— James Chin
The Malaysian Insider
Oct 28, 2011
OCT 28 — When it was announced that AirAsia had bought a stake in Malaysia Airlines, many people in east Malaysia were worried that the competition between Firefly and AirAsia would cease and fares would go up. But this was what was reported on October 18 “End of the road for Firefly’s jet service” (TMI, October 18): “… Fernandes however said that AirAsia will not increase fares following the strategic collaboration…”
I come from Sarawak and rely on the competition to give me the best fare and service. My last two trips with my children to Sarawak to see their grandparents were on Firefly because it had the best deal with a return trip for two adults and two children at under RM600. As a bonus, you get to use the aerobridge on Firefly flights.
Now when you cannot even book on Firefly anymore because it no longer does the KLIA-Kuching route, you have to book AirAsia.
The cheapest fare I could find on AirAsia for my family over the new year period was RM1,100.
It is very clear that AirAsia “killed” Firefly and monopolised the east Malaysian routes. As a monopoly, the fares can only go up and this is exactly what is happening now. So much for Tony’s assurances.
This is the same guy who makes it so difficult for you not to buy insurance — you actually have to click three times just to say no to AirAsia insurance!
I can only tell all east Malaysians that you know what to do with your vote in the coming general election. You know who is responsible for this sorry state of affairs.
In this country, the corporate boys win over the guys on the street. The government does not care.
The only way is to punish them via the ballot box. There is no other way.
In Bolehland, anything is possible. You just need to sell the right story to the right people. Next to be rescued, chopped to pieces and sold to the right cronies – TNB.
This Air Asia – MAS deal will ultimately die a natural death and perhaps a quick one…….the deal lost the minds and hearts of customers……that alone is enough to kill this deal…..
These days I look at KLM and Tiger….
If East Malaysians can choose between firefly and air asia, then they can have more bargaining power. now with monopoly being created, East Malaysians who are paying more than West Malaysians for so man daily supplies, being displaced from their family in a bid to earn more decent wages, is being punished even more.
Tony F’s committment in Queen’s Park Rangers will mean more cash is need, whether it is a GBP10million bid for a decent striker or GBP50,000 weekly wages for their 1st team players (QPR does not have Rooney’s kind of players which command>GBP100,000 per week, yet)…so where is the cash coming from?
I never fly this fatso’s airline. I doubt he even has a proper maintenance program for his planes. The airasia skidding incidences during landing are signs of poor pilot skills and poor maintenance. I fly silkair and sia only. Value your life and don;lt enrichen this greedy fatso, who is also an UMNO crony.
First of all,who is TF.He is a front for some powerful hidden hands.Or else he will be flipping hamburgers in a fast food joint.TF or AA cannot up prices as they like,even if they have complete monopoly of the trade.They got to have powerful hidden hands to make the play.So far,up till today nobody has been able to zero in to pinpoint exactly who is behind him.
///In this country, the corporate boys win over the guys on the street. The government does not care.///
Of course the government does not care because it has already got a “good deal” from the corporate boys. Who doesn’t want money?
The short lifespan of firefly plying East Malaysia/KL routes was very, very shortlived. Now, with their demise and only AA providing the so-called low cost fares between the two states and KL, East Malaysian are at the mercy of AA cos they monopolise the business now. Why is it that the East Malaysian MPs are quiet about this change? A Sabah minister said recently that this change does not affect the Sabah people much. I am not convinced. For consumers, our interests are best served when we have choices and options, in this case, the most competitive air fares that are on offer whenever we travel.
Who is TF ? He’s this music guy who went to Mamakthir and said he wants to be even bigger than Richard Branson. Difference is that Branson could never get near to British Airways due to antitrust laws, but our idiots at Khazanah decided to open the doors of the henhouse to the fox known as TF.
Honestly very dissapointed with Tony Fernandez for doing this deal. Financially it made sense for him to do it but as a fellow entreprenuer not just about money, it made more sense to walk away from it. If I were him, I would not do it – not worth the hassle to get into the mess.
Its clear its a duopoly no matter how you put it and consequently will make price higher. For a high-capex and competitive industry, its a relieve to get such breathing space. BUT it also make the company take things for granted, make it slow down. There are vast opportunities available for example now in Australia for him to enter and grow. This deal will hold him back in going after those things because he is linked to the Malaysian govt.
Honestly, Air Asia has lost and will lose some of its hustle because of this deal. That is so stereotypically Malaysian..