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Be fair, Malaysia Airlines calls on Heathrow Airport

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia Airlines Bhd has urged Heathrow Airport Ltd to exercise fairness in distributing capacity between airlines as the airport imposed a limit on the number of departing passengers at 100,000 a day.

The national carrier said the capacity distribution was to ensure that airlines had alternatives to accommodate passengers whose flights were either cancelled or retimed due to the cap.

"The restriction has posed operational challenges to the airline with passengers missing onward connections and disrupting their travel plans during this summer travel peak season," Malaysia Airlines' spokesperson told the New Straits Times yesterday.

On Wednesday, Heathrow Airport announced that it was limiting the number of daily departing passengers to 100,000 until Sept 11 2022 to reduce the long queues, baggage delays and flight cancellations.

The airport had been in chaos for the last few weeks due to higher number of travellers travelling during the summer break. Other airports in Europe such as Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport also made the same move.

Malaysia Airlines said following the London-based airport cap, the carrier had to reschedule its MH001 flight from Heathrow to Kuala Lumpur on July 14 2022 to 7pm London time instead of the original departure time of 9:35pm.

"Malaysia Airlines has worked hard to keep all 283 passengers on the MH1/14 July flight informed of the time change and to assist in the rebooking of flights for passengers with potential missed connections," the carrier said.

Meanwhile, the International Air Transport Association regional vice president for Asia Pacific Philip Goh said the regrettable situation at Heathrow Airport was impacting many airlines, including Asia-based airlines operating flight services to and from the airport.

"Airlines had, in recent days, been asked for example to cancel or retime some of their flights. The airline community is working with Heathrow Airport on how best to respond to and manage the evolving situation to minimise customer inconvenience," he added.

Heathrow Airport said the move to impose the restriction was to give passengers a better and more reliable journey as well as to ensure the safety of those working at the airport.

Airports in the UK, Europe and the U.S. are struggling to handle the increasing number of travellers especially during summer this year as staff shortages remains one of its key unresolved issues.

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