Ten years ago this month, the mini tragedies of MH370 and MH17 destroyed Malaysia Airlines.
Trip MH370 from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing disappeared over the Indian Ocean on 8 March 2014 with 239 people on board. Despite millions of dollars being spent on the largest research ever conducted in aviation history, the aircraft has not yet been discovered.
When Russian forces shot downward MH17 in July of the same year, the flight was still reeling from the horror above conflict-ridden Ukraine. All 283 people and 15 aircraft crew were killed.
160 aircraft were flying over the war zone that morning, but MH17 was the one that was hit.
An aircraft lost two passenger jet in five times, a feat that is still unheard today.
Many saw it like a plague, on an airline which had operated for 70 years essentially unscathed.
Malaysia Airlines had long had a strong health history and also won company awards. From its foundation in Kuala Lumpur, it flew a sizable ships all over the world.
But after the tragedies in 2014, people got the hiccups. Consumers switched to another airlines, and earlier media reports from the moment reported nearly empty flights on more routes.
Although its CEO predicted the company would make its first quarterly net gain in a decade last year, the corporation was on track to achieve that goal.
The aircraft did not respond to the BBC’s inquiries, but analysts claim that a number of path cuts have helped to shore up its finances, and that a new logo with a focus on safety has resurrected its brand has earned again customers.
” It is now a leaner, more focused organization- albeit one with significantly reduced ambitions”, says aerospace business observer Greg Waldron.
Malaysia Airlines continues to fly over the clouds now, taking millions of passengers all over the world each year. So how did it keep going?
Malaysia to the rescue
Soon after the second crisis, the Indonesian government sprang into action. With more than 20 000 people, the flight was the country’s national symbol, and its property market value had fallen.
The region’s sovereign wealth fund- Khazanah Nasional- stepped in. At that point, it previously owned 69 % of the business.
A fortnight after the MH17 catastrophe, it bought out the firm’s different owners, delisted the company from the property exchange, created a new business and declared the old company bankrupt.
The second significant step in Malaysia Airlines ‘ survival was the company’s complete nationalization.
Under the president’s treatment plan- named” Rebuilding a National Icon”- the cost of tickets was even slashed while accountants took a good- toothed comb to the company’s operations.
Prior to 2014, the flight had now begun to reduce lengthy, costly routes to destinations like South Africa and North and South America.
After 2014 it shed these roads in sincere, axing some established long- pull airlines, including those to New York and Stockholm. It ultimately ended all of its travel to Europe, with the exception of London.
Heathrow is still Malaysia Airlines ‘ even European cease today, especially in the wake of Covid, and that has turned into a major money-making route.
After British Airways discontinued the way during the pandemic, it has been the sole airline to offer a non-stop trip to London from Kuala Lumpur for the past few years.
” With a monopoly like that, on a launch way, an flight can cost a lot of money, especially to people who are no price- vulnerable and must go quickly”, says aviation analyst Brian Sumers.
The business also used the international aviation wait during Covid to pay off its debts, but it still managed to keep its aircraft in the air by being one of the major carriers delivering relocation planes from Europe to Asia.
Different carriers in Asia and Europe retired their aircraft during the pandemic, indicating that they were not prepared for the quick rebound in need.
Malaysia Airlines, on the other hand, had a mind began when borders re- opened- and it made the most of that benefit, experts say.
The Asia-Pacific region claims seven of the top 10 international routes, including the most traveled one, from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore, as well as the busiest routes in the world.
According to air traffic data firm OAG, 4.9 million seats were sold on that route alone last year.
Today, Malaysia Airlines is viewed as a “middle- of- the- pack” carrier focused on Oceania, Asia and the UK.
According to Ellis Taylor, an analyst for aviation data firm Cirium,” They’ve been able to keep things afloat thanks to the backing of the Malaysian government,”” They’ve been able to get things to a steady state, a modern fleet, and modern aircraft,” according to Taylor.
Dealing with perceptions
The airline’s approach seems to have paid off- and it appears for many international fliers, pragmatic considerations outweigh the company’s past.
” If air traffic is anything to go by, MH370 and other disasters are undoubtedly not front of mind when passengers look to buy tickets,” says Mr. Waldron.
” Generally they are looking at price, but convenience also plays a role”.
Hannah Blackiston, an Australian, flew back and forth between London and Adelaide in late 2022 on an MH flight. Malaysia was the only airline to fly direct.
She said,” I booked it with them without really thinking about it just because I was going to see my dad because he was sick,” adding,” just because it was cheap.”
When booking the flight, she says the tragedies did cross her mind but did n’t faze her. However, her mother was much more upset.
” My mum, when she found out, was up in arms about it- she was like’ You ca n’t fly with them!’ And I was, like,’ Mum, if anybody’s going to be on top of their safety regulations, it’s going to be these guys ‘”.
She claims that her journey was smooth and that she received quality service.
” The flying experience was great, they were a really good provider. After having a positive experience, there was nothing that would turn me off about flying with them. So if anything, yeh, it improved my general perception of the brand and safety, and I would fly with them again.
Australian doctor Abdullah Naji, 25, who is currently based in the Malaysian city of Penang, says he flies with them frequently, but mainly domestic routes.
” Of course, there’s a natural initial hesitancy that stems from such a historic event, but it’s the actions taken post- MH370 that have reinstated my confidence in the airline”, he said.
” The airline’s efforts in rebranding and focusing on safety are evident, not just in words but in actionable measures”, he said.
” There’s a sense of national solidarity”, Mr Naji suggests.
Locals generally view the airline as a symbol of national pride, appreciating the steps it has taken to improve and recover since MH370.
Analysts claim that a loyal Malaysian client base has helped to keep the airline running.
Mr. Sumers also mentions that the brand’s resilience is comparable to that of other national flag carriers. ” It’s surprisingly uncommon for big national airlines to go bust, even amid calamity”.
But for those without that relationship, the tragedies associated with the brand seem to linger.
One Singapore-based traveler claims she experienced a brief moment of panic when she realized she was taking the MH-coded short-haul route from Langkawi to Kuala Lumpur. She had used Singapore Airlines to make the reservation, but she missed out on the code-sharing offer.
It was an uneventful flight, she says. However, I do recall having a conversation about” Oh wow, we were actually on a MH-numbered flight when we were boarding.”
At the end of the day, Mr. Naji claims it simply comes down to experience.
” I used to be very conscious of it when I was boarding, but I’m okay now having flown with them a few times already.”
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3 December 2021
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31 July 2018
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