Malaysia new budget airline aims for cheaper fares than AirAsia

Malaysia's MYAirline plans to begin commercial operations by the end of this year, with its CEO saying it can sell cheaper fares than domestic rival AirAsia -- the region's leading low-cost carrier. CEO Rayner Teo sees demand for low-cost air travel rising as Asia emerges from COVID pandemic restrictions. MYAirline hopes to stand out with cheaper tickets, better real-time customer support and punctual flights. "We believe we can easily offer cheaper flights based on cost structure," Teo, also the carrier's co-founder, told Nikkei Asia in a recent interview at its humble operation center above a shopping mall in Subang Jaya, near the capital Kuala Lumpur. Although MYAirline is the David to AirAsia's Goliath, Teo and senior management are confident of their strategy, with some of them having gained experience at the airline owned by the Tony Fernandes-led Capital A. Kathleen Tan, MYAirline's chief executive adviser, logged 13 years working for Fernandes, who with another investor led the purchase of AirAsia in 2001 which eventually shook up the region's travel industry with low cost fares and no frills service.MYAirline's cabin operations manager Mohd Izwan Razak, meanwhile, was on AirAsia's payroll for 17 years. Teo himself worked at the airline for 15 years until July 2019, leaving as the group head of sales. Teo said he had not planned to fill MYAirline with ex-AirAsia staff, but that he had simply recruited those who had lost their jobs or been placed on furlough, including pilots and cabin crew, over the last two years when airline operations were drastically reduced because of the pandemic.<br/>