3-9-2024 (KUALA LUMPUR) The national flag carrier of Malaysia finds itself at a critical juncture, grappling with severe shortages of aircraft and essential parts, according to a prominent Singapore-based aviation consultant. This development marks a significant escalation in the ongoing challenges faced by the airline industry.
Brendan Sobie, speaking to CNBC, highlighted that while numerous airlines have been contending with supply chain and workforce issues for years, Malaysia Airlines appears to have been disproportionately affected. “They are not alone,” Sobie remarked, “but they seem to have been impacted particularly in the last few months more than others.”
The consultant painted a stark picture of the airline’s current predicament, stating, “They got kind of caught behind and things just escalated and reached this kind of breaking point in the last couple of months where they just ran out of aircraft, ran out of parts.”
Sobie pointed out that the national carrier’s punctuality record has been consistently poor over the past one to two years. The recent operational breakdown, he suggests, indicates more profound issues in the airline’s ability to manage industry-wide challenges effectively.
“All airlines can manage this schedule accordingly,” Sobie observed, “and I think something obviously went wrong here because, you know, not every airline is having the problems Malaysia Airlines has.” He emphasised that the crux of the matter lies in how an airline manages these issues.
The gravity of the situation was underscored last week when reports emerged that the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia had taken the unusual step of reducing the validity of Malaysia Airlines’ air operator certificate from three years to just one year. This decision came in the wake of the national carrier’s operational difficulties.
Malaysia Aviation Group (MAG), the parent company of Malaysia Airlines, shed light on the root causes of these challenges. The group revealed that it was due to receive 17 new aircraft from manufacturers this year, but only four have been delivered thus far. Izham Ismail, MAG’s managing director, attributed the operational hurdles to global shortages of spare parts and delays in engine repairs and overhauls.
In response to these mounting pressures, MAG has announced a reduction in flights and routes until December. This decision affects not only Malaysia Airlines but also its subsidiaries, Firefly and Amal services.
