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PETALING JAYA: The spat between Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) and AirAsia Group Bhd seems to be far from over as the low-cost carrier is now being sued for refusing to collect the additional RM23 passenger service charges (PSC) per passenger at klia2.
In a filing with Bursa Malaysia, AirAsia Group said its wholly owned subsidiary AirAsia Bhd (AAB) was served with an unsealed copy of a writ of summons in the sum of RM9.4 million by MAHB’s wholly owned subsidiary Malaysia Airports (Sepang) Sdn Bhd (MASSB) pertaining to PSC that AAB has not collected and refuses to collect from traveling passengers.
In a separate filing, AirAsia X Bhd (AAX) also said it has been served with an unsealed copy of a writ of summons in the sum of RM26.7 million for alleged PSC arrears.
The group said it will defend these proceedings vigorously as it believes that the claims are made without justification and are unreasonable.
Both AAB and AAX said they have collected RM50 per non-Asean international passenger, which has been paid to MASSB.
“However, MASSB wants us to collect another RM23 per passenger effective July 2018 which we have not and will not collect. MASSB insists that klia2 should charge the same rates as Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA).”
“We strongly believe, as does the Malaysian public, and have so represented to MASSB numerous times, that klia2 is a low-cost airport and the charges levied should reflect the level of services provided,” they added.
The RM26.7 million summons slapped on AAX includes the uncollected additional RM23 per passenger and alleged arrears in PSC actually collected.
The group maintains that it is not obliged to collect the same PSC for passengers departing from klia2 and will not do so “for the sake of all the stakeholders” in the aviation and tourism industries.
The airline also intends to pursue cross claims against MASSB in relation to the infrastructure and state of the airports and its operations, which include major apron defects, random closure of runways, damage to aircraft and rupture of fuel pipelines.
“We believe these claims far exceed the claims MASSB is seeking. We have attempted – without success – on numerous occasions to engage MASSB on these issues but regrettably MASSB has decided to bring these issues to the public arena by commencing legal action,” it said.
AAB and AAX have instructed their solicitors to represent both companies in the proceedings and any further updates in respect of any material development will be made from time to time.
AirAsia’s share price fell 1.62% or 5 sen to close at RM3.04 today with 14.37 million shares traded, making it one of the top active stocks on the bourse today while AAX’s share price fell 2.08% or half sen to close at 23.5 sen with 3.93 million shares done.
