AirAsia Aviation has hinted at a wide-ranging “restructuring” of its leadership team in 2024, following the departure of the CEO of its Malaysian unit. On 31 December, the low-cost airline group announced the resignation of AirAsia Malaysia chief Riad Asmat effective immediately. Riad will concurrently be appointed to the group’s board of advisors. AirAsia did not indicate who will now lead its Malaysian unit, but says there will be “additional updates on the restructuring of the company and personnel within the group in due course”. Riad joined AirAsia in January 2018, and has led the group’s Malaysia-based operations since then. The airline group adds that Riad “has played a crucial role in navigating the airline through the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic”. Group CEO Bo Lingam says: “While Riad has decided to step down from the CEO position, he will remain an integral part of AirAsia by joining the board of advisors. All our operations will continue as usual, unaffected by this transition.” Riad will remain on the board of ground handling unit Ground Team Red, and will continue consultancy work for Capital A Aviation Services. The news comes more than a week after medium-haul sister unit AirAsia X saw the departure of its chairman Mahmood Fawzy, following the carrier’s exit from being a financially distressed entity. <br/>
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A Victorian woman allegedly assaulted airline staff at Gold Coast airport on New Year’s Eve while on board a plane bound for Melbourne. The 23-year-old was arrested after airline staff notified the Australian federal police that a passenger was allegedly being verbally abusive on the plane, the AFP said. Federal officers boarded and escorted the woman off the plane. She was then charged with assault, threaten with violence or intimidate a person, a member of the aircraft crew, contrary to subsection 20A(1) of the Crimes (Aviation) Act 1991. The maximum penalty for the offence is 10 years’ imprisonment, the AFP said. Supt Josh Kinghorn said there was zero tolerance for violent or abusive behaviour anywhere in the airport or on a plane. “Other passengers and crew should not be subjected to bad behaviour, it can be quite frightening to be in an enclosed space with someone who is abusive or aggressive,” Kinghorn said. “These incidents can also cause delays for other travellers and staff. The AFP works closely with the airline industry to intervene if anyone’s behaviour interferes with the safe operation of a flight.” The woman is due to face Coolangatta magistrates court on 25 March 2024.<br/>
Bonza has again delayed the launch of its service between the Gold Coast and Darwin from 2 January to 19 March 2024. CEO Tim Jordan said the firm made the “difficult decision” – days before it was due to start – because beginning operations next month would put a “strain on our current capacity”. The latest announcement is the second pushback after the service was initially due to start on 1 December 2023. It followed a surprise delay in Bonza receiving clearance from CASA for its sister carrier, Flair, to operate the flights on a wet lease agreement. However, the safety watchdog finally gave Bonza the go-ahead on 19 December, leading to hopes the flights would depart on the revised timetable. “We want to be certain that we can provide a service that is reliable and to a standard that we’re proud of,” Jordan said. “We owe it to our customers and our Bonza legends to learn from our previous missteps by putting measures in place so that we can deliver reliable, low-cost air travel.”<br/>