This way, the e-hailing industry will be changed to an industry with good benefits, lower fare and better quality

by NURUL SUHAIDI / pic MUHD AMIN NAHARUL

CAPITAL A Bhd is targeting to recruit more drivers into its full-time employment programme as part of their key strategy to penetrate into the market and growth for the SuperApp.

“As of now, there are at least 400 full-time drivers with AirAsia Ride who have contributed significantly to our stellar growth in the e-hailing industry,” Capital A CEO Tan Sri Dr Tony Fernandes (picture) said, adding that they are hoping to have an industry with good benefits, lower fare and better quality.

The other focus growth is to consolidate the financial player, Big Pay, into its SuperApp enabling customer to pay directly from the app, applying for loans and improve the efficiency for customers.

“We try to encourage every AirAsia passenger to buy our product and we will see a lot of intervention of our product in the future including the Tune Protect insurance products,” he said during AirAsia SuperApp riders’ and drivers’ appreciation event.

Meanwhile, Fernandes anticipates a strong travel demand especially from the China, and target to fly all of its planes again nationwide.

“We are targeting at least 204 planes by May this year and back to pre-Covid-19 level by July,” he said.

With the strategy in place, Fernandes is also optimistic that Capital A would be exempted from the Practice Note 17 (PN17) status this year, and is currently doing necessary work to be released from the distress entities.

“I hope we can be out of the PN17 this year or much earlier, we have the announcement, all the consultants going through all the work, and we hope to submit to Bursa Malaysia between February to April, and receive the approval.

“We have been working hard and listening to people, and in term of flight delay and refund, I think it is almost solved now and we also want to improve the communication process in term of refund status and such,” Fernandes said.

Nonetheless, he said the high oil prices is very high, and the fluctuations of ringgit are major concern.

“Ringgit is strengthening against the dollar, which is good, but I do think that those two are only kind of cloud. However, with the strong demand, I believe 2023 would be an important year for us getting back to where we are and getting out of the PN17 would be very big thing for us,” Fernandes claimed.

Going forward, Capital A is committed to improve its customer service and soon will introduce more new AirAsia service product.