The Malaysian Aviation Commission (MAVCOM) has been instructed to form a special task force, transport minister Anthony Loke revealed yesterday during a press conference. He said that this team will liaise with Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) to ensure that all passengers affected by MYAirline’s abrupt cessation of operations yesterday will receive their refunds.
“We need cooperation from Bank Negara Malaysia to see what mechanism can be used so that any passenger who uses the credit card can continue to get a refund because the service has not been implemented,” he said. “Others who do not use a credit card or have bought directly from MYAirlines, we want to make sure that the refund is done as soon as possible.”
Loke called the airline’s abrupt suspension irresponsible, as neither the transport ministry or MACOM have been notified of its decision. He said that MYAirline “just disappeared” while its staff are also absent from airports, therefore leaving everyone in the dark of what’s going on. Especially its passengers, where many of which were left stranded at airports due to the sudden cancellation of its flights to all destinations yesterday.
According to the minister, about 125,000 passengers, with tickets worth RM20 million, have been affected by what happened yesterday. He also stressed that MYAirline’s irresponsible behaviour has also tarnished Malaysia’s image as an international destination.
In regards to the low-cost carrier’s Air Service License (ASL), Loke said an emergency meeting would be held by the ministry and MAVCOM to determine its status. “What we heard was that they (the airline) was looking for new investors but even if they manage to find new investors, that doesn’t mean the (current) licence is still valid,” he added. “”We (the transport ministry) will decide what to do with the licence.”
Meanwhile, MAVCOM chairman Datuk Seri Saripuddin Kassim who was also present during the press conference said the commission had contacted MYAirline on Thursday and demanded an explanation from the company. The regulator also instructed the airline yesterday morning to discontinue its sale and booking for flights from all platforms until further notice in order to prevent new bookings from unsuspecting customers.
