AirAsia has announced that it will be providing full-time employment to AirAsia Ride drivers starting 1 October. The move will see its 53,000 drivers have the option to choose between remaining an e-hailing gig worker or becoming a full-fledged AirAsia employee, with the latter coming with a base salary and benefits.
This isn’t the first time the company has shaken up the norms of the gig industry, as it had previously started providing full-time employment to its food and transport riders with similar pay and benefits. The rider programme was also being offered as an opt-in option.
For starters, AirAsia Ride drivers will be receiving a basic wage of RM3,500 per month including fuel benefits, but the company claims that the drivers can earn up to RM8,000 per month with incentives, depending on their performance. To fuel their earnings, full-time drivers will get priority for airport job assignments, which can be lucrative as oversea travels have begun to pick up.
Of course, putting drivers on its payroll means that AirAsia will be contributing to the employees’ EPF and SOCSO accounts, providing them with financial safety nets. The drivers will also be getting medical coverage, discounts for AirAsia flights, and annual leave allocation.
The firm will also provide full-time drivers with career growth and training, naming fleet manager as one of the possible career paths for the employees. For upskilling, the e-hailing drivers and their family members will have access to the company’s online learning platform, Airasia Academy for a discounted price of RM10 per month.
AirAsia Ride was established just a little over a year ago when it acquired local e-hailing firm Dacsee. Within that year, the company claims that the service has completed over two million rides and it is currently available in 11 areas across Malaysia, with the latest addition to the list being Kota Kinabalu. Those interested in becoming full-time drivers with the company can sign up here.
