Join politics if you want to swindle people’s money, miffed netizens tell AirAsia X

Tony Fernandes AirAsia

WITH the Malaysian Aviation Commission (MAVCOM) instructing AirAsia X to reimburse its customers for the air ticket purchased, the public took to social media to laud the agency and took the budget airliner to task.

Another netizen, Zulkafli Yusof reminded AirAsia X that travelers using the latter’s services are not wealthy and the budget airliner must return the money the soonest.

“The passenger is not rich people that why they take low cost flight. Air Asia must return their money.”

AirAsia X, which had not been doing well even before the COVID-19 crisis, restructured its debt with creditors in August last year as local and international border closures devastated the aviation industry.

Its sister company, AirAsia Group Bhd, also had to restructure its outstanding new fleet orders with Airbus, with reports saying the two reaching a deal in September.

AirAsia X has been receiving brickbats from its customers since then for failing to reimburse their ticket payment, repaying them only 0.5% of the ticket value instead.

In September, Air Asia CEO Tan Sri Tony Fernandes drew public ire after purchasing a new Tesla Model Y and posted its picture on social media, with the public saying “this is where their refund money went”.

Yesterday, MAVCOM called on AirAsia X to reassess its proposal to treat its customers as creditors and urged the airliner to provide refunds to them.

“If AAX fails to reimburse the affected air travel consumers accordingly, MAVCOM will not hesitate to exercise its powers under the Malaysian Aviation Commission Act 2015 (Act 771),” the civil aviation regulator said in a statement.

Will MAVCOM really act?

However, several users were not confident that MAVCOM will act decisively against Air Asia X, citing their personal experience with the agency.

However, user Syed Ahmad Syed Tahir told MAVCOM not to drag its feet on the matter and impose a deadline on AirAsia X.

“Warning is not enough. Give them deadline to refund or else take action to justify you as regulator!” the user demanded. – Nov 13, 2021

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