TF didn’t tell the whole truth about AirAsia X & RAS

Updated: 25-10-2011 Please read the article quoted from Business Time report dated 21-7-2006 – AirAsia not the ‘golden child’. You will see from this report how AirAsia got all the helps (i.e. AirAsia was given 91 trunk routes and etc) from the Badawi’s Administration under the so-called “domestic air rationalisation exercise” and AirAsia grew at the expense of MAS.

Below was what Tan Sri Tony Fernandes had been reported to have said as reported by the Star on 26-4-2007 when the then Minister of Transport, Datuk Chan Kong Choy, announced that FAX/AirAsia X Sdn Bhd had to return the Rural Air Services (RAS) in Sabah and Sarawak to MAS.

“Fernandes said FAX would be launching AirAsia Long Haul operations soon, and that it would be too distracting to operate turbo-propeller aircraft as well.”

At the material time, Tan Sri Tony Fernandes didn’t tell the nation the whole truth that FAX has failed to perform the RAS satisfactorily for Sabah and Sarawak. It was one of the most misleading statements to say the least.

The full Star report is reproduced at the end of this article

In 2006 Tan Sri Tony Fernandes/AirAsia Bhd lobbied so hard for RAS during the Badawi’s Administration. RAS was taken away from MAS and granted to AirAsia Bhd. Thereafter, AirAsia Bhd subcontracted RAS to Fly Asian Express Sdn Bhd aka known as FAX and now known as AirAsia X Sdn Bhd.