MAS baggage blunder leaves passengers fuming

Kuala Lumpur

IT may be privatised, have a new boss and assumed a new corporate entity, but Malaysia Airlines (MAS) continues to make unfathomable decisions prompting concern over its recovery.

A last-minute pronouncement on Tuesday that it would not allow check-in baggage to Amsterdam, London and Paris because it was flying a longer route to Europe - which, combined with strong headwinds, restricted its ability to carry baggage and cargo - had passengers fuming and social media abuzz over the unprecedented move.

"The headwinds over the last four days were in excess of 200 knots, which can add up to 15 per cent fuel burn on a B777-200 aircraft," MAS posted on its Facebook page. It promised to ship all baggage to affected customers in Europe.

Even though the restriction was scrapped shortly afterwards, the damage was done. Many had initially thought the no-check-in-baggage restriction was a joke, but passengers were understandably furious as it is winter in Europe.

In such a competitive cut-throat industry, customer ill-feeling does not bode well for the airline. Cost-cutting measures have resulted in the axing of numerous routes, which has in turn driven passengers (including its domestic core) to turn to other carriers.

Already, a growing number of Malaysians are opting to fly to Europe and Australia on Middle Eastern or European carriers - or even less established airlines such as Vietnam Airlines - as they are competitively priced, and have better meals and in-flight entertainment.

Business class on MAS is also a pale shadow of its former self.

Cabin crew say they are taking flak from passengers - particularly food- loving Malaysians - for serving two sticks of satay instead of the usual three.

On Skytrak, A Ashiblie lamented the drastic cutbacks which, according to the business class passenger, include no alcoholic beverages on flights under three hours. "From now on, I am going to try Malindo Air," said the disgruntled passenger, who flew KL-to-Denpasar earlier this week.

That MAS planes are not as new and its in-flight entertainment often not as reliable as other airlines' also count against it although its staff is generally still well regarded. However, staff morale is low, following the retrenchment of over 6,000 employees - about a third - last year.

To many, the state-owned full-service carrier is beginning to look quite budget in demeanour.

A tanking ringgit is likely to have compounded its problems as, unlike most carriers, it has not benefited from much lower aviation fuel prices.

Now helmed by Christophe Mueller (the first foreigner to head the carrier), MAS said that, based on its current risk assessment, it is able to take a shorter route on European flights.

But it asserted safety is of utmost priority in its operations and that it will not hesitate to adjust its flight path, based on its daily risk assessment.

After 2014's twin tragedies - the disappearance of flight MH370 and the missile downing of flight MH17 over Ukraine - the floundering airline is understandably more vigilant about potential danger zones.

Unfortunately, passengers will care little for its additional considerations that are made worse by having limited resources and are likely to opt for better-equipped rivals, thus placing its already dwindling market share at further risk.