ASEAN airlines urged to cooperate
ASEAN airlines urged to cooperate
KUALA LUMPUR (AFP): Malaysian Airlines Systems Bhd (MAS) executive chairman Tajudin Ramli yesterday called for closer cooperation among ASEAN national carriers to fully tap the region's tourism industry.
Tajudin said the "limited open sky" policy practiced in the Southeast Asian region had hindered the development of air transport, particularly to new destinations within the grouping.
Although the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) offered great potential for tourism and business opportunities, the airlines "had failed to see them," Tajudin told an ASEAN tourism conference.
ASEAN groups Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
"Cooperation among ASEAN member countries at the government level is very close but in the tourism industry, particularly air transport, it seems they are competing among each other," he said.
Closer cooperation among airlines in the seven ASEAN countries would enable the tourism industry to develop faster while generating spin-off effects in other related areas such as hotels and restaurants, Tajudin said.
MAS is willing to work with all the other airlines in ASEAN to supplement and complement the growth of the tourism industry in the region, he added.
Tajudin also said MAS is now negotiating to take over domestic aviation firm Pelangi Air Sdn. Bhd. in a move to broaden flights to new tourist destinations within the country.
Asked when the takeover would be finalized, he said: "It is now up to Pelangi Air shareholders."
MAS said in November it planned to take over Pelangi Air, in which it presently holds an 18 percent stake, through its unit Malaysian Helicopter Services Bhd.
Pelangi Air, which plies domestic routes as well as to Singapore, Indonesia and Thailand, was reported to be experiencing problems such as the mass exodus of pilots resulting in the cancellation of 175 flights since Oct. 16.
MAS stock was 10 cents higher at 6.35 ringgit on the local bourse Tuesday.