MIAA 'appalled' over AirAsia boss' statements

MANILA, Philippines — Officials of the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) hit back at AirAsia Group chief executive Tony Fernandes, who complained about the unfair treatment of the airport to the Malaysia-based company.

Previous reports quoted Fernandes as accusing the airport of impartiality for "big airlines" who may be threatened by the expansion of AirAsia, which acquired Zest Air, in the Philippines.

MIAA officials, who operate the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, said Fernandes should have kept his sentiments privately and brought his concerns to them instead.

"We are appalled why Mr. Fernandez (sic) chose to air his concerns before the media instead of sitting down first with the Airport Authority to where rightly he should direct all these concerns he is now saying," the airport authority said in a statement Wednesday.

"For someone of his stature and prominence, we expect better," NAIA added.

Fernandes denounced NAIA's alleged collection of higher fees as those stationed at Terminal 3 from the budget airline, which has only been allowed to operate at Terminal 4.

"If I'm in a Shangri-La Hotel, I pay Shangri-La Hotel rates. If I'm in Tune Hotel, I pay Tune Hotel rates. Terminal 4 is a Tune Hotel," Fernandes had said in an ABS-CBN News report, referring to differences between the luxury hotel and AirAsia Group's budget hotel chain.

The Malaysian tycoon also believes the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines' grounding of AirAsia Zest in August last year was less about alleged safety violations than about competition.