KUALA LUMPUR: National carrier Malaysia Airlines Bhd, a subsidiary of Malaysia Aviation Group (MAG), made a prudent decision to reduce its flight frequency for 13 international destinations.
Former minister Khairy Jamaluddin said the national carrier should be applauded for the decision, despite the move impacting its bottom line.
Speaking on the Keluar Sekejap podcast, the former health minister said MAG managing director Datuk Captain Izham Ismail made a bold choice between maintaining flight frequency and compromising the safety of its customers.
He said Izham had taken the hit to ground the aircraft and reduced flight frequency to prioritise customer safety.
"It is the right decision, even though it affects the bottom line. Malaysia Airlines was projected to make a profit for the second year, but this (reducing flight frequency) might result in a loss.
"There are some mitigating factors right now because our currency is strengthening and oil prices are dropping, which might help, but operationally, it is tough at the moment," he said.
Previously, Malaysia Airlines announced that it would temporarily reduce flight frequency for 13 international destinations in its route network.
These destinations include Bangkok-Suvarnabhumi, Denpasar, Ho Chi Minh, Jakarta, Jeddah, Medan Kualanamu, Mumbai, Osaka Kansai, Seoul Incheon, Shanghai Pu Dong, Singapore, Tokyo-Narita and Yangon from Kuala Lumpur.
This follows MAG's announcement that it would temporarily reduce frequencies on some routes between August and December 2024 to address operational issues involving three of its carriers, Malaysia Airlines, FlyFirefly Sdn Bhd and Amal.
Izham said the decision was made to ensure the long-term reliability of MAG's fleet and the robustness of its operations, as well as to minimise disruptions for customers on Malaysia Airlines, Firefly, and Amal services.
He said the group was facing various challenges, including supply chain constraints, manpower shortages, and other external factors, as the industry recovers from the pandemic.
The three airlines belonging to MAG have experienced a series of flight delays since early August, causing significant dissatisfaction among passengers.