Capital A chief refutes report that AirAsia needs govt bailout, calls it ‘irresponsible’

Tony Fernandes, AirAsia co-founder, disputed a Reuters report claiming his company requires government support for the domestic market.

He described the report as "irresponsible" and inaccurate about the company's financial status.

Fernandes asserted the report did not correctly represent the aviation giant's financial condition.

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 18 — Capital A CEO and AirAsia co-founder Tan Sri Tony Fernandes today refuted a Reuters report that said the company he co-founded needs government help to absorb the budget carrier’s domestic market share.

Speaking at a media briefing from Bangkok, Thailand, Fernandes called the report “irresponsible” and that it contained inaccuracies that did not factually reflect the aviation giant’s financial situation.

“Nothing, nothing, we are not getting (anything) from the government, I don’t know where this story comes from,” Fernandes replied when asked to comment on the report.

“My top sources said no such conversations happen… kill it (the story) already. We do not need rescuing or bailouts whatsoever,” he added.

Reuters ran a story two days ago quoting sources who claimed Malaysia’s government had asked Malaysia Airlines and Batik Air whether they ‌could absorb AirAsia’s domestic market share.

The talks were said to be a part of what the sources described as scenario planning while authorities monitor the financial health of South-east Asia’s largest low-cost airline.

Discussions between the government and Malaysia Airlines and Batik Air have increased in recent weeks, the people said, amid growing concerns over financial pressures faced by Asean’s biggest budget carrier.

AirAsia reported a net loss of RM831 million for the second ⁠quarter ended June 30, hit by rising jet fuel costs and heavy foreign-exchange losses of RM331 million, Reuters reported.

The carrier has been restructuring aggressively, cutting underperforming routes, returning 25 older aircraft to lessors and renegotiating contracts with vendors to reduce costs.

Fernandes denied claims that his company is scrambling to secure US$3 billion (RM12.2 billion) to lift it out of the red, describing the reported sum as “something picked out of the air”.

Instead, he said AirAsia have been servicing its debt on time despite not getting any help from the government as it faced the Covid-19 crisis, which Fernandes described as the worst the carrier had ever faced.

On reports that it was unloading some of its newly acquired Airbus A321 Neo planes, Fernandes said the move was merely in response to the oil supply crisis and not a sign of financial strain.

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亚洲航空联合创始人托尼·费尔南德斯否认了路透社的一篇报道，该报道称他的公司需要政府支持才能进入国内市场。

他称该报告“不负责任”，并且对公司的财务状况描述不准确。

费尔南德斯断言，该报告未能正确反映这家航空巨头的财务状况。

吉隆坡，9 月 18 日——Capital A 首席执行官兼亚航联合创始人丹斯里托尼·费尔南德斯今天驳斥了路透社的一篇报道，该报道称他联合创办的公司需要政府帮助才能吸收这家廉价航空公司在国内市场的份额。

费尔南德斯在泰国曼谷举行的新闻发布会上表示，该报道“不负责任”，其中包含不准确之处，未能真实反映这家航空巨头的财务状况。

“什么都没有，什么都没有，我们没有从政府那里得到（任何东西），我不知道这个消息是从哪里来的，”费尔南德斯在被问及对该报道的评论时回答道。

“我的可靠消息来源说根本没有这种对话……别再炒作了。我们根本不需要任何救助或纾困，”他补充道。

路透社两天前刊登了一篇报道，援引消息人士的话称，马来西亚政府已询问马来西亚航空公司和巴迪克航空公司，它们是否能够吸收亚洲航空的国内市场份额。

据消息人士称，这些会谈是当局监测东南亚最大廉价航空公司财务状况期间，进行情景规划的一部分。

知情人士透露，近几周来，政府与马来西亚航空公司和巴迪克航空之间的讨论有所增加，原因是人们越来越担心东盟最大的廉价航空公司面临的财务压力。

据路透社报道，亚洲航空公布截至6月30日的第二季度净亏损8.31亿令吉，主要原因是航空燃油成本上涨和3.31亿令吉的巨额外汇损失。

该航空公司一直在积极进行重组，削减业绩不佳的航线，将 25 架老旧飞机归还给租赁公司，并与供应商重新谈判合同以降低成本。

费尔南德斯否认了他的公司正在努力筹集 30 亿美元（122 亿令吉）以摆脱亏损的说法，称报道中的金额是“凭空捏造的”。

相反，他表示，尽管亚航在面临新冠疫情危机时没有得到政府的任何帮助，但该公司一直按时偿还债务。费尔南德斯称，这场危机是该航空公司有史以来面临的最严重的危机。

针对有报道称该公司正在出售一些新近购入的空客A321 Neo飞机，费尔南德斯表示，此举仅仅是为了应对石油供应危机，并非财务紧张的迹象。

DOSM：受交通和服务成本上涨影响，马来西亚8月份通胀率小幅上升至1.9%。

马来西亚贸易发展局（DOSM）表示，受强劲出口推动，马来西亚8月份贸易额同比增长43.4%，达到3540亿令吉。

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