The national airline and the low-cost airline are to merge. This is a government idea to help Malaysia Airlines and Air Asia in the corona crisis.
“We have to see how we can best save the airlines. There will be no very simple answer, »says Mohamed Azmin Ali. The Malaysian trade minister therefore plans to hold talks about a merger between Malaysia Airlines and Air Asia. That is an option to save the national aviation industry, said the government member to the Reuters news agency.
The idea is obviously not new. Talks between Malaysia Airlines and Air Asia had already taken place last year, said Azmin. At that time, the Covid 19 pandemic was not yet an issue. Now you have to start there. “We have to continue the discussion.”
In the red for eight years
But there are also other options for the national airline, Azmin added. For example, other companies from the industry have shown interest in Malaysia Airlines. The planned partial privatization failed last December because no attractive offer had been received. Of the 20 interested parties, four were still in the race.
Malaysia Airlines has been in the red for many years. After cost-cutting measures after the disappearance of flight MH370 and the downfall of MH17 in 2016 brought a significant improvement in results, the loss rose surprisingly sharply again in 2017. In 2018 the minus became a little smaller again.
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