AirAsia chief moots benefits of common ownership of Asean airlines

Kuala Lumpur

AVIATION tycoon Tony Fernandes believes common ownership of Asean airlines would allow for more effective use of capital but national pride remains a major stumbling block.

He is also of the opinion the current restructuring of Malaysia Airlines is probably its last chance to make good as other carriers have gone from strength to strength.

"I don't understand why everyone is so hard-up on national carriers. Does a country need a national carrier?" he remarked in an interview with New Straits Times that was published over two days this week.

The 52-year-old who co-founded budget carrier AirAsia also wondered if Asean needed 10 airlines when many European carriers have already merged.

"The flag carrier is almost as big as the flag," observed Mr Fernandes who in recent weeks has mooted the benefits of common ownership - as opposed to the Value Alliance which he described as "a mess".…