SEPANG: Malaysia Airlines Bhd (MAB) expects to finalise its strategic partnership for the haj charter carrier by the first quarter of next year, said its group chief executive officer Peter Bellew.
Bellew, who was in Saudi Arabia last week, said he had a meeting with potential investors for the new service.
“Somebody came out with a name (for the new carrier) last week when we were in Saudi Arabia. So I will discuss it with the board over the next few weeks.
“I will not share the name now. Certainly, it is very inspirational,” he told reporters after the launch of Malaysia Airlines’ first in-house Innovation Lab, iSpace at the Flight Management Building of the Kuala Lumpur International Airport on Thursday.
It was reported that MAB planned to start a new charter flight service for the haj pilgrimage and umrah in Saudi Arabia.
Bellew said MAB was seeking strategic partners that had existing business relations in the aviation sector.
“It will take time. We don’t need money to make it happen immediately. However, we are looking for people who have strategic interest in helping this to happen and making it a success in over 10 years,” he said.
Bellew said the new charter airline would be registered as a separate entity and carry a new image, logo, aircraft colour and configuration.
He said the new airline would create 600 to 700 jobs, including pilots, cabin crews and engineers when it is fully operational and would charter six Airbus A380 jetliners from Malaysia Airlines.
“This airline, in the next 10 to 15 years, will grow beyond six aircraft. This will be a major boost to the county’s aviation industry,” he said.
On the structure of the new airline, Bellew said MAB might not be the ultimate shareholder in the company.
In March, the Saudi Arabian government restored Malaysia’s haj quota to 30,200 pilgrims beginning this haj season. - Bernama
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