Malaysia Airlines, Firefly and Amal will restrict their flights until December to fix problems that have caused a spate of disruptions recently.
There were at least four incidents in August. Among them, a Malaysia Airlines flight to Shanghai had to turn back to Kuala Lumpur on August 20 due to a suspected problem with cabin pressure.
A day earlier, a Malaysia Airlines flight from Melbourne to Kuala Lumpur was diverted to Alice Springs Airport in Australia due to a technical problem.
Malaysia Aviation Group (MAG), which owns the three airlines, said on Saturday (24 August) that it would “temporarily reduce” its network until December while it reviews the implementation of possible corrective measures.
“This is to ensure the long-term reliability of our fleet and the robustness of our operations, and to enhance our ability to provide our customers with the least disruption possible on Malaysia Airlines, Firefly and Amal flights and the best possible flying experience with us,” said Captain Izham Ismail, Group Managing Director of MAG.
Amal is Malaysia Airlines’ Hajj and Umrah pilgrimage branch.
Captain Izham said the group had taken steps to address supply chain bottlenecks, staffing issues and “other external factors as global flight operations continue to return to normal after the pandemic.”
MAG was also affected by delayed deliveries of new aircraft this year, which resulted in fewer aircraft available for flights, he added.
“We are working closely with our aircraft and engine manufacturers and a wide range of suppliers to comprehensively resolve supply chain and technical issues,” he said.
