They said this would ease travel and drive down fares.
Aviation regulators recently gave conditional air service licences to SKS Airways Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of SKS Group, and MYAirline, run by Z9 Elite Sdn Bhd.
Transport consultant Goh Bok Yen said the new airlines would encourage healthy competition and test Malaysia Airlines’ ability to survive in an open market.
“New airlines are timely as we recover from the pandemic,” he said.
“The region is opening up. It is time to capitalise on the impending boom in post-pandemic travel.”
He called for the setting aside of nationalistic feelings and for resistance against the impulse to shield MAS from competition.
Malaysia Aviation Group (MAG) CEO Izham Ismail has said the new airlines’ foray into Malaysian skies would threaten MAS. MAG is the parent company of Malaysia Airlines.
In a reaction, Goh said MAS should not be in the business if it could not stand the competition.
He suggested that MAS expand its business into hotel rooms, rental cars and tour packages, saying it could tap the potential in Sarawak.
Ajit Johl of the Public Transport Users Association said MAG appeared unable to comprehend the role of an airline and to handle competition in any form.
“If it’s worried about competition, then the simple solution is to walk away,” he said.
He also said MAS should no longer expect to be bailed out by the government.
Roger Teoh of London’s Imperial College said he expected the new airlines to charge competitive fares since they would likely have spent less than their established counterparts to kick start their business.
“They will likely optimise their aircraft fleet and personnel based on current air traffic levels,” he said. “This means the assets will be more highly utilised instead of idling on the ground.”
Teoh is a research associate at Imperial College’s Centre for Transport Studies.
He said the two airlines would probably cater to unserved and underserved routes, which would see smaller airports get busy. This meant that competition with established airlines was unlikely.
“They are more likely to create and stimulate demand rather than take market share from incumbents, at least initially, which could be a boon for air travellers,” he said.