Loke to meet MYAirline after carrier reportedly secures Middle East investor

MYAirline abruptly suspended operations on Oct 12 last year after citing ‘severe financial challenges’. (Facebook pic)

PUTRAJAYA: Transport minister Loke Siew Fook will meet troubled low-cost carrier MYAirline Sdn Bhd after it reportedly signed a sale and purchase agreement (SPA) late last month with an investor from the Middle East.

“I’ll be meeting them (MYAirline) shortly. (I want to) hear from them first… I’m not sure what the proposal is,” Loke told reporters here today.

“There are a few conditions that will be imposed if they want to restart operations. They must make sure all their passengers are refunded and they must make sure whatever (is owed) to their staff must be paid.

“If they can fulfill these two conditions, only then can we start to talk.”

MYAirline abruptly suspended operations on Oct 12 last year after citing “severe financial challenges”, 11 months after it took to the skies.

Bernama reported today that MYAirline has secured an investor from the Middle East, with a source expressing confidence that MYAirline could now work towards resuming operations by the middle of this year.

Asked about maintaining 51% ownership by Malaysians, Loke said: “That is our (country’s) policy. That is the law.”

Earlier, the transport minister announced that Batik Air will be offering a fixed economy fare of RM399 for one-way travel between Kuala Lumpur and Sibu from Feb 6 to 9.

He said Batik Air has responded to the ministry’s call to increase flight capacity after all economy class tickets for flights to Sibu three days before Chinese New Year were sold out.

The airline has agreed to offer additional flights on Feb 6 and 7, and also initiate scheduled services to Sibu and Tawau,from Feb 8.

The additional flights are one of the three initiatives announced by Loke to meet the high demand for public transportation during the Chinese New Year holidays.

The other two initiatives are additional ETS KTM trips from Kuala Lumpur to Ipoh and Padang Besar, as well as the opening of applications for temporary operator licences (LPS) for more buses.

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