MAS - Suggestions for improvements

[adrianqcs 0]

Well, what I have been reading is just bashing/complaints after complaints that's good.....but wouldn't it be

great if we inject some creative/effective ideas to improve the organization.

 

So, lets combine our minds and we can forward it to MAS on behalf of MalaysianWings...

 

 

[Jessnor Arif 1]

I'll wait what in store for 110 new plane of Malaysian Airlines

[adrianqcs 0]

We need MAS to be more capricious! Not 5 Years plan. It will be too late. Air Asia could do it in 5 Years. Come on! Cut the bureaucracy, keep things simple and effective. Notice that MAS seldom open positions to the Public. Often, they would hire the SAUDARAS. Open the doors, and let the best brains in....

[Chan CS 0]

To be very honest, I don't see any needs here. No offence. But MH simply ignore everybody and seems like they are living in their own world.

[Jessnor Arif 1]

To be very honest, I don't see any needs here. No offence. But MH simply ignore everybody and seems like they are living in their own world.

 

Why not? If we just throwing ideas here but nobody dare to foward it to MH board of directors of course it will be ignore.

Don't expect MH directors to read MWing.

 

By the way an idea must be support with commercial reasoning with no emotion involve. If the reason rationale enough maybe some idea will get through.

[Chan CS 0]

Yeah I know with good commercial reason, they might take it. But from what happened recently, I really lost my faith in MH.

[adrianqcs 0]

Why not? If we just throwing ideas here but nobody dare to foward it to MH board of directors of course it will be ignore.

Don't expect MH directors to read MWing.

 

By the way an idea must be support with commercial reasoning with no emotion involve. If the reason rationale enough maybe some idea will get through.

 

Yes, let's just brainstorm here....no need to fear anything...I am sure Idris would appreciate the ideas here.... We're doing some good publicity for MalaysianWings anyway....In due time, this would be the place to read on actual customer feedback and really see the through colours of what's going on under the management's back..Filing complaints via the airline feedback system may not be taken seriously as it goes through a hell of filtering from dept to dept and it can be amended by some lazy bum or left to grow mushrooms being neglected in some corner of the desk.

 

I beg to differ that MH directors would read MWing if we write to them collectively and genuinely. Take a look at our recent responses:

 

Georg's Letter

Izanee's Letter

 

[adrianqcs 0]

Malaysia Airlines eyes record earnings in 2007, predicts drop in fares

The Associated Press

Published: October 31, 2007

E-Mail Article

Listen to Article

Printer-Friendly

3-Column Format

Translate

Share Article

 

Text Size

 

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia: Malaysia Airlines said Wednesday it aims to post record earnings this year after a business revamp, and expects to cut fares by up to 7 percent in the next few years.

 

The government-owned airline embarked on a restructuring plan following losses in 2005 and 2006 arising from high oil prices and an industry downturn.

 

Chief Executive Idris Jala said the company is recovering after strong earnings in the first half of this year, and is on track to achieve net profit of between 300 million ringgit (US$86 million; €60 million) and 700 million ringgit (US$200 million; €140 million) for the full year through December despite higher oil prices.

 

"We now have over 3 billion ringgit (US$857 million, €600 million) cash in our war chest. This year, we strongly aspire to achieve the highest net profit in the company's history," he told a news conference.

 

Jala said the carrier would unveil a new business plan in January to help it sustain growth and further cut costs by up to 1 billion ringgit (US$286 million, €200 million), or around 10 percent of its operating cost, over the next five years.

Today in Business

Changing climate haunting tourism

Alcatel-Lucent to cut an extra 4,000 jobs

Chinese chemicals flow unchecked to market

 

This includes increasing Internet sales, which now comprise only around 4 percent of tickets sold, implementing electronic ticketing and reducing procurement costs, he said.

 

"We aim to be a five-star airline with low cost, but with no compromise on quality or safety," he said. "Our focus is to put Malaysia Airlines strongly on the path of profitable growth for 2008 and beyond."

 

Jala said the initiatives would help the airline prepare to lower fares over the next few years as competition intensifies with some 800 new airplanes expected to roll into the Asia-Pacific, India and Middle East regions this year and next.

 

"I believe fares will become highly competitive. In short, they will drop," he said. "Globally I would say (our fares will drop) between 5 and 7 percent in the next few years."

 

He declined to say when fares will be cut and on what routes.

 

Earlier this year, the airline said its net profit for the January-June half-year was 246 million ringgit (US$70 million; €49 million), rebounding from a loss of 498 million ringgit (US$142 million; €100 million) in the same period last year.

 

Rocketing oil prices remain a challenge as fuel accounts for 30 percent of the airline's operating cost, but measures have been put in place to improve fuel efficiency and hedging fuel cost, Jala said.

 

He said the government's recent decision to allow budget carriers ply the lucrative Kuala Lumpur-Singapore route may affect its earnings but didn't give details.

[Seth K 3]

Looking at their current service, I changed my flight to Manila with SQ

[Sri Ramani K. 0]

send jala an email and ask him to register here @ MWings. that should speak for almost all their pax if not all.

[Mohd Azizul Ramli 2]

I agreed with Jessnor and adriancs. Lets treat this tread seriously.

 

In my opinion, first of all, MH has to set its long term goal on a macro level. This goal should not be changed even though there is a change in MH's top management and all business decisions and strategies must derived from this goal. Currently, MH is not having a specific direction of what it wanted to become (although much have been lauded about being A Five Star Carrier with LCC Costs), but strategically MH is not making any drastic changes.

 

Running an airline, I think the major business decision is about the routes being served, not about changing inflight meals with snackbox. MH should in the first place cut all routes that never made any profit. From the information I gathered (from a few informers in the industry), MH has never made money on the EZE station but still fly there because of national pride, being 'The Only South East Asian Carrier that Serves All 6 Continents'. ARN-EWR is also the same. Being 'reinstated' after being cancelled by the management due to an order from the government to support Visit Malaysia Year 2007 campaign is simply unacceptable.

 

MH also has proven to serve too may points, which are located near to each other (even more in the past). In Europe for instance, from the same sources (informers), only 2 routes are making money (AMS and CDG) while LHR is barely break even. The rest (FCO, FRA, ARN, IST, ZRH) are not profitable. I welcome the termination of ZRH and the reallignment of IST to be via DXB rather than non stop is hopefully will improve the route's performance. If MH is certain about joining SkyTeam, maybe they should drop FRA and ARN altogether, leaving only all 3 SkyTeam hubs (AMS, CDG, FCO) and the flagship route, LHR as their European destinations.

 

 

[S V Choong 4]

The only thing that will make the corporate bosses hurt is the red or negative figure in the profit and loss sheets. Like Azahan pointed out earlier, they think they now better than you when it comes to running an airline. You can try sending your thoughts, but I wouldn't be surprised if you find your ideas stopped before reaching Idris, or Idris & Co. simply ignored it. Isn't it like of too late now that Idris & Co. are running full swing mode with his ideas and 5 Star @ LCC cost philosophy?

 

Malaysia Airlines, to me, is just another airline and another international corporate. Should they fail, they will serve as a good example that they are not good at running an airline. We cannot keep them alive forever and keep harbouring their mistakes, they need to grow up . It is much better than costing the tax payer more money in the long run.

 

Good Luck.

Edited October 31, 2007 by S V Choong

[Ivan L. 0]

My suggestions:

 

- Re-train the ground staffs, they are the first face of the airlines who customers see. Professionalism seem to be lacking there.

 

- Upgrade the aircrafts.

 

- Dump the B744 and A380. MAS don't need those. Instead, invest more on smaller aircrafts (777, 787, 330, or 350) to cater for their high density long haul routes. It's better to have smaller aircrafts but profitable rather than unprofitable habit of satisfying Malaysian appetite for being the first in gigantism.

 

- Revert back to hot meals, snack box is just plain appalling. Improved the meals on the long haul sectors, asian snacks do not consist of cold hard sandwich. Maybe can start to invite renowned chefs to be more actively involved in meals planning. Qantas has Neil Perry and SQ has a rather large number of culinary panels from all over the world.

 

- Employees bonus when companies make profits. This will help with employees morale.

 

- Dump the first class.

 

- Cut the unprofitable routes. Exotic routes doesn't have place in profitability.

 

- Actively create brand awareness in Australasia and Europe. Kangaroo routes are very important and I see that MH are constantly overshadowed by EK, SQ, and CX on these routes.

 

- Keep pushing for Skyteam membership. This will open a whole new world of customers.

 

- Do not follow AK pricing, it's a recipe for disaster.

 

- Do not cost cut the onboard service. Where's my menu and playing cards?

 

- Focus on global market. MH can't always rely on Malaysians as their source of income. SQ and CX main income are from foreigners and transit passengers.

 

- Improve the online bookings.

 

- Improve the aircraft utilisation rates, so no planes are idle in the tarmac. Sell those which are not needed.

 

That's all I can think for now.....

Edited October 31, 2007 by Ivan L.

[S V Choong 4]

Suddenly everyone becomes a CEO for MAS.....

[Waiping 12]

For a start they should send 9M-MPB, 9M-MPD and 9M-MRD to Kota Kinabalu on a regular basis.

 

To be honest I think MH is doing quite well, albeit all these complaints about their services. I grew up with terms like Mana Ada System but they have a better system than AK. I have flown on MH since I was born but I have never have to encounter serious issues like flight delays for hours and abrupt cancellation. AK? I have encountered them twice just last year.

[adrianqcs 0]

I would like to compile all those letters into here....

 

Hardeep's Letter

[Guest Michael]

Now I think what we should do is just wait and see what is unveiled in the new plan that is to be released in January don't you all agree?

[Jessnor Arif 1]

I would like to suggest that MH would produce more aggresive, memorable advertising campaign. AFAIC MH Advertising seems too conventional and too conservatives. In the age of Web 2.0 MH should make take advantages of it.

 

Take Frontier as an example.

[dsim 0]

whenever i call 130088300, 99% of the time, the mas agent cannot hear me... keep saying line is breaking. hang up the phone, call 03-78433000.... loud and clear... duh... i m using fixed line phone. perhaps this should b fixed too?

[BC Tam 2]

..... I have flown on MH since I was born but I have never have to encounter serious issues like flight delays for hours and abrupt cancellation .....

Consider yourself to have lived a charmed life so far !!

Way O/T : The little one arriving soon or are you on night duty already ?

 

..... Notice that MAS seldom open positions to the Public. Often, they would hire the SAUDARAS. Open the doors, and let the best brains in .....

See what they say about in-breeding ?! Yeah, they should expand the gene pool somewhat ! Edited November 3, 2007 by BC Tam

[Walter Sim 1]

I experienced a 2 hour delay before (only once) MYY-KUL.

 

They gave us a voucher to get free food and drinks from the cafeteria in MYY. It sucked by the way. My house is 5 minutes away so i just went home!

[BC Tam 2]

..... MH has to set its long term goal on a macro level. This goal should not be changed even though there is a change in MH's top management and all business decisions and strategies must derived from this goal .....

Cannot lah ! With the amount of trouble MH is buried under currently (rather, has been buried under for so many years already) it certainly takes a brave man with plenty of ego to even consider helming it. And whoever takes up the challenge will certainly adopt a different approach :

(1) why let the previous guy (or gal ?) claim credit for having laid foundation for success, assuming inherited goals and strategies prove successful

(2) existing goals/strategies cannot have been working too well for a change of leadership to be necessary (has any MH leader ever left due to retirement or death ?)

(3) we're Malaysians

[Hardeep P. 0]

Hi guys,

I feel this is a very good place to voice my oipnion for improvement.

I dont intend to take over the role of the MAS CEO, CFO or COO ( the 3 main top corporate figures) as I have enough at the moment but merely to give suggestions both short term, medium term and long term.

 

Basically

Short term: (LESS THAN 1 YR)

1.do away with the non-money making routes. Agree with some that there are just too many european routes served by MAS at the moment,

2. Cancel the A380 and look for alternatives+ compensation by sourcing more A330s or possibly the A350s but this again is against standardisation of single fleet. So, maybe more A330s. As already KLIA is the airbus rich airport, i see this as not a problem. In fact MAS + AIRBUS can even form a JV with a regional maintenance centre for ASEAN for these airbuses.

3. Paint more Hibsicus-Bunga RAYA (RED) + freedom (Blue). 3 aint enough. I think good source is Azuddin and i remember sometime back he had some creative colors for further expansion.

4. Maintain 777-200ER as the main long haul work horse instead of having 4 at the moment. (744, 777,A333, A322)

5. Improve onboard services

6. Improve ground services as ground staff are d ambassadors of MAS.

7. Look at CARGO, and develop it as another Main bussiness group

8. and others like CATERING and ENGINEERING & MAINTENANCE Work-pure supportive.

9. Bring in more experienced with AIRLINERS like KLM-AF, SAS, SQ, QF, BA as well as from different industries- SHELL, Banking, Petronas

10. Undertake a 5 yr, 10 yr, 15 yr, 20 yr and 25 yrs masterplan and long term business studies by engaging with top business consultancy group. Have a max of 10 people doing it.

11. STOP COMPARING with AIR ASIA and look at others best in industry practises.

12. Develop FIREFLY and MWings as separate entities of MAS.

13. Order the B737-800s and B737-900 asap and do away with the 737-400s

14. pERFORMANCE Based pay and other iniatives to boost the morale of staff

 

Medium Term: (MORE THAN 1 YR- LESS THAN 5 YRS)

1. Look at fleet rationalisation after business masterplan review study by reducing or selling some of the 744s and replacing it with both 747-8 and 777-200ER, 777300ER. I still feel 747-8 is needed for large hubs like London, Sydney, Tokyo, LAX Amsterdam as A380s have been cancelled from (2).

2. The 777300ERs can be used for long distance markets like Paris, Frankfurt as well as Tokyo, Hong Kong, Bangkok, Dubai, Beinjing, Shanghai, South Africa and Argentina etc.

3. 777-200ERs used for PERTH, ADELAIDE, BRISBANE and AUCKLAND as well INDIAN and ORIENTAL flights except HK which will be served by the 7773ER.

4. A330-200 and A330-300 serving Singapore, Bangkok, Indian routes, China routes & Middle Eastern routes as well a local routes like Penang, KK, Kuching to KL.

5. Improve SERVICES

6. OPEN TO COMMENTS.

7. Selecting and grooming the top 5 people to lead MAS.

 

Long TERM: (MORE THAN 5 YRS)

1. Improve services

2. Standardise fleet by having just 777s (all varieties), A330s, 737-800/900 AND 747-8.

3. Create a MAS University for exchanging and lerning/training other airliners like in ASEAN (Hopefully by that time, MAS would have learnt something and be doing well).

4. Creating a european hub- Lhr, Ams, a Oriental Hub- HK, Tokyo, Beiijng, a Indian Hib- Delhi, Mumbai or Chennai, Middle Eastern Hub- Dubai and Australian Hub- SYD, Melbourne.

5. Selecting and grooming the top 5 people to lead MAS.

 

Open to comments and criticism from all MalaysianWINGers. Thanks.

 

Regards

H

[Guest Michael]

A fleet renewal is coming in December just after the 3rd quarter results are released I got info from an inside source. A new business plan is also coming out in January it all sounds promising and encouraging.

[V Wong 0]

Care to divulge further detail of the rumours? After the nadir that is the meal box, anything is good news!