Malaysia Airlines temporarily cancels 100+ Australian flights

MALAYSIAN AIRLINES BOEING 737-8HS 9M-MXE (MSN 40132)

Malaysia Airlines is temporarily reducing its network until December 2024, cancelling scores of flights between Australian ports and Kuala Lumpur, among other international routes, due to “operational difficulties”. As the airline’s biggest Australian hubs, Sydney Airport and Melbourne Airport will bear the brunt of the reductions.

Between the 1st of September and the 26th of October 2024, Sydney will see its previously scheduled 115 services reduced to 77 flights, while Melbourne will see its 112 services drop to 78. Flights between the 27th of October and the 31st of December 2024 will experience a smaller decrease, with the KL-based carrier adjusting Sydney services from 141 to 132 and Melbourne flights from 132 to 124.

Elsewhere, MH will reduce the number of Perth services from 96 to 91 and Adelaide services from 43 to 40 until the 26th of October. Between the 27th of October and the end of the year, Perth will see its flights drop from 113 to 97, while Adelaide will be reduced from 46 to 44 flights. The carrier has also cancelled 11 Kuala Lumpur -Auckland flights before the end of the year.

Domestically, the airline will reportedly reduce its schedule by up to 40 per cent between 1 September and the end of 2024.

Malaysia Airlines Regional Manager Australia and New Zealand Giles Gilbert said the reductions in Australia are “significantly less” than reductions elsewhere and nowhere near a 20 per cent figure that has been previously reported. Gilbert also said the impact on Malaysia Airlines’ Sydney and Melbourne routes will be lessened by the fact that MH operates two scheduled flights out of those ports each day.

In addition, he reiterated that the reductions were “purely short term” and that the airline was committed to returning to a “normal schedule” from the 1st of January 2025, from which point the airline will be operating with additional aircraft.

Gilbert said the adjustments to MH’s network were due to major supply chain issues, including delays in the delivery of spare parts and the arrival of new planes.

On the upside, Malaysia Airlines is set to resume operations to Paris in 2025, marking an expansion into Europe as it looks to resume growth after a series of high-profile operational snags. The four weekly flights will commence on the 22nd of March 2025, before it will be increased to daily flights a few weeks later.