LETTER: Having worked closely with the civil aviation industry in the Asia Pacific including Malaysia as a media man with a US-based company for 32 years, allow me to say my piece with the hope that flag carrier Malaysia Airlines (MAS) will continue flying even if it means offering only domestic and regional flights.
The airline like carriers across the globe is bleeding from the brunt of the impact of travel restrictions due to the Covid-19 pandemic. This has resulted in Malaysia Airlines Berhad (MAB) grounding most of the aircraft due to suspension of flights to most destinations in its respective network. It comes as a surprise that the Ministry of Finance recently bluntly pointed out that MAB will not be bailed out.
Does it mean that the government investment arm and majority stakeholder Khazanah Nasional Berhad (KNB) is ready to see the airline pull down the curtains? Think again please. National pride is at stake. With the number of infected people rising everyday across the globe, the aviation industry is flying into more turbulent weather as it is unclear when the dust on Covid-19 will settle.
MAB may have to start operations on a smaller scale and gradually expand its network and fleet again as the market gains momentum. Start looking ahead and start planning what the initial operations would be like in terms of no of aircraft in the fleet and destinations to operate. With, price of oil reduced to an all time low, hedging the carrier's fuel requirements would be timely.
Plans to re-introduce Firefly's jet operations in the first quarter of 2021 with an initial fleet of 10 737-800 jetliners using Penang International Airport as its base, is a plus sign. An effort should also be made to save MAS.
Flying will never be the same. The frills will have to be cut. In future travellers may have to pay for their meals even on long-haul flights. Having gone through five major restructuring exercise, it is inevitable that MAB will have to do another to survive the crunch. Under the five restructuring exercises carried out from 2000-2014, 35 international destinations were axed. Ten secondary points in China were dropped from late 2018 to early 2020.
It must be attributed that the easy way out was taken instead of building the respective market. Much is at stake. The will to save the airline should be KNB's top priority. The lack of continuity in management of MAS has contributed to the failure of the airline progressing.
The rot started in 2000 with the change of management when 70 percent stake of Malaysia Airlines System Inflight Catering (MASIC) was sold. MASIC was the sole supplier and caterer then for scores of airlines operating at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport.
It was also mind-boggling that a 25-year contract was signed to supply inflight meals to MAS. The change at the top has also not led to better things starting with the hiring of Christoph R Muller in 2014 to helm MAS after the MH370 and MH17 tragedies. He lasted only six months.
The workforce of 20,500 was reduced to 14,000 and the entire fleet of 12 777-200ERs were grounded, literally scrapped. Muller's successor, another foreigner, Peter Bellew lasted slightly more than a year while a Malaysian, Capt Izham Ismail, was given the mandate in late 2017 to turn around the flag carrier. The airline remains in turbulent weather.
In July 2016, MAB placed an order for 25 737 Max 8 jetliners and another 25 options. A year later at the Paris Air Show the airline converted 10 Max 8 jetliners to Max 10. Delivery of the aircraft is supposed to commence in December.
The Max jetliners are supposed to replace MAB's 737-800s as the lease expires. According to the initial schedule, delivery of the jets are slated to commence in December 2020 through to 2023 starting with Max 8.
Max 8, however, has yet to receive the nod from respective safety agencies around the world to take to the skies again. European Aviation Safety Agency just completed the test flights in Vancouver last month (September).
The Civil Aviation Administration of China is next in line. Chinese carriers have 80 Max 8s parked. So, all in all, A herculean effort is needed to keep MAS flying.
WILLIAM DENNIS
Subang Jaya, Selangor
The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect those of the New Straits Times