Reports that AirAsia has sought government support have prompted a quick response from Transport Minister Anthony Loke. At a press conference in Putrajaya on Monday, he said there have been no meetings between the ministry and AirAsia representatives in the past two to three weeks and that no agreement has been reached, Malay Mail and The Sun report.
Loke was responding to an earlier Reuters report suggesting AirAsia had held discussions with the Malaysian government about possible funding support. He acknowledged that airlines regularly engage with the government, and said that any recent discussions involving AirAsia may have been with the Finance Ministry rather than his own.
Malaysiakini's headlines add another angle: AirAsia co-founder Tony Fernandes says he has met the Finance and Transport ministries but insists the airline does not need a government rescue, and the carrier is described as being in financial trouble because of sky-high jet fuel costs. Fuel prices have been rising globally amid the Iran war and the disruption of energy supplies through the Strait of Hormuz, which helps explain the pressure on airlines.
The key point is that the ministry's denial is narrow: it speaks only about its own meetings in recent weeks, not about every government body. Travellers should note that no flight cancellations or changes to bookings have been announced in the sources I checked. Meanwhile, The Sun notes that the Transport Ministry is monitoring ticket sales by third parties. Watch for any statement from the Finance Ministry or AirAsia, which would clarify what, if anything, is being discussed.
