KUALA LUMPUR: Suasa Airlines Sdn Bhd, the operator of Suasa Airlines, pleaded guilty to operating without a valid Air Service Permit (ASP) at the Sepang sessions court yesterday and was fined RM380,000.
The operator was charged under section 36 of the Malaysian Aviation Commission Act 2015 (Act 771) for carrying passengers on a non-scheduled journey between Kuala Lumpur and Langkawi without a valid ASP.
On July 22, 2016, the Malaysian Aviation Commission (Mavcom) rejected Suasa Airlines’ application to operate a non-scheduled commercial flight from Kuala Lumpur to Langkawi, as it did not possess a valid ASP.
In spite of this, the airline went ahead and operated the flight on the same day as a “demonstration.”
Mavcom launched a thorough investigation into the incident, the findings of which were brought to the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC).
Prosecution of the case was led by head of the General Crimes and Public Order Unit Mohamad Abazafree Mohd Abbas and Afzainizam Abdul Aziz.
Matters relating to the issuance, suspension and revocation of an ASP or Air Service Licence (ASL) fall within Mavcom’s scope of responsibilities, since its establishment on March 1, 2016.
Airlines without valid ASLs or ASPs are forbidden from running commercial air service operations in Malaysia.