Page 22 - AAA JUNE - JULY 2022 Online Magazine

INTERVIEW MALAYSIA AIRLINES

IN FLIGHT
severely impacted the already challenging operating climate due
to prolonged border closure and scaled down networks. Our bal-
ance sheet took a hit with a 96 per cent reduction in flight capacity.
However, we didn’t sit still and continued with movement of essential
services by mounting rescue and repatriation flights worldwide and
ensured global supply chains are maintained for the most time-sen-
MODE sitive supplies via our cargo arm, MABkargo.

During the pandemic, Malaysia Aviation Group (MAG), the parent
company of Malaysia Airlines, took proactive measures to reduce
costs, preserve cash, reset its balance sheet, transform the business
dynamic to realign with its long-term aspirations and ensure business
survivability by embarking on a successful Group-wide restructuring
exercise in 2021. This includes diversifying our revenue streams
beyond the pure-play airlines market. As a Group, we looked at
the aviation ecosystem in its entirety to cater to the various needs
and demands of market. Our goal with the long-term business plan
2.0 (LTBP 2.0) taking shape is to provide customised, end-to-end
solutions for the travel ecosystem for enhanced connectivity and
improved customer experience through our airlines and non-air-
lines businesses. Aside from urgently stabilizing our cost base and
ensuring business sustainability, the pandemic also accelerated
digitalisation for many organisations. We fully realised that airlines
need to rethink how they do business to come out of the crisis and
empowered our workforce to remain agile and be equipped with
the necessary skillsets to meet the demands and challenges ahead.
Digitalisation will be the way forward in this ‘new normal’ of air travel.
We have moved a significant portion of our processes online and
accelerated our digitalisation efforts to ensure our staff can operate
Malaysia Airlines Berhad has weathered the remotely and flexibly as a business.
upheavals of the COVID-19 pandemic, which
resulted in a 96 per cent reduction in flight If the pandemic had taught us anything, it would be the strength of
capacity.In an exclusive interview with Atul our people, agility, adaptability and resilience that has put us in a
Chandra, Ahmad Luqman Mohd Azmi, Group brighter position where many others are still fighting to stay afloat.
Chief Operations Officer of Malaysia Airlines Even now, as borders globally reopen, we are faced with an onset of
Berhad outlines the steps taken to ensure challenges; including pressure on fuel cost and forex. While we are
Groups survival in a tough operating environ- bullish for 2022, we remain cautious of the environments and will
ment. “Our goal with the long-term business deploy fleet and network expansion opportunistically during peak
plan 2.0 (LTBP 2.0) taking shape is to provide periods to service high demand/capacity sectors.
customised, end-to-end solutions for the travel
ecosystem for enhanced connectivity and What are most important changes that the pandemic will
improved customer experience through our air- have on customer preferences for air travel?
lines and non-airlines businesses,” Azmi said. COVID health-related rules and requirements remain a barrier for
“We are gradually increasing our frequency and travel. According to IATA, 73%* of survey respondents who had
network to achieve more than 70 per cent of travelled since June 2020 found it challenging to understand what
pre-COVID-19 capacity for domestic and inter- rules applied for a trip and said COVID-19 paperwork was challenging
national travel by the end of 2022,” he added.
to arrange. Travellers want simplified health protocols – where the
current travel experience needs to improve with better informa-
Edited Excerpts of the interview
tion, simpler processing, and digital solutions. As nations progress
towards full reopening of their borders, it’s crucial that we work hand
What was the impact of the pandemic in hand to simplify the travel process to take the hassle of travelling.
on Malaysia Airlines operations and what Thus Governments, aviation bodies and airlines must work hand in
were the most challenging aspects? hand to facilitate and prioritize simplified, safe and seamless travel
As we’ve seen for the past two years, nothing experiences as part of the ‘ingredient’ to spur recovery of air travel
can truly prepare us for the uncertainties ahead and tourism. Customer behaviour and demand patterns will also
– especially when it comes to travel demand, continue to change, as more will demand flexibility as a core service
industry capacity and changing market environ- attribute to account for unforeseen travel circumstances. In this
ments. For airlines in particular, COVID had regard, safety and security will become core in instilling consumer

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