MyAirline, the latest addition to Malaysia's budget air travel scene,
took flight in December, responding to the growing demand for
affordable flights in Asia.
With its eye-catching red and white livery, reminiscent of another
renowned Malaysian low-cost carrier, MyAirline operates on an ultra
low-cost carrier business model, distinguishing itself in the crowded
skies of the region.
Setting itself apart from the competition, MyAirline's CEO and
co-founder, Rayner Teo, emphasises their commitment to cheaper airfares,
exceptional real-time customer support, and punctuality. What sets them
apart is their dedication to providing human interaction in their
customer center, ensuring queries are addressed personally, without
relying on bots. Moreover, their streamlined cost structure enables them
to deliver excellent value-for-money fares.
Despite launching during the challenging Covid-19 pandemic, MyAirline
capitalised on the rising demand for budget travel in Asia as economies
and tourism rebounded. Impressively, in its third month of operations,
the airline reported an average passenger load of over 90% on all
flights. Furthermore, they recently revealed plans to be listed on the
Malaysian stock exchange within the next three years, illustrating their
ambition and potential for growth.
Commencing with flights to Kota Kinabalu, Kuching, and Langkawi from
their Kuala Lumpur hub, MyAirline has expanded its routes to include
Kota Bharu, Penang, Miri, Sibu, and Tawau. Presently, the airline
operates nine domestic routes, with eight originating from their main
hub at Kuala Lumpur International Airport Terminal 2 (KLIA2), in
addition to the intra-Sabah route connecting Tawau and Kota Kinabalu.
In line with their rapid expansion strategy, MyAirline plans to
establish a second hub, most likely in Kota Kinabalu, later this year.
To further extend their reach, the airline began ticket sales to its
inaugural international destination, Bangkok, on 10 May. They are also
targeting additional ASEAN routes starting in June, with Vietnam,
Indonesia, and Singapore in their sights.
To support buoyant growth, MYAirline has expanded its fleet of
A320-200s operational aircraft from three to six and it recently signed a
lease agreement for an additional 17 planes. According to Kathleen Tan,
chief executive advisor, MyAirline aspires to be a new
“customer-centric low-cost airline in the highly digital post-Covid
era.”
MyAirline says it is confident of keeping operational costs efficient
since they will remain focused on short-haul flights, keeping to a
range of four hours for the narrow-body and the single family type
aircraft. A key advantage is its lighter aircraft.
The airline’s eco-friendly and ergonomic aircraft seats result in
less fuel burn and CO2 emissions for a lower toll on the environment.
High on-time performance also means less idling on the tarmac which
saves costs that can be passed on to end-consumers.