Ever since MYAirline announced an immediate suspension of operations last week, many have been wondering what exactly led to the abrupt actions. Yesterday (Monday, 16th October), the company held a press conference to address the situation.
Speaking on behalf of the airline was Interim Accountable Executive Datuk Seri Azharuddin Abdul Rahman. He told the media that the company regrets the sudden decision that had left many of their passengers stranded at airports.
@hypemalaysia Here are some parts of MYAirline’s statement during a press conference yesterday: 📹 credit: BuletinTV3
Azharuddin then stated the reason for the suspension, saying that it was due to an 11th-hour withdrawal from a potential investor and the lack of a contingency plan on their part. He added that the company acknowledges their failure to contact the Malaysian Aviation Commission (Mavcom) and the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM) to inform them about the situation before deciding to suspend operations.
In addition to having no backup plan, the company executive also claimed that the abrupt action was also made out of safety concerns for their passengers and staff members. When asked about how the company plans to overcome the dire financial situation that they are currently in as well as the time period on when passengers can expect to receive their refunds, Azharuddin said that it will be done once new investors come in.
Unfortunately, the company representative did not give a timeline on when exactly they will receive the funds from investors in order to process the refunds and pay their employees, who have not been receiving their salaries and EPF for months.
After releasing the statement, netizens took to Twitter to share their suspicions and speculations as they were not convinced by the reasons given. Many suspected that money laundering was involved since MYAirline had not been able to pay their employees nor could they afford to give refunds to their passengers immediately. Others questioned why an avian company, handled by executives who have years of experience, would not have a backup plan for these kinds of situations.
Netizens also urged the government and authorities to investigate MYAirline as they believe something is amiss. In related news, Transport Minister Anthony Loke and CAAM announced that they have temporarily suspended MYAirline’s license for 90 days while investigations are being carried out.
You can watch the full press conference below:
