AirAsia and Malindo Air have offered to take in Malaysia Airlines (MAS) staff whose employment with the national carrier had been terminated, according to Transport Minister Liow Tiong Lai.

“This is the good thing about having many airline companies; they can accommodate staff who lost their jobs,” he told reporters today.

Liow earlier launched the Malindo WiFi, Malindo Mobile and Malindomag at KL International Airport 2 (KLIA2) in Sepang.

On Monday, MAS CEO Christoph Mueller said the actual number of staff who would be leaving the company could only be confirmed after two weeks.

“It depends on whether the 14,000 staff who had been offered re-employment by MAS would accept their new job.    

“According to the plan, 6,000 MAS staff will receive termination letters and 14,000 will receive a job offer effective June 1,” he had said.

Meanwhile, Malindo Air CEO Chandran Rama Muthy said the company had 500 jobs to offer to ex-MAS staff.

“We have received applications for various posts such as pilots, flight attendants and non technical jobs including marketing and reservation.

“Basically, Malindo Air has 500 vacancies till the end of this year but we will let MAS’ ex-staff fill them beause they already have the skill and experience,” he said.

- Bernama