We often hear success stories of how
entrepreneurs are disrupting the industry with their ideas and companies. One
such story that hits close to home is on Malaysia’s very own Tony Fernandes
with his low cost airline, AirAsia that has everyone buzzing to know- what
exactly is his secret to such an overwhelming success?
Is it the low fares? The leg room?
Fernandes’ witty persona on Twitter? (Read: constant rants with typos on social
media). Or could it be the extensive list of airports that AirAsia owes money
to?
Let us start with Nepal. “Now everyone can fly to Kathmandu! Your adventure at Annapurna Base Camp will now begin with AirAsia”, a cheering crowd ensues. Fast forward to when Nepal and Malaysia signed a memorandum of understanding on labour supply, now all of a sudden the Tribhuvan International Airport’s (TIA) administration are presented with a problem; one of their airline partners is ending its service to Nepal. But what’s worse is the service is being ended without AirAsia clearing arrears amounting to Rs 130 million!
Now let’s move closer to Japan.
AirAsia’s other baby, Indonesia AirAsia X (IAAX) reportedly owes the Tokyo
Narita Airport a few million USD. And, yep you guessed it, the IAAX is putting
their Narita services to a screeching halt. Now that’s not the sound of tires
skidding on the tarmac, it’s AirAsia fleeing once again from paying their dues.
Hashtag noweveryonecanrun.
And by the looks of it, is Tony Fernandes about to pull the same ol’ stunt in his homeland too? AirAsia is due to pay up at least RM 41.5 million to Malaysia’s airport operator, Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad (MAHB) over unpaid passenger service charges. His response to that? Make noise on social media, lah! Maybe Fernandes should just fess up and let the world know that in order to be a successful businessman, one must first learn how to dodge bills. Although let's all hope that they won't do another runner this time around. He is after all, a self-proclaimed champion of the rakyat.
- Deborah
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