The Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM) has reduced Malaysia Airlines Bhd’s (MAB) air operator certificate (AOC) validity from three years to one year, following a series of technical incidents. Transport minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook announced the airline must now submit monthly reports on the implementation of a mitigation plan for its operations. These measures aim to ensure that the airline takes necessary steps to improve its overall performance.
The technical issues have notably affected MAB’s operations, with several flights turning back or making emergency stops. On 20 August, Malaysia Airlines flight MH128 from Melbourne made an emergency stop in Alice Springs, Australia. The following day, on 21 August, flight MH386 to Shanghai was forced to return to Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) due to cabin pressure issues. Then, on 22 August, flight MH152 to Medina had to return to KLIA, marking the third such incident in a single month.
In response to these disruptions, Malaysia Aviation Group (MAG), the parent company of MAB, acknowledged the operational challenges. The group’s managing director, Izham Ismail, announced plans to temporarily reduce the airline’s network until the end of the year to address the issues and ensure long-term reliability. According to reports, the airline is reducing flights to 13 destinations, including major cities such as Bangkok, Jakarta, Seoul, and Tokyo.
Additionally, Loke revealed that CAAM conducted a surprise investigation of Malaysia Airlines and its subsidiary, MAB Engineering Services (Mabes), which handles aircraft maintenance. The investigation, carried out from 24 to 28 June, uncovered significant problems, including mechanical component issues and a shortage of skilled manpower necessary for maintaining the airline’s aircraft.
The shortage of skilled workers has also impacted Malaysia Airlines’ and Mabes’ ability to enhance their safety management systems. Loke pointed out that 63 former Mabes employees had recently left the company, exacerbating the manpower shortage. To address this, the airline’s mitigation plan includes launching a recruitment drive for skilled workers and scaling back Mabes’ maintenance, repair, and overhaul services for third parties, allowing it to focus on Malaysia Airlines’ aircraft.
Meanwhile, the transport minister also recently announced that all airlines operating within the country will be required to offer a full refund in the original payment method for flight delays of five hours or more, as well as flight disruptions caused by “extraordinary circumstances”. Passengers can opt for a full refund if they wish to cancel their journey, and airlines must issue refunds through the original mode of payment. He added that the refund period for users is 30 days.
