Arthur Van Straten

@ flee. From your above posting I read this among others, “Separately, AirAsia said that it is rethinking its plan to acquire rival Batavia Air in Indonesia for RM240mil cash. AirAsia hinted that having got to know the Indonesian aviation sector better due to the proposed acquisition, it now feels that to grow its Indonesian operations organically may not necessarily be a bad idea after all,” it said. There are indeed rumors doing the round in Jakarta that all is not carved in stone yet. However, I could not get anything confirmed. This is also the first time that an "Analyst" says something that is not already known by the industry. Did you happen to hear something on this issue in your circles? Thx Best regards Art

@ SV Choong. Thank you for sharing this docu. It is good that the public and the less informed, can now appreciate that the age of an aircraft is not the most important parameter. It is the maintenance. A good maintained aircraft can go a long way. In the case of this, or any 744 for that matter, maintained as it should be, these aircraft can easely perform safely and profitable for the next ten years. In the proper hands, that is. In my time, whenever I had the oportunity, i went to the main hangar and witnessed a check like this. It always was a sobering experience to see all what was normally hidden from view, but extremely important for a safe operation. The next time you took the aircraft after heavy meaintenance, you knew, "it is as good as new" A docu, well worth watching.. Cheers Art

Wow. 420 Million RM. No less.That is not small beer. You have t give it to this Tan Sri. R. If you can swing that amount towards your project, you are a champion. Last time i looked, the Skypark seemed a little bit empty, no business so to speak. But maybe I do not have the Boleh look necesary to see what is not there. Waiting for BCT to educate me further. I would love to be intrduced to the copywriters of the plan at hand, they did a stellar job. Or am I naive now? Art Out

Well well well. The Guru has spoken. That as such is not so extraordinary, as he speaks all the time, but this time he has admitted something. Something a brigade of people knew already to start with and even warned him about it, but, nevertheless, here it is. You may have to read a bit between the lines but, ”Low Cost Long Haul can Not make money. There you have it, he admitted it. Who will not remember the euphoria a few years ago when said Guru shouted from every rooftop in Kuala Lumpur that he would go to London with his X and he would show the others how it's done. The others being SQ, MAS and some more. Well, we now know how it's done. It's not done. Despite all the brouhaha in the press and on television, the festivities in London where our Guru paraded around with his entourage as a new Prince Carnival, it was doomed to fail. Simple aviation economics 101 would tell you that. But no, nothing of the sort. Malaysian students in the U.K. Could now fly home every weekend thanks to the generous low fares which would be on offer, as the main stream media were letting us know. It ws not going to be however. On a quite morning they left the building like a scared dog with it's tail between it's legs. And sure, it was everybody's fault. The regulators, the airports, the taxes, the carbon emission, you name it. But n ot X. The X chairman, or chairperson, also stepped in and said that X should concentrate on the core business. Whatever. And now, it is the Big Elephants who are the culprit. The Gurus's spin department is top, a class in it's own. So, no more Europe and our Guru stated that he was glad they pulled out. Yes, you read that right, glad they were. But that is what Guru's do, tell you one thing today and another thing tomorrow, as and when required. So, before “flee” comes along, let me tell you this, actually I admire the Guru. He always goes his merry way no matter the circumstances. He is one of the few who has the ability to explore every opportunity and or loophole when it is presented to him, being it by the regulators, the governments, his partners and shareholders and his devoted staff. Often he does not take, it is given to him more or less as he is considered, not by himself, he is way to clever for that, but by the contingent he deals and wheels with, as heavens gift to aviation. He is shrewd and merciless and that makes him successful. MAS management is and never was a match to him. Congratulations at the lease agreement with ILFC. See you in Jakarta. Cheers Art

Ex MH or Firefly pilots put cash into it? That would be very brave, if not reckless, to throw away your life savings like that. Professional pilots normaly do not take bold risks as that is considered "haram" in the aviation industry. As the saying goes, "there are old pilots and bold pilots but there are none old bold pilots." Besides that, i think that the avarage salary of malaysian pilots do not cater for an investment as required here to get that, eh, airline, up and running again. So, if they indeed are going to fly, and given the circumstances how hey have left the bulding recently, and, looking at the picture above, it will need a lot of that "boleh" thing which i am not yet really familiar with, although BC Tam had tried to educate me earlier on the subject in another topic. The business potential in the perceived market is enormous and one wonders why not some group with real money and real specialists with real on the job knowledge have not tried to pull this off earlier. If the eagle pulls it of nonetheless this time, bravo, they all will become millionaires. Cheers Art (maybe Nik H. pops up soon here)

Gentleman. (And Ladies?) Why so worked up on the possible complications of the AA/Batavia deal? As you know, I am not a follower of fashion, all things the Red Ones do, we have flee for that, but, one thing is for sure. TanSri TF is not stupid. TF has played the various governments and PM's of Malaysia as a violin in the past and present and he has got and will have his way. So, do not think for a second that he does not know the cost of doing business in Indonesia. He Knows. Noise as we have seen from the Indonesian authorities was as expected and it would raise my eyebrows only if it was not publiced as such. So far for being excited by press releases. Level playing field? TF does not need such a thing. The more bend or sloped as possible, that's what gives the edge in his opinion. At the poker tabel, you don't blink if you have been dealt with the wrong cards. There is no such thing. Everey card can be used to your advandage, Especially if the other players think they are winning. The dice has rolled and the outcome is casd. @ flee, "nothing pesonal" Regards A.v.S.

@ Amirul. Yes, could be, They would be almost neighbors. Wonder what the folks at BRA think of it. Reading the press release, one is inclined to believe that the plan is to attract bigger machines than the C182 however. So, still wondering why not use Subang to the full. Plenty of space, Runway with all the trimmings, nav aids, and ATC and MET offfice. On the other hand, there are much bigger issues to solve within the Malaysian aviation society. Best regards A.v.S.

Do not worry about the 747400 pilots. As said above, they most probably would find themselves in the freighter operation. That would be a blessing. Let me educate you here, from a perspective of having done my time as a Freight Dog in the last years of my operational life as an airline pilot. It was a blessing. Flying cargo around the world in a retirement office as the cockpit of the 744 is, it was pure pleasure. No gate agents babbling about late pax, no interference from cabin crew on silly issues regarding, cold or warm or anaouncements, and, you know what? Boxes don't complain when it is hot, cold, or late. Boxes don't complain about clear air turbulance, nor do they complain about catering service late. When you have to divert, there are no bozo's around to hassle you on whatever and no one from company is telling you to find a cheap hotel. No. Cargo ops is a blessing for every pilot who has seen it all and want his peace and quite. So, do not worry abot them 744 pilots, they will grace it in the cargo world and never look back. When their time is up in Boleh land, they just fade away to the sandbox and double their salary overnight, doing the same thing for another five or more years. Unless, if like me, want to play golf and frequent my favorite pub to contemplate my easy life. With best regards A.v.S.

I have said it before on this board. Aviation is vibrant here. If it is not a new airline which pops up from nowhere, it is another aviation gem. Like this. "Property developer Low Yat Group is in talks with the Selangor state authorities to develop a so-called "integrated package" project worth RM1 billion involving a golf course, bungalows and an aviation park in Bernam Jaya, Selangor." and, "Redland Aviation Services Sdn Bhd has obtained Cabinet approval in principle with PKNS to operate a private airpark in Bernam Jaya, according to a source familiar with the development" and "Once the airpark is completed, more private airplane operators will be operating from here" Read the article here. http://themalaysianr...ysia&Itemid=120 Going into space as well, no less. But maybe it is just me, a simple mat salleh, who does not understand the "Boleh" concept. Don't let me go into mondain issues like , runway, ATC, airspace resrictions, and so on, as that would only cloud the issue. What happened with Skypark Subang? Regards A.v.S.

@ flee. I said it before but gladly repeat, "I truly admire your unconditional approval of all doings by the red ones" Back on topic, AK did not quit, Virgin did. ! Their press release was worded in a very polite way. As it should be between friends. But if duly translated, could it have said, "Lets get the heck outta here before we lost our shirt and burned our pants" ??. Cheers Art

Source: http://atwonline.com...-airasia-x-0629 UK-based Virgin Group, parent company of Virgin Atlantic Airways (VS), has sold its 10% stake in Malaysia’s AirAsia X (D7), the long-haul, low-cost carrier (LCC). The move comes as Virgin Group realigns its investments to concentrate more closely on its own brand. “We can confirm that Virgin Group … has sold its 10% stake in AirAsia X,” external relations director Nick Fox told ATW. “The terms of the deal remain confidential. We sold to existing shareholders.” In a written statement, the company added: D7 did not immediately comment on VS’s sale of its shareholding. According to Malaysian financial newspaper The Edge, the shareholding has been sold to AirAsia and Malaysian company Aero Ventures for around $21 million. Aero Ventures is a holding company established by Fernandes and others to invest in aviation-related projects. Does Sir Richard knows something we do not know yet? Cheers Art

Yesterday, Md Nor said, see above post, flee, 1793, the following Malaysian Air will cooperate with AirAsia (AIRA) in areas including procurement, aircraft maintenance and training as it seeks to pare costs, Md Nor said. Khazanah Nasional Bhd., which controls 69 percent of the carrier, exchanged back its 10 percent stake in AirAsia for 20.5 percent of Malaysian Air last month. HOWEVER, Only a few kilometers away, more or less at the same time, Uncle Tony said” (starbiz) Q. Are you sending your aircraft for maintenance to MAS? A. No, we have not done that. I don't think it will happen. I think it will be a headache for the management. If you read some of the comments it is like, we are benefiting, so we are not sending. Q. Is there any progress in the area of training with MAS? A. Training makes complete sense but there is massive resistance from the pilot management, so we move on. Why waste time talking, we do not need it. But Malaysia has lost out, because to have a training school in Sepang with Boeing and Airbus, we could have been number one in the Asia. Now, isn't that something, he said,she said. Mind-boggling. In the NATO Air Force, when I was young, we had a slang word for such alterations which I better not repeat here. Google it. Cheers Art

@ Nik H. Then, if I understand correctly, if MPE was at EagleX, (purchased from MAS) then MAS leased it from them for the MAS Haj ops? I have a missing link in this equation, something I am not aware of but need, to make some sense of the above. Anybody sees where I go off track? @ flee If there are some smart cookies left at MAS, they could see their boss, tell him to make the surplus 744's available to them and then make acmi contracts with other carriers, in Indonesia for example, for their Haj and Umrah business. If they are biznis savvy and know a thing or two about 744 flight ops, this is essential, then they can make more profit for the next five years then all 380's together. You don't have to be a rocket scientist to figure this out. Cheers Art

@ zamim. Does this mean that MAS is buying back that aircraft from Eaglesomething? Would not supprise me as the whole circusact is coming to light slowly. To see a circus you normaly have to buy a ticket. Here on Malaysianwings we have a front row seat, free of charge. Cheers Art

@ KK Lee. Unforunately, there is no emoticon for sarcasm, if there was, I would have used it. It would represent a tongue-in-check expression. Could be used after a sarcastic comment, since it can be hard to convey sarcasm in a text message. Now, @ Radzi, post 18, yes Sir, them are the suckers. On a broader scale, as the topic at hand will fizzle out in no time, due to various politicians eating humble pie, it begs the question, how many of these born by the minute babies are still involved in the never ending MAS saga.? But that is another topic. Cheers Art

Well, the last one who bit the dust, “eaglesomething”, was buried and while its grave is still fresh, another one opens the hangar doors. You can say what you want about Malaysia but one thing is for sure, its aviation environment is very vibrant. And as for Mad Mitch, see Normans link at post 7, he can hardly be the sucker if he managed to squeeze a Billion Ringit from whoever, now can he? Next time you will see him in uncle Tony’s showroom to grab a dozen 320's at wholesale prices, from stock, no less. No, the every minute born babies are the politicians who give him the red carpet treatment. He would include the state as a stakeholder once the deal has been sealed. (press release, post1) For free,one would expect. And I nominate him for the “Quote of the Month”, “Everyone Can Fly First-Class At An Affordable Price”. Brilliant in its simplicity. Where is Nik H. when you need him. Cheers Art

I have read the above introduction of the new "Rule" three times, just to make sure i did understand correctly If my understanding is correct, then what business have the management of MAS, the unions, the fare paying public, in any of the MAS endeavours to get the airline back up on its feet again? None? I am almost sure I did not read correctly, for if i did, MAS, and a lot of other Malaysian companies, are in the twilight zone. So, some more educated person on this board will definetely correct me. Cheers Art

@ KK Lee, Posted 23 May 2012 - 11:21 PM KK, Herewith you have been awarded with the "quote of the month", on this forum. Cheers Art

What happened to the MyCC investigation, as annonunced end December 2011? And, as per newsreport here, January 20 2012, the airlines have been givien one month to submit documents on the share swap. It is May 2012 now. And there has been deafening silence since from the MyCC. http://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2012/1/20/business/10296939&sec=business @ Flee. You refer to my earlier posting. I did not use smileys nor emoticons, hence I could be easely misunderstood, But in retrospect I think you got my drift. You are right, the share swap cancel will be shrugged off by the guys in Red. They celebrate , Mission Accomplished. Mind you, without a share swap, there would never be a platform for a CCF. So, Share swap first, then CCF. Now, fase two, abandon the share swap and retain the CCF. Was that not what it was all about? Keep the Red fingers in the MAS pie? And try to tell the gullible that with the presence of TF and side kicks in the MH board things would turn out ok. Ofcourse it did. For AK. And then this, quote. "On behalf of MAS, we wish to announce that the Company has today, 2 May 2012: (i) entered into a Supplemental Agreement to vary the terms and scope of the Collaboration Agreement; (ii) pursuant to the Supplemental Agreement, MAS has separately entered into memorandums of understanding in respect of the following: (a) to jointly explore the setting up of the joint-venture company by MAS, AirAsia and AAX to provide aircraft component maintenance support and repair services; and ( to establish the broad set of business principles for the proposed establishment of a special purpose vehicle by MAS, AirAsia and AAX to improve value for money and increase competitiveness and benefits to customers through procurement synergies by outsourcing to the SPV the procurement processes for identified goods and services in agreed categories; and (iii) in view of the Termination of Share Swap, the Board of Directors of MAS has agreed to mutually terminate the Proposed Warrants Exchange and the warrants exchange agreement entered into between the Company and AirAsia on 21 October 2011." So now, abandon the share swap, get the stock price for AK up again and stay in the MH kitchen via CCF. I must admit, brilliant. As asked above, what now MH?? Let me suggest and use an other out of the box way of thinking, do not do a JAL, you can't. Try to do a Garuda instead. And let them agree that you get out of Khazanah, MH, put yourself on Ebay. (so to speak). A National Carrier for sale, whole or partial, there will be buyers. Cheers Art

@ Naim. Your post # 38. It has intriqued me. Was there a money problem?. More precise, a money declaration problem?? That would explain a bit. Burning a couple of hundred million USD in the first few months would not make much sense, now does it? Can you educate me further? Cheers Art

@Flee and Raymund. OK then, shut it down. Then what? you have a plan?? Comparing JAL with MAS in its present predicament is like trying to eat lobster in a KL mama stall. JAL has battled the unknown, against all odds , known and unknown. MAS can never do that as the odds are fully known. Malaysian aviation industry has to come up with far more than, "lets do a JAL" There is simply no platform for doing things like that. You may try to do another "AK". @ Flee. I admire your unconditional approval of all AK doings. Be a sport, and fence it to the end. @ others, be informed that no airline, pushed or patronised by whomever, without solid sustainability in terms of profit potential and customer adherance to promises kept, will never survive. Despite whatever massive hidden and covert subsidies are applied to them. History always repeats itself. Cheers Art

Caveat Emptor. A bird on the wire has informed me, it could be a rumor, that the Eagle has landed. Apparently, the Korean investor has called it a day and the management is looking for new investors. If true, can only feel sorry for the folks who joined in good spirits and now face burned bridges. There sure was potential, Haj and Umrah are still big business, always will be, Very sad if true. Is there really no alternative in Malaysia then to go through Tony F. if you want to start up an aviation business? Maybe they did not ask? Anyway, Who's next.? No Cheers Art

Lock SH and Nik H, thx for reply. Let me first say that I am in no way a participant in any present program to set up a new charter or scheduled airline whatsoever and have no intention as such as I am a retired airline captain from a European legacy carrier enjoying my status in the M2H program. I am just interested in the way airline business is being done in this geographical area and what I have seen in the few years that I have been in this country is that several attempts have been made by different groups of people to get into the lucrative Haj and Umrah business. They all failed, basically, and that makes it so pathetic, due to lack of even basic understanding of international airline ops, bilateral agreements and their pitfalls, destination countries traffic policies, training and maintenance issues and charter contracts agreements to name a few. What they all had in commen was the initial hype at the beginning with nationwide newspaper and television coverage, parading flight attendants around in their nice uniforms, buying aircraft and signing non deliverable charter agreements, hiring key ops staff, burning capital at a killer rate, without, ... having done their homework. As I said, none of my business, but I agree with Nik H here, frontline troops people will be bleeding, but, where they not a little bit naive? It takes more than a pot of money and delusional grandeur. History teached us that, again and again. But, there are bigger problems in the Malaysian aviation scene. Cheers Art

Alsmost one month gone since my last question regarding the "New Airline". Anybody in the know here of what the plan is? Will it go along the lines of the start ups we have seen before, re, Global, for example.? Whats wrong, why the silence? Regards Art

Good evening. It has been awhile since the company had announced it's plans to start operating. I may be mistaken but I recall a start of Umrah flights for a Malaysian/Singaporean travel agent in the first week of march 2012, amongst other plans. Anybody here in the know how they are doing at the moment? Thanks Art