MALAYSIA Airlines Bhd (MAB), which began as Malayan Airways Ltd and flew its first commercial flight in 1947, has been a critical force in connecting Malaysia to the world, carrying the hopes, dreams and aspirations of the nation.
In 1963, after the formation of the Federation of Malaysia, it was renamed as Malaysian Airways. In 1966, it was Malaysia Singapore Airlines (MSA) and in 1972, Malaysian AirlineSystem (MAS).
The airline has served as a critical enabler to connect Malaysia to the world while projecting the country internationally.
As a global network, it offers the best way to fly to, from and around Malaysia.
Malaysia Airlines promotes national identity in various ways. It has played a remarkable role in nation-building and simultaneously integrating the nation through its product and service excellence.
It represents the face of Malaysia to the world, and brings the world to Malaysia as an embassy on wings.
The national flag carrier has won numerous awards from the aviation industry, being crowned “The World’s 5-StarAirline” by Skytrax multipletimes (2009, 2012 and 2013) and recognition from the World TravelAwards as “Asia’s Leading Airline” (2010, 2011 and 2013).
The story of Malaysia Airlines is a long and proud history of a product and brand synonymous with outstanding, warm hospitality.
It has an impeccable track record of contributing to national development and has been a talentfactory for skilled employees.
The national carrier contributes to nation-building through its pool of talents suchaspilots, cabin andground crew, engineers, station and line managers, frontliners and those who worked daily to offer Malaysian hospitality to all passengers.
Despite differences in culture, the faces of Malaysia Airlines shows all passengers from across the globe warm services before entering Malaysia, which speaks volumes for the service they would receive once they are guests in the country.
It is how people from across the globe have been introduced to Malaysian hospitality, and it has helped millions of international tourists and business people take advantage of Malaysia’s natural beauty, rich culture, and dynamic economy.
Malaysia Airlines is more than just a national identity. It is instrumental in the country’s development and drive towards its goal of becoming a high income nation.
Research indicates that Malaysia Airlines contributes an estimated RM6.9 billion to Malaysia’s annual gross domestic product.
The aviation industry has one of the highes teconomic multipliers of any sector—12 times versus the typical one to three times of most other industries.
For every person employed by MAB, another four jobs are supported elsewhere in the economy.
MAS RECOVERY PLAN
Three years ago, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak unveiled the MAS Recovery Plan that was designed to rebuild this national icon.
Najib considers the national carrier more than just an airline. It is a symbol of Malaysia’s pride, ambition, and place on the world map.
With this aspiration, all MAB employees today are working very hard to bring the airline’s brand back to its glory days.
The airline flies the national flag every day around the world via over 300 domestic and international flights besides handling over 40,000 passengers and goes through over 200 processes to ensure the smoothness and compliance of a flight.
It hopes to be known as an efficient and reliable company and a trusted, respected and preferred brand.
Through out its proud history, Malaysia Airlines has faced several challenges, including increased competition from new players both on the domestic and international front.
This is more so now with aggressive price competition on the domestic market, coupled with a weak ringgit and increased fuel prices.
Not with standing challenges, Malaysia Airlines is aware of its positionas the national carrier and has worked hard throughout the year store main focused as and relevant as abrand.
Throughout 2017, the airline will commence its expansion on 11 new routes to China from Kuala Lumpur, Penang and Kota Kinabalu.
Up to the second half of the year, it has launched new services into Haikou, Wuhan, Fuzhou and Nanjing.
Services from Kuala Lumpur to Chengdu and Chongqing are targeted to be launched by the fourth quarter of this year.
Malaysia Airlines will also be introducing three extra flights to Seoul, bringing the route frequency up to ten flights a week from seven.
Other planned improvements will include a service upgrade for the night Kuala Lumpur-Mumbai sector, with the Airbus 330 replacing the Boeing 737.
MAB has continued investing in aircraft, products, service, and technology as a core principle of Malaysia Airlines’ transformation programme.
Everyone at MAB strives to sustain the airline as a national icon, economic enabler, domestic bond, and link to the world, thus making the success of the national carrier imperative for the government and the people.
BACKGROUND
Malaysia Airlines is the flag carrier of Malaysia and a member of the Oneworld airline alliance.
After MAS was dissolved from Bursa Malaysia in 2014 and subsequently ceased operations on August 31 2015, MAB commenced operations as the operator of the national carrier on September 1 in the same year.
MAB was set up as a new entity as a means of restoring the national airline in a comprehensive and holistic manner, with new cost and operating structures and the migration of the right-sized workforce, work practices and contracts.
MAB targets to gain profitability and be relisted between 2018 to 2019. It is a Khazanah Nasional Bhd owned company.