KUALA LUMPUR: Suasa Airlines Sdn Bhd, the private operator of Monspace Airline, was fined RM380,000 after pleading guilty in the Sepang Sessions Court yesterday to operating without a valid air service permit (ASP).

The airline committed the offence under Section 36 of the Malaysian Aviation Commission Act 2015 (Act 771), for carrying passengers for hire or reward on a non-scheduled journey between Kuala Lumpur and Langkawi without a valid ASP.

“For an entity to operate a commercial airline business in Malaysia, it is required to hold both an air service licence (ASL) or ASP issued by Mavcom (Malaysian Aviation Commission) and an air operator certificate (AOC) issued by the Department of Civil Aviation (DCA),” Mavcom said in a statement yesterday.

An ASP allows a company to operate charter flights, while an ASL allows for it to conduct scheduled passenger services. The AOC, meanwhile, certifies that an airline complies with relevant technical competence and safety requirements and is granted by the DCA.

On July 22, 2016, 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. However, on the same day, Suasa Airlines continued to operate this flight as a “demonstration flight”.

The commission then proceeded to conduct a thorough investigation on the matter which was then brought up to the Attorney-General’s Chambers.

“Mavcom would like to stress the importance of complying with the laws and regulations, which is a fundamental requirement for participation in the industry. It is necessary for airlines to have all regulatory approvals in place before operation, as required not only by Malaysian laws but according to international standards and practices,” said Mavcom executive chairman Tan Sri Abdullah Ahmad.