Myanmar Airways International (MAI) would like to reiterate its commitment to continuing ethical, responsible, principled, and customer-centered business practices, serving, in particular, our people from the Republic of the Union of Myanmar (Myanmar). As a 100% privately-owned entity, MAI operates strictly as a commercial airline and provides regional and international aviation logistics and transport services and support. Under the current management and as an IATA member airline, MAI has always strived to (and will continue to) adopt global standards for safety, security, efficiency, and sustainability. We made air travel accessible for our countrymen and have been promoting the overall socio-economic growth of Myanmar.
Recent incident regarding our bank account operations in Singapore
There have been recent reports and widely shared news about the decision to cease the provision of banking services by our principal banker in Singapore, a bank that has been continually servicing our accounts for the past 6 years without incidents. The decision to close our bank accounts was unexpected. MAI respects the bank’s prerogative to terminate the business relationship with the airline, and MAI will endeavor to comply with the provided timeline. We have taken immediate steps to address the potential issues that may arise as a result of the decision of the bank to cease the provision of banking services and support to MAI, including working on securing alternative banking services to ensure the continuity of our operations with as little inconvenience to our customers and suppliers as possible. We are grateful for the bank’s extension of the grace period granted to us without hesitation to find alternative banking services and support.
In at least one of the media reports, it was reported that the bank’s decision came shortly after the publication of a United Nations report on Myanmar. It is important to emphasize that MAI has always operated strictly as a commercial airline, applying ethical, responsible, principled, and customer-centered business practices, and abiding by global standards for aviation service providers in terms of safety and efficiency. As far as we are aware, as an airline, we have not engaged in any activities that violate the law or breach any applicable sanctions,
Committed to our stakeholders including the people of Myanmar as well as our customers, business partners and suppliers
We would also like to take this opportunity to highlight our commitment to serving our customers and the nation with great flexibility, operational excellence, and trusted relationships, as demonstrated during the suspension of commercial flights by global airliners due to the COVID-19 pandemic with over 240,000 passengers carried and 254 thousand tons of cargo carried with our #HomeWithMAl initiative. Our operations during the pandemic invoked the grateful emotions of many as we flew home many stranded citizens and carried essential medical supplies to fight the raging pandemic for the nation – finally giving hope to many. We are also proud that MAI weathered the pandemic without layoffs or furloughs as we take the livelihoods and welfare of our 1,700 staff members and their families earnestly.
As shown during the three decades of our existence, we assure you that MAI will continue to operate our domestic flights in Myanmar and internationally in the region despite the ongoing economic restrictions and various other challenges we have faced in the past.
