Malaysia Airlines, Firefly and Amal to reduce flights until December due to a series of aircraft problems

Malaysia Airlines, Firefly and Amal Airlines will cut flights until December to address recent disruptions.

At least four incidents have occurred in August, including one on August 20 when a Malaysia Airlines flight bound for Shanghai was forced to return to Kuala Lumpur due to suspected cabin pressure problems.

The day before, a Malaysia Airlines flight from Melbourne to Kuala Lumpur was diverted to Alice Springs Airport in Australia due to a technical failure.

Malaysia Aviation Group (MAG), which owns the three airlines, announced on Saturday (Aug 24) that it will “temporarily reduce its route network” until December while it studies the implementation of any potential corrective measures.

“This is to ensure the long-term reliability of our fleet and robustness of our operations, and to enhance our ability to ensure that Malaysia Airlines, Firefly and Amal passengers experience minimal disruption and enjoy the best possible flying experience when travelling on our flights,” said Captain Izham Ismail, group managing director of Malaysia Airlines.

Amal Air is the Hajj and Umrah arm of Malaysia Airlines.

Captain Izham said the group has been taking steps to address supply chain constraints, manpower challenges and “other external factors” as part of the ongoing normalisation of global aviation operations following the pandemic.

He added that MAG was also affected by delays in the delivery of new aircraft this year, resulting in fewer aircraft available for flying.

“We are working closely with aircraft and engine manufacturers and a broad range of suppliers to fully address the supply chain and technical issues,” he said.