Malaysia’s Civil Aviation Authority has reduced the validity period of Malaysia Airlines’ air operator certificate from three to one year following an investigation into technical problems at the state-owned airline, the transport minister said on Wednesday.
The airline’s parent company, Malaysia Aviation Group (MAG), announced on Saturday that it would temporarily restrict its airlines’ flights and routes until December following operational disruptions earlier this month.
Following an investigation by the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM), Malaysia Airlines has drawn up a recovery plan, said Minister Anthony Loke.
Malaysia Airlines must also submit monthly reports to the CAAM, Loke said.
MAG, which also owns airline Firefly and Muslim pilgrimage service provider Amal, has announced it will take immediate action to address significant issues that have led to operational difficulties, including supply chain constraints, technical bottlenecks and staff shortages, as well as other post-pandemic challenges.
The company also said it had been impacted by delayed deliveries of new aircraft, resulting in fewer aircraft available for operations.
Based on the findings, Loke said the main problems that caused the recent technical malfunctions included mechanical components and a lack of skilled workers to maintain the aircraft.
“The airline will also aggressively pursue recruitment programs,” he said.
Since January, 63 of the 411 skilled workers in Malaysia Airlines’ technical department have left the company.
He added that the national airline must also obtain sufficient aircraft spare parts from its original equipment manufacturer.
Loke said the CAAM will continue to monitor airlines operating in Malaysia and conduct special audits to ensure that all safety aspects are strictly adhered to.
“All airlines must comply with this. There is no compromise when it comes to passenger safety,” he said, adding that the report has also been submitted to the Cabinet.
Loke said Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim was taking the matter seriously and also chaired a meeting with the Khazanah Nasional board on Tuesday.
Khazanah Nasional is the sole shareholder of Malaysia Airlines through its subsidiary MAG.
“The Prime Minister has instructed Khazanah to take immediate remedial action, which will then be forwarded to Malaysia Airlines management for further action,” he said.
Previously, the national airline had recently been affected by numerous technical glitches, which led to MAS flights turning around and making emergency landings.
On August 22, a MAS flight to Medina was forced to return to Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA), the third such incident this month.
According to data available on aircraft tracking site FlightRadar24, MH152 turned around in the Andaman Sea while flying over the Nicobar Islands.
A day earlier, MAS flight MH386, bound for Shanghai, had to return to KLIA airport due to a cabin pressure problem.
On August 20, flight MH128 en route from Melbourne to Kuala Lumpur was forced to make an emergency landing in Alice Springs in Australia’s Northern Territories.
Last week, former Transport Minister Dr Wee Ka Siong called on the Transport Ministry to immediately investigate the incident and provide assistance to Malaysia Airlines to prevent similar incidents.
