When we Malaysians talk about flying cheap, the first airline company that jumps to mind is AirAsia. After all, that is what they establish themselves as. And for years, many resorted to using their services as there was no other like them. However, that may have just changed.
AirAsia had better watch out. As it turns out, there is a new low-cost airline on the scene! Meet MYAirline which will be offering competition for AirAsia Airlines from now on. We understand that they aren’t too well known. So, here are a few facts we discovered about them!
1. Recently obtained the necessary certificate and license
MYAirline was awarded the Air Operator Certificate (AOC) on 1st October by the Civil Aviation Authority Malaysia (CAAM). Barely a month and a half later, on 15th November, the Malaysian Aviation Commission (Mavcom) has granted MYAirline its initial air service license (ASL).
As MyAirline’s chief executive officer (CEO) Rayner Teo explained, getting both the ASL and AOC meant the airline can now operate commercial flights. “This shows that we are equipped to operate commercial flights with professional capabilities to establish and maintain a reliable system for aircraft operations,” he said in a statement.
2. Hoping to start flying before the year ends
Rayner stated that they will be applying for domestic air traffic rights next. Once their application is approved, they will be able to start flying within Malaysia. “We’re hoping to start flying before the end of this year,” he told the New Straits Times. “We’re looking at domestic destinations within the Peninsula (Malaysia).”
3. Flights, planes and staff
Currently, MYAirline is slated to operate from Kuala Lumpur International Airport 2 (klia2). They have three narrow-body Airbus A320 aircraft set to go with a fourth being painted currently. As each aircraft can be utilised for up to 13 hours, it is predicted that the airline will be able to provide frequent flights to local destinations.
Although they currently only have four aircrafts, Rayner shared that MYAirline’s current target was to operate 50 aircrafts within the next five years. He added that they will be keeping to the Airbus A320 aircraft as they felt “that was the best aircraft for (them)“. Additionally, MYAirline currently has 330 staff members and are expecting to reach 500 by the end of the year.
4. Promised Better Services
MYAirline may be a new budget airline, but they are hoping to improve on areas where their competitors are weak. According to Rayner, the main areas are communicating with customers, and on-time performance. “A lot of feedback that we hear is that it’s very difficult to reach the party (airline) after you purchased a flight ticket,” he explained. “For us, we’ll ensure that our passengers will be able to communicate with us effectively.”
The MyAirline CEO believes this can be done with human interaction, adding that they will not be using chat bots. Additionally, Rayner has firmly stated that they will be focusing on their on-time performance. “If we say we’re going to operate at 7AM, then we’ll make sure that we depart on a timely basis,” he told the New Straits Times. This is certainly in line with their core values which are built on trust, simplicity and great customer service.
5. Red as Their Corporate Colour
Curiously enough, MYAirlline’s coporate colour is also red. When asked about the similarity, Rayner stated that red was the most eye-catching colour for them, despite trying other colours. The MYAirline CEO added that sharing a colour with their competitor should not deter them from using it. After all, he pointed out, many other successful international brands also used red as their corporate colour.
Well, MYAirlines may just be starting out. However, we are certainly interested to see where their ambitions and goals will take them in a few years time. In the meantime, we shall simply have to be patient, and watch their growth.
Sources: New Straits Times, MYAirlines, China Press
