I am traveling home to Malaysia in less than a month & this is what I read on The Star Online website.
[NATION 21-Sep-2006]
Cargo agents and general sales agents of Malaysia Airlines (MAS) operating in the United States and Sweden are worried over the airline’s plan to discontinue services from Kuala Lumpur to Newark via Stockholm. .....
I am baffled. What is MAS thinking??? Some people refer to MAS as Mana Ada Sistem (translation: no system at all). A clever pun that is becoming a reality these days. Even more obvious I would say.
Then (in 2004) : Goodbye Dubai.
Now & soon to be : Goodbye Stockholm.
January 2007 : Goodbye forever.
The news item further reported that MAS is making a short term business decision to create moderate profits but forgoing its long term profits. Shiish! This, so it seems, is a lucrative cargo business for MAS. Hence, I don't understand why they thought that killing the cash cow sector is "good" for them.
Personally, this is the best route for me to go back to M'sia. Saves time, although I would still have to spent 23 hours of total flying time. The air fare, sad to say, is nor longer competitive but I know that I'm paying for convenience. The usual trade-off. Newark Liberty Airport serves both New York City & New Jersey residents. It is only 20 minutes away from my apartment. I could have saved a hundred bucks going via Singapore Airlines (SIA) but that means the hassle of driving all the way to JFK Airport in NY.
Well, if MAS goes ahead and stop this service route by mid-January 2007, SIA & Thai Airways will definitely profit from less competition and by the time MAS realises this, it'll be too late. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to know that putting a new CEO without any background in the airline industry is bad business decision. Cutting service routes senselessly and passing the buck onto travelers (increasing air fares, taxes, plus add-ons like fuel surcharge, etc.) will not go augur well in its quest to increase sales.
Luckily, my return flight is before Jan. 15, 2007. So, I am spared the trouble of re-routing my journey back to New Jersey. This could be the last time I ever use MAS to travel back to the East. I have been flying this route for the past 3 years and they are definitely not operating under capacity. Business looks brisk from my personal experience.
A moment to reflect ...
I took this photo last November at Arlanda, Stockholm. It was the first anniversary of the Stockholm-Newark service. Passengers were given a nice treat and light spread of orange juice, snacks, finger food & non-alcoholic bubbly at the departure lounge while waiting to board the second leg of our ardous journey. MAS had downgraded us from their initial aircraft, a 747 (more comfy for passengers) to this crampy 777 in return for better cargo-load. So cargo business must be good, isn't it?! The flight was full too. So what's the problem, MAS?
2 comments:
Now you know how damn su-ku MAS is! They've been taking out their profitable routes, God knows why! First the Kch-Perth flights which were always full, then they decided to do away with most of the KL-Kch flights, but agreed to reinstate them back a month later after numerous complaints. Then had the cheek to protest against Tiger Airways' entry to S'wak to fill in the gaps! And now this! Damn su-ku! They might as well just fly within Peninsular Malaysia then, since all other flights are supposedly non-profitable.
exactly. i was mad as hell when i read it. they're killing the goose or hen that lay the golden egg. they should get rid of CEO Idris Jala & their business consultants!
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