by FARA AISYAH / TMR file pix

AirAsia Group Bhd’s wholly-owned subsidiary AirAsia Bhd (AAB) and AirAsia X Bhd (AAX) have been served with Writ of Summons in the combined sums of RM36.12 million from Malaysia Airports (Sepang) Sdn Bhd (MASSB) pertaining to Passenger Service Charges (PSC) which both companies have not collected from travelling passengers.

In an exchange filing yesterday, AAB has received an unsealed copy of a Writ of Summons in the sum of RM9.40 million, while AAX’s Writ of Summons was in the sums of RM26.72 million for alleged PSC arrears.

Both companies said they shall defend these proceedings vigorously as they believe the claims are made without justification and are unreasonable.  

AAB and AAX said they have collected RM50 per non-Asean international passenger and have paid MASSB. However, MASSB wants the companies to collect another RM23 per passenger effective July 2018 which they have not and will not collect. 

MASSB insists that Kuala Lumpur International Airport 2 (klia2) should charge the same rates as KLIA. 

“We strongly believe, as does the Malaysian public, and have so represented to MASSB numerous times, that KLIA2 is a low-cost airport and the charges levied should reflect the level of services provided.

“We maintain that we are not obliged to collect the same PSC for passengers departing from KLIA2 and will not do so for the sake of all the stakeholders in the aviation and tourism industries,” they stated.

In addition, both companies intend to pursue cross claims against MASSB in relation to the infrastructure and state of the airports and its operations which include major apron defects, random closure of runways, damage to aircrafts and rupture of fuel pipelines. 

“We believe these claims far exceed the claims MASSB is seeking,” they added.

AAB and AAX said they have attempted – without success – on  numerous occasions to engage MASSB on these issues but regrettably MASSB has decided to bring these issues to the public arena by commencing legal action. 

The two companies have instructed their solicitors to represent them in the proceedings and any further updates in respect of any material development will be made accordingly.