KUALA LUMPUR (Aug 24): Malaysia Aviation Group Bhd (MAG), the parent company of national carrier Malaysia Airlines Bhd, said it is temporarily reducing its network between now and December to execute corrective measures where needed.
This follows recent disruptions that took place on the week of Aug 19 involving the services of Malaysia Airlines, its low-cost arm Firefly and Amal, which provides Hajj and Umrah pilgrimage flights.
When contacted on Saturday, an MAG spokesperson told The Edge: “The national carrier will be cancelling (some) flights during this period. All regions will be affected, but we are not able to say how many aircraft will be affected."
In a statement on Saturday, MAG group managing director Datuk Captain Izham Ismail personally apologised for the recent disruptions to passengers' travel plans and the inconveniences the airline group has caused.
He reiterated that MAG is taking immediate steps to address the root causes of these “significant issues” that contribute to operational difficulties, including supply chain constraints, manpower challenges, and other external factors, as part of the continuing normalisation of global aviation operations post-pandemic.
He noted that MAG had also been affected by the delayed deliveries of new aircraft this year, leading to fewer aircraft being made available for operations than planned.
“We are working closely with our aircraft and engine manufacturers, and a wide range of suppliers to comprehensively address supply chain and technical issues. As this takes place, MAG will need to temporarily reduce its network between now to December 2024, to execute corrective measures where needed.
“This is to ensure the long-term reliability of our fleet and robustness of our operations and enhance our ability to ensure our customers on Malaysia Airlines, Firefly and Amal services face minimal disruptions and have the best experience possible flying with us,” he added.
Izham said MAG “deeply regrets the significant inconvenience” the flight cancellations will have on passengers.
“Ensuring our aircraft are in optimal condition for safe and efficient operations whilst minimising potential disruptions are our utmost and urgent priority. We are committed to strengthening our operations and positioning the company for long-term success and growth,” he said.
Malaysia Airlines has placed a total of 25 Boeing 737-800s on order in 2017 and 20 A330neo aircraft in 2022.
So far, the national carrier has received four 737-800s — two in 2023 and another two earlier this year.
It is expecting another nine 737 MAXs to be delivered this year, but has voiced concerns over the delivery of the planes due to production delays at Boeing.
The carrier is scheduled to take delivery of its first A330neo, out of the four that should arrive this year, next month.
Malaysia Airlines' current fleet comprises 42 Boeing 737-800 NGs, four 737-800s, 21 A330s and seven A350s. MAG also operates a fleet of 17 ATR 72-500s and 72-600s through Firefly and MASwings.
Meanwhile, MAG said affected customers can expect to receive an email notification related to the cancellation of their flight followed by an updated itinerary.
"Passengers can also make immediate changes to their booking based on their preferred alternative, by using the ‘My Booking’ function on the Malaysia Airlines website."
Recently, Malaysia Airlines had hit a series of technical issues affecting hundreds of passengers and raising safety concerns, with the latest taking place on Tuesday, when a flight from Kuala Lumpur to Shanghai reportedly had to turn back to home base shortly after taking off, due to cabin pressure issues.
On Aug 19, a Malaysia Airlines flight from Melbourne to Kuala Lumpur diverted to Alice Springs Airport in Australia due to a technical issue.
Earlier this month, a Malaysia Airlines flight en route from London to Kuala Lumpur was diverted to Doha, Qatar, due to a technical issue encountered during cruising. The carrier also encountered technical issues with its flight en route to Jeddah before that, which resulted in the aircraft having to turn back to Kuala Lumpur.