MAS cuts flights to Europe

Published: 23/03/2006 - Filed under: News »

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Manchester, Vienna and Frankfurt are all affected by Malaysia Airlines' (MAS) decision to cut underperforming flights.The move is the first stage of MAS's business turnaround plan (see Online News, March 1) which aims to reduce losses by £46.83 million (RM 303 million) this financial year.

Kuala Lumpur-based MAS says it will withdraw its four times a week B747 service to Manchester on May 1 followed by its three times a week B777 service to Vienna on June 1. MAS's daily B777 service to Frankfurt will still continue but flight frequency will be cut to a five flights a week operation from May 31.

Europe is a problem area for MAS. The airline serves 12 destinations in this region and the management admits that not a single one is profitable. MAS says that the Kuala Lumpur-Vienna service alone runs a hefty annual £4.5 million (RM 30 million) deficit.

The decision to drop Manchester is a blow to the UK's Northwest as MAS provided Mancunians with connections to destinations throughout Asia and Australasia. Says Tim McDermott, the airport's development director, "We're obviously disappointed to see the route withdrawn. However, we will continue to work closely with MAS towards the reinstatement of the service."

With the starting date for Cathay Pacific's Hong Kong service (from Manchester) now placed on the back burner and Thai not sure when or if it should start services, SIA is the only SE Asian carrier to fly from the UK's Northwest.

Other MAS routes being withdrawn from Kuala Lumpur include Xian (China) along with two Indian cities, namely Kolkata and Ahmedabad.

There are also service cutbacks on other routes. The ones most likely to affect Europe-based travellers are Penang-Singapore (where the number of B737 flights is cut from 14 to seven a week) and Kuala Lumpur-Auckland where B777 flight frequency reduces from seven to five flights a week.

But there is some positive news too. Several flights to Bangkok, Singapore and Brisbane will be retimed to improve flight connections for international passengers transitting Kuala Lumpur.

For more information go to www.malaysiaairlines.com

Report by Alex McWhirter

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