PUTRAJAYA: A shortage of aircraft engineers and mechanical components has led to recent flight disruptions at Malaysia Airlines Bhd (MAB), said Transport Minister Anthony Loke.
An audit by the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM) revealed that 63 of 411 qualified MAB Engineering Services staff have left since January.
"CAAM found that these resignations may be due to more attractive salary offers from other maintenance companies," Loke said at a press conference today.
He said the findings were based on a surprise investigation conducted by CAAM at Malaysia Airlines and MAB Engineering Services from June 24 to June 28.
He added that Malaysia Airlines has identified several mitigation measures to address the issues, including enhancing the aircraft's safety level, aggressively recruiting skilled labor, and securing an adequate supply of aircraft engine spare parts from the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM).
"To ensure compliance with the mitigation plan, Malaysia Airlines has been directed to submit monthly reports on the status of its implementation," Loke said.
He also noted that the airline's Air Operator Certificate (AOC) renewal period will be reduced from three years to just one year, starting Sept 1 and ending Aug 31 of the following year, to allow for more frequent audits by CAAM.
Previously, Malaysia Airlines and its parent company, Malaysia Aviation Group (MAG), which also includes Firefly, apologised for the increase in flight delays and cancellations last week.
MAG managing director Datuk Captain Izham Ismail said that factors such as weather, technical and manpower challenges, supply chain constraints, and the ongoing normalisation of global aviation operations post-pandemic had contributed to the flight disruptions.