MYAIRLINE Sdn Bhd today admitted its lack of a contingency plan following its sudden suspension of services on Thursday but pledged to undertake steps to ensure its recovery.

Its interim accountable executive, Azharuddin Abdul Rahman, who is in charge of the company now, said it also acknowledged its communication shortcomings with the Malaysian Aviation Commission (Mavcom) and Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia.

He said this was specifically in relation to “our failure to engage with the authorities and passengers in a timelier manner before deciding to temporarily suspend our operations”.

“We acknowledge and understand the frustration experienced by our passengers,” Azharuddin said in a statement.

“This situation arose due to our lack of a contingency plan, compounded by a last-minute investor withdrawal.”

He said MYAirline had been proactively addressing all issues through a series of meetings, making ongoing efforts to rectify errors and oversights in all areas as the carrier strives to restore normal operations.

He said the company had initiated a service recovery plan and a business continuity plan focusing on improvements and increased accountability.

He also said a reprioritisation of objectives would be done and announced once recapitalisation was completed.

“In relation to the potential investors, MYAirline is actively exploring strategic partnerships, having received several proposals,” said Azharuddin.

“All these proposals are going through detailed evaluation and due diligence. It is important to note that discussions with lessors are ongoing to retain our aircraft.”

MYAirline extended its gratitude to Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) for its assistance during this period.

It also thanked industry partners, including AirAsia, Batik Air, Malaysia Airlines, FireFly, Airports of Thailand and Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand.

“We observed the efficient response of Mavcom and MAHB, who swiftly managed the situation by rerouting our affected passengers to alternative carriers,” said Azharuddin.

“We are grateful for MAHB’s support, including the provision of meal and accommodation assistance to the affected passengers.”

On the status of its staff, Azharuddin said their welfare remained the company’s top priority.

“As soon as funding is secured, we will prioritise statutory payments and the workers’ September salaries,” he said.

“It is important to note that all staff members remain under MYAirline employment, with no one being placed on unpaid leave or been terminated to date.

“We have met the Human Resources Ministry to update them on this matter.”

Azharuddin also confirmed that Stuart Cross has resigned as the interim chief executive officer and was no longer an employee of MYAirline.

The company’s troubles emerged with the resignation of CEO Rayner Teo, followed by the suspension of its services on Thursday.

The budget airline took its first flight on December 1 last year and has been bleeding money over the less than one year it was operating. – October 16, 2023.