MH's Routes Changes in January 2008

[Kee Hooi Yen 0]

how about ... we boarded this flight from a remote bay, hence not in time to load all stuff. that was the reply we got on one of our MI flights out of SIN when there was no toys/drawing kits for my children.

 

 

If there is a flight delays, can we say the airport is too far from the city hence the captain could not reach the airport on time

[Mushrif A 3]

I think that is not a proper way to handle pax's question, telling them of non-supply due to cost cutting.

 

Is there any guideline from MAS for FA when they are attending to pax's question ? The same should go to airport ground staff as well. Be professional.

 

Agreed, but I think that's just subtle signs that the crew may be frustrated with the cost cutting, that goes deep to the bones, that they end up not well-equipped to provide the much-hyped 5-star service. And being front-line, they take the brunt of customers' disappointment, head-on.

 

 

[BC Tam 2]

Another possibility could be staff discontentment showing through as result of deteriorating terms of employment & remuneration ? This could prove very damaging and the resulting effect is normally quite immediate in the service industry, once the human factor comes into play

 

But then, look at a brighter possibility - crew was (only) having an off day !

[Mushrif A 3]

Another possibility could be staff discontentment showing through as result of deteriorating terms of employment & remuneration ? This could prove very damaging and the resulting effect is normally quite immediate in the service industry, once the human factor comes into play

 

But then, look at a brighter possibility - crew was (only) having an off day !

 

Unlikely to off-days, as I had two separate encounters with same "cost-cutting-laah" answers.

 

- in Y, where the snackboxes made an appearance. Being the minority 7%, I asked why? "yadda yadda bla bla..cost-cutting-laah...but do you want more guava juice?"

 

- in F to/from SIN, where the traditional hot savouries have disappeared replaced with those awful "sandwic" but without those 93%-approved snackboxes, and I asked why? "...bla bla bla cost-cutting-laah encik..."

 

[Nik H. 3]

maybe the 747s can TRANSFORM into intrakota buses as well.

now with that...WHO needs alliances?

now..where's capt nik? is he still waiting beside the fax machine?

 

anyways...i am on call 72 hours then a day off and back on for another 24 hours. i don't have time to hunt for a fax machine!

 

Busy working la... there is life outside MW you know.

 

So far nothing in the fax, only one enquiry via e-mail. Guess I'm not holding my breadth on this one.

 

It may surprise you but there are people in MAS who are sharp and smart. The company does not run on momentum. The Pilots are great, the engineering personnel are competent, the Cabin Crew are still better than most. There are still areas of exellence in this Airline. Its just too bad that the criticism is akin to saturation bombing rather than precision guided missiles, causing collateral damage and hence taking away the essence of sound advice that are contained in some posts here.

 

You'll probably get a response from MH to your letter that's printed in NST yesterday.

 

Kudos to you.

[Rozhan 0]

5 bintang pun tak mampu sediakan eyeshades ke? Apekebenda ni??

 

Or is it because MAS wants passengers to stay awake and appreciate the beauty and high technology features of their 'new' cabin....

[Mushrif A 3]

5 bintang pun tak mampu sediakan eyeshades ke? Apekebenda ni??

 

Or is it because MAS wants passengers to stay awake and appreciate the beauty and high technology features of their 'new' cabin....

 

 

1997-vintage.

[Walter Sim 1]

I can still remember the days when you have full meal in domestic flights, appetizer, desert, roll plus jigsaw puzzles for kids...

 

And i can still remember on international flights we get socks, eyeshades. More lavish meals with cheese and crackers..

 

ahhh the good ol' days....

[Izanee 0]

salams capt nik!

 

 

hey...i don't think you are getting any of my posts. It is not saturation bombing. I never ever criticised the pilots, engineers OR cabin crew as they ARE excellent. in fact, i know many people who are pilots and one of my cousin works as a stewardess. She tells me some stories which i can't write here.

Anyways, I digress.

 

I didn't criticise you at all, Capt Nik. I think you do a great job!

There are SOME managers or directors who I think don't have a clue about what is going on based on the current situation MH is in.

 

That is not saturation bombing - it is more akin to a precision Laser guided bomb that caused a little bit of collateral damage which we hoped to cause anyway!

 

I look forward to hearing what patronising story SOME director or other will come up with.

 

I realise that even if you work within an organisation that is huge and bureaucratic - it is very difficult to make certain changes. the old dinosaurs get comfortable with what they have and don't want some young upstart showing them what to do. All you can do is keep trying and hope that they get outvoted, kicked out or see your point of view!I think culturally, in Asia especially, respect for elders is important and they play that card well.

However, it doesn't work like that in the Western world - if you're crap, move over. let somebody else do the job.

respect is important but this is a business that needs to be run successfully.

 

Keep up your good work Capt Nik. I sincerely do not mean any offence towards you and hope you know that.

Edited January 15, 2008 by Izanee

[V Wong 0]

Stumbled upon a quite interesting read here - with equally interesting follow on comments too !

 

 

Thanks for the link. I found MH's reply to my rant published in NST way back in August. Somehow I missed it on print. As usual, the response was free advertisement, expounding how great MH is (was), but just a whole load of nothing, as reproduced here (sorry, OT):

 

2007/09/11

 

MAS service: Customers our priority

By : DATUK RASHID KHAN, Commercial Director, Malaysia Airlines

 

Email to friend Print article

 

 

WE refer to the letter "Cutting costs takes a toll" by Victor Wong of Kuala Lumpur (NST, Aug 31).

 

At Malaysia Airlines, we are continuously improving our services. As part of our business turnaround plan, we are striving to improve customer experience at all our touchpoints — from purchase, pre-embarkation, inflight to disembarkation. Today, we have 312 initiatives to improve customer experience under our customer value proposition (CVP) programme.

 

Under the CVP, we are constantly improving the quality of our inflight meals by using fresh produce as well as working with local chefs in the respective countries to develop new menus. This has led to our catering in economy class being rated No. 3 in the World Airline Survey conducted by airline auditor, Skytrax.

 

In addition, we have plans to purchase 55 narrow-bodied aircraft. The idea is to own aircraft which we can refresh as and when necessary to ensure that we will have one of the youngest fleets in the region.

 

We wish to reassure Victor Wong that while we move towards keeping costs as low as possible, we strive to upgrade our services to remain competitive and be the preferred choice of our customers.

 

 

[Izanee 0]

MH's catering was the best (For me) until a few months ago.

 

NOw, EK, SQ, TG and even GA offer better food.

 

come on. that is the usual annoying crap that is given out by the commercial director. load of rubbish as MH is NOT the preferred choice. (of course - their survey says 93% of pax are satisfied).

 

but who am i but an outsider who knows nothing...

 

 

I better cash in on my enrich and get out of there...

 

[Rozhan 0]

1997-vintage.

 

Sooo last century's!

[Nik H. 3]

salams capt nik!

hey...i don't think you are getting any of my posts. It is not saturation bombing. I never ever criticised the pilots, engineers OR cabin crew as they ARE excellent. in fact, i know many people who are pilots and one of my cousin works as a stewardess. She tells me some stories which i can't write here.

Anyways, I digress.

 

I didn't criticise you at all, Capt Nik. I think you do a great job!

There are SOME managers or directors who I think don't have a clue about what is going on based on the current situation MH is in.

 

That is not saturation bombing - it is more akin to a precision Laser guided bomb that caused a little bit of collateral damage which we hoped to cause anyway!

 

I look forward to hearing what patronising story SOME director or other will come up with.

 

I realise that even if you work within an organisation that is huge and bureaucratic - it is very difficult to make certain changes. the old dinosaurs get comfortable with what they have and don't want some young upstart showing them what to do. All you can do is keep trying and hope that they get outvoted, kicked out or see your point of view!I think culturally, in Asia especially, respect for elders is important and they play that card well.

However, it doesn't work like that in the Western world - if you're crap, move over. let somebody else do the job.

respect is important but this is a business that needs to be run successfully.

 

Keep up your good work Capt Nik. I sincerely do not mean any offence towards you and hope you know that.

 

Kind words indeed. I think if we meet and have a chat, we'll find we may have much in common. In this forum i do not have the freedom to express my opinion about what is wrong as I cannot bite the hand that feeds me so well over the past 29 years. In my area i am lucky that i answer to my departmental bottom line rather than the company bottom line and with regards to the financial contribution to the company's coffers, the Hajj and Charter Dept can stand tall. I am also lucky to have a team of motivated personnel, including the 150+ Charter stewardesses.

 

Again there are excellent people in many areas of MH. Hence my sensitivities to the word 'ALL' and the generalization of being dumb and inept.

 

When you find time to visit your homeland, do drop a line and Teh Tarik and Roti Canai will be on me......

 

[Izanee 0]

That's a very kind offer Capt Nik. I will definitely give you a shout when I come back (may even be sooner than I thought!). I know that posting one's personal opinions on the net has been detrimental to many people so I understand where you are coming from. Many people have been kicked out of their jobs for their indiscretions on facebook!

 

I apologise if my posts caused any offence to you. I still stand by my opinion that some of the directors and managers should be culled and others take over. These guys will prove to be stumbling blocks to the progress of our national airline that I have always been proud of.

 

If an airline can turn even its most loyal customers like some of the members of MW so bitter - something is wrong somewhere (and its not the excellent pilots/engineers and cabin crew).

 

Send my regards to Capt Yusof from the 744 fleet (i think that's his name - he belanja'd me teh tarik in Malaysia Hall two years ago after flying me to London!)

Edited January 15, 2008 by Izanee

[M. Sofian H. 0]

Keep up your good work Capt Nik. I sincerely do not mean any offence towards you and hope you know that.

 

me too

[Rozhan 0]

If an airline can turn even its most loyal customers like some of the members of MW so bitter - something is wrong somewhere (and its not the excellent pilots/engineers and cabin crew).

 

Agree.

[Kee Hooi Yen 0]

I realise that even if you work within an organisation that is huge and bureaucratic - it is very difficult to make certain changes. the old dinosaurs get comfortable with what they have and don't want some young upstart showing them what to do. All you can do is keep trying and hope that they get outvoted, kicked out or see your point of view!I think culturally, in Asia especially, respect for elders is important and they play that card well.

However, it doesn't work like that in the Western world - if you're crap, move over. let somebody else do the job.

respect is important but this is a business that needs to be run successfully.

 

Sounds familiar in a politics world. Isn't this refer to a cabinet of *** country ?

[Izanee 0]

dinosaurs are not extinct in bolehland...

[Nik H. 3]

That's a very kind offer Capt Nik. I will definitely give you a shout when I come back (may even be sooner than I thought!). I know that posting one's personal opinions on the net has been detrimental to many people so I understand where you are coming from. Many people have been kicked out of their jobs for their indiscretions on facebook!

 

I apologise if my posts caused any offence to you. I still stand by my opinion that some of the directors and managers should be culled and others take over. These guys will prove to be stumbling blocks to the progress of our national airline that I have always been proud of.

 

If an airline can turn even its most loyal customers like some of the members of MW so bitter - something is wrong somewhere (and its not the excellent pilots/engineers and cabin crew).

 

Send my regards to Capt Yusof from the 744 fleet (i think that's his name - he belanja'd me teh tarik in Malaysia Hall two years ago after flying me to London!)

 

Izanee, I don't take offence easily, so no issue, hence no apology necessary. I look forward to a teh tarik sesssion with you.

 

That Capt would be Capt Yusof Nasir. He was a Tech and Dev Pilot and later on became VP Flight Opns when I was the Chief Pilot Narrow Body Operations going back 10 years ago. Cool guy, knowlegeable and a great Pilot with 20 years of B747-400 time under his belt.

 

And yes, there has been a mismatch between Technical Competency and Commercial competency in MH but being the ever optimist, I think the current Management is steering the airline in the correct direction, warts and all.

 

Anyway, time will eventually tell.

Edited January 16, 2008 by Nik H.

[Sing Yew 1]

5 bintang pun tak mampu sediakan eyeshades ke? Apekebenda ni??

 

Or is it because MAS wants passengers to stay awake and appreciate the beauty and high technology features of their 'new' cabin....

 

"New cabin" is looking very dull and showing it's age.

 

Was about to voice my opinion but Izanee's posts said them all. Thanks a lot.

 

[Izanee 0]

thanks sing yew for your post! appreciated!

 

capt nik - that will probably be him then. he's a really nice guy! just bumped into him in Malaysia Hall the day after arriving.

 

Even if they are heading the right way - they should not forget their loyal pax who have stood by them all this while. Alienating us will not be a good idea for them.

 

I suppose only time will tell.

 

 

[NMR 0]

To all MH management team that reads this,

 

I'm a frequent regional business traveller on MH and one of your Premium enrich Members. I think rather then appointing people and sending survey forms to pax. during flight, why not your team contact your Premium passengers and get their honest and frank opinion. After all customers are always right! what more regular customers!

 

 

[V Wong 0]

Izanee, you got the usual dressed-up-blow-own-trumpet-free-advert cookie cutter garden variety reply from Datuk Rashid Khan in today's NST. Can't wait till end of the month where he promised the new phase of BTP plan will be announced to the public. If customer is to be remained number one priority as stated by him, very soon there won't be any real willing customer left. Except for spill-over customers from other airlines due to world wide capacity crunch. And he was adamant with that attitude 'we do what we want to do (disguised as 'what customers want'), not follow other airlines'. Very encouraging words indeed! Still could not shake off those red inspired tagline like cycle of profitable growth strategy. Con-sultancy at its peak power of spinning!

Edited January 21, 2008 by V Wong

[Keno Omar 0]

Reply from MAS

http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Mon...icle/index_html

 

[Karlm 0]

Just to remind eveybody, tommorow is last MH ZRH flight.

My father is booked on it.

Any one know if there will be any celebration or anything in KUL or ZRH (presume ZRH on departure) or if any momento's given out?