charges to promote fair competition.

For instance, if the passenger service charge at an airport is RM20, both Airline A and Airline B using the same infrastructure must also pay RM20 each, as the charges should be the same regardless of the airline. Charges could vary based on the specific infrastructure used, such as between Terminal 1 and Terminal 2; however, airlines utilizing the same facilities should be treated equally.

"If airlines have to pay certain charges, all other airlines using the same infrastructure must pay those charges as well," Captain Nasaruddin concluded.