Innovative Ideas for MAS!

[Sandeep G 1]

Hi everyone!

 

Well, with the release of the new SIA inflight product to be installed on their A380 and 773ER fleets, we all agreed that this may put MH a few steps back in terms of product offering.

 

But then I got thinking.. why should SQ still have the upper hand?? sure those seats are great, but they are gonna be charging more for them, right?? and how many people will really get to benefit from these seats??? The Economy seat and entertainment system is perhaps where MH should really focus it's attnetion - especially if the airline hopes to be a dominant player in the leisure market as indicated by their BTP.

 

Now, we all know that management at MAS either has their hands tied or they simply turn a blind eye to product innovation which has resulted in their falling behind the competition in recent years. And well, I can see many people here in this foum are very creative individuals - it really is not that hard to tell! We have the passion, the creativity and the expertise to think up ideas that MAS could implement. So I thought, why not see what we can come up with?? We don't necessarily have to take it to MAS, but if someone there reads it, then hey, we at MW.com did our bit... and it took us a few moments to generate the ideas that they could work on.

 

I'll get the ball rolling.

 

Product innovation does not necessarily mean the seats, the lounges, the entertainment system the inflight product etc etc etc.. airline products begin when you walk into the terminal at your departure point until you leave the terminal at your Departure point - yes depature point. Just because you step off the plane during your trip doesn't mean your no longer a customer of the airline - you will be flying home, won't you? Maintain contact with your passenger.. update them of any changes via sms or phone call. If there's a delay, give them a "delay package" - perhaps a pack with some cards/post cards pens, MH memorobila.. Word it with "we're sorry for the delay, please use the oppurtunity of the extra time to send your loved ones a quick postcard. We'll send it for you, free of charge and with all our sincerity" I dunno, something like that.. but make the passenger feel welcomed and important.

 

So here are some INEXPENSIVE, yet potentially customer-winning ideas that MAS could adopt to enhance the travelling experience - under the BTP, they are, afterall "flying to win customers".

 

1. Travelling with a baby (

 

Well, why not have a special express check-in counters (yes plural! don't just have one!) for families with babies less than 2 years. locate it near the F/C business class check in rows so that queueing is no issue. Have some seats for mum to sit down with baby while waiting if need be. Don't be too near the F/C Biz class passengers for they might not enjoy the crying and what not.. pamper mum and baby from this point with help.

 

Provide the family with priority baggage.. so they don't have to wait in the mess of the baggage reclaim halls, with a tired and grumpy child after a long flight. Ask them if they need any assistance getting to the gate..

 

At immigration in KUL, have a couple of special "baby-lanes" to get through quickly if you're a foreigner or even an autogate for Malaysian citizens..

 

When boarding, LET PASSENGERS WITH YOUNG CHILDREN/Senior citizens BOARD FIRST! Make it a point! Don't let others push through.. and the best way is to not "announce boarding for families with children" over the P.A. but have the staff member approach the families in the departure lounge and invite them to board - human touch, always works! they'll be flattered! and do it with a smile of course! - that brings on personal touch.

 

In-flight, we know our cabin crew are magnificent!! They do a great job! so let's enhance their job by providing passengers with babies a special "baby-pack" - all the essentials, just like a First Class or Biz Class toiletery kit. but for babies! make it classy, make it something that mum will use even AFTER the flight has ended as something she can put her baby-care products in to carry around with her - small or big, MAS decides.. but imagine when that mother goes for coffee with her friends, pulls out this MAS product with everything neatly in it and the other mothers ask "ooohhh, where'd you get that??" That's what you want! That'll win customers!

 

When the plane lands, help these families off the plane first if you can. When they leave the airplane, they will leave with a smile.

 

The definition of this product is not highly technologically innovative.. I think if MAS really wants to, the branding can come from MAS going back to basics.. looking after our passengers in the sky to really make their flying experience awesome - rather than just simply providing them with lots and lots of entertainment options on a seat-back screen that you can do "work" on and be so occupied that you don't need to call on the services of your crew, but only to order a drink.. no, flying should be literally what it is... an escape from earth and earthly ways.. sit back, relax and enjoy the flight.

 

With the pampering and care of your passengers (like those with babies), from beginning to end, others will take note, and MAS will regain that golden image of yesteryear.

[Andrew Ong 1]

When boarding, LET PASSENGERS WITH YOUNG CHILDREN/Senior citizens BOARD FIRST! Make it a point!

 

MAS is already doing that for International routes; But just to let everone know since my dad's cousin, who is a MAS flight attendant is coming to LA on MH094 on Nov. 3, 2006, does anyone have any suggestions so that I could pass it on to her?

[Sandeep G 1]

MAS is already doing that for International routes; But just to let everone know since my dad's cousin, who is a MAS flight attendant is coming to LA on MH094 on Nov. 3, 2006, does anyone have any suggestions so that I could pass it on to her?

 

all airlines do, but I've always experienced a mad rush by all passengers despite the announcement call for passengers with children.. it results in passengers being told off by the ground crew (rightly so) and with those passengers getting irritated with MAS personnel and bad-mouthing them later on..

 

By eliminating the chances for this to occur, MAS saves the embarrassment of having to tell off a passenger for boarding at the wrong time, perhaps.

[Keith T 2]

Provide the family with priority baggage.. so they don't have to wait in the mess of the baggage reclaim halls, with a tired and grumpy child after a long flight. Ask them if they need any assistance getting to the gate..

 

My experience with priority baggage suggests that it works only at a limited number of airports. A lot depends on how stringent the policy is in place with the baggage handling staff. At airports in Europe especially, it is not uncommon for baggage tagged with priority tags to appear after all the other bags. :S

 

Might potentially be a problem when MH joins Skyteam: And even when staff load baggage the 'correct way', you will notice that almost half the plane will have priority baggage of some description. This is more a problem with Star Alliance airlines due to the relative ease of qualifying for *G status and the huge number of members airlines. And some check in staff are rather generous with pax who ask for priority tags even when they're not meant to have them.

Edited October 20, 2006 by Keith T

[Sandeep G 1]

Is that so, Keith? I never knew seldom have priority luggage, but when I do, it's always fast.

 

 

Then again, I only really fly between KUL and PER.

 

[Keith T 2]

all airlines do, but I've always experienced a mad rush by all passengers despite the announcement call for passengers with children.. it results in passengers being told off by the ground crew (rightly so) and with those passengers getting irritated with MAS personnel and bad-mouthing them later on..

 

They had a very good priority boarding system in PEN for my recent SQ flight. There were 2 seperate lanes. One for "First, Business, Solitaire PPS, PPS, KF Gold and Star Gold" pax, and pax with young children, and another lane for everyone else. Ground staff were quite stringent in checking the eligibility of those that used the priority lane.

 

 

 

Is that so, Keith? I never knew seldom have priority luggage, but when I do, it's always fast.

Then again, I only really fly between KUL and PER.

 

I feel that it's always faster in Asian airports, and to a lesser extent, Australian/NZ airports.

In the European airports I've been to, I think the workers deliberately chuck priority bags (even First class ones) to the very end, or mesh them all up. Some weird socialist mentality.

[Andrew Ong 1]

I wish that MAS have lanes where they put families with chlidren in according to the age of one child. Because at LAX on my trip as MH095/AI6095, when one MAS personnel said, "Families with children get in this line", like 30 to 35 families were in one line. Very long and frustrating because of the long line and the flight was delayed for 1 hr and 25 mins.

 

[Seng Lim 0]

Update the A330 cabin with PTV in all class and refurbish the C cabin (just use the old B772 business class seat will do, no need lie flat since they're mainly used for regional flights anyway).

 

Be more aggressive and have more frequent airfares promotions to fill up seats on those empty flights.

 

Stop offering full meals on domestic flights to East Malaysia, just offer snack (like sandwich) will do.

 

 

[Pieter C. 5]

In the European airports I've been to,

Some weird socialist mentality.

 

[Seth K 3]

MAS is already doing that for International routes

Domestics too, I do remember that the gate agent call for kids and senior citizen to board first along with First Class pax

 

I wish that MAS have lanes where they put families with chlidren in according to the age of one child. Because at LAX on my trip as MH095/AI6095, when one MAS personnel said, "Families with children get in this line", like 30 to 35 families were in one line. Very long and frustrating because of the long line and the flight was delayed for 1 hr and 25 mins.

Can you explain a bit clear......quite don't get it............you suggest MH have lanes for families, and on ur flight with MH, there is lanes for families with kids????Well, if you want to divide them, that will even take more time.

 

Stop offering full meals on domestic flights to East Malaysia, just offer snack (like sandwich) will do.

What? NO NO!!!! I thought MH the only airline serve full meal onboard for flight less than 2 hours. And of course, you got a point there, I do agree that sandwich will do enough since people don't fly to eat

Edited October 20, 2006 by Seth K

[Isaac 0]

Update the A330 cabin with PTV in all class and refurbish the C cabin (just use the old B772 business class seat will do, no need lie flat since they're mainly used for regional flights anyway).

Many people have suggested so before but can the old Biz seats of 772 fit into the 333 ?

 

 

Stop offering full meals on domestic flights to East Malaysia, just offer snack (like sandwich) will do.

NO WAY ! They are killing themselves if they do so. Mind you that the air fares between Peninsula & East Malaysia are no way cheaper than KUL/BKK and even KUL/CGK nowadays. Unless you get the deaply discounted ticket. If they do not offer full hot meals anymore between the Peninsula & East, there will be less reason to fly with them. Instead of cutting out the meal service, they should invest more in other stuffs such as IFE. The 2 hrs 30 minutes flight between KUL/BKI on MH 734 can be extremely boring without IFE, it would be worse if they no longer offer full hot meals service on this flight. The hot meals are like IFE for many people travelling between these 2 cities

 

*QF reintroduced hot meal service on most of its domestic flights, even on 1 hour flight when the QF group created a LCC called JQ

Edited October 20, 2006 by Isaac

[S V Choong 4]

MAS should buy a stake in AK and SQ and it will stop a lot of headache

 

The only thing I believe MAS need is not a head on competition with SIA nor with Air Asia. It is the cash and money to survive. SIA is a strong contender, far stronger than MAS can challenge ever since the split 1972.

 

Right now MAS should stay focus and get their financial statement back in shape and then think of challenging AK and SQ later.

Edited October 20, 2006 by S V Choong

[tsentsan 0]

Why can SIA fill 3x B772 services SIN-PEN while MAS can only manage with 1x B734 service?

[Seng Lim 0]

Why can SIA fill 3x B772 services SIN-PEN while MAS can only manage with 1x B734 service?

Because SIA is getting all those international connecting flights passangers + the competitve airfares and reputable service, it's not difficult to fill up their planes at all.

For Penang people, to fly to overseas they'll need to go though either BKK or KUL or SIN, so at the end of the day every carrier is equal unlike KL passangers where MAS = direct flight and if you fly with SQ you'll need to transit in changi (some people don't like transit).

[Kevin Teh 0]

IIRC, SIA's PEN-SIN is code shared with MH

[Sing Yew 1]

*QF reintroduced hot meal service on most of its domestic flights, even on 1 hour flight when the QF group created a LCC called JQ

 

Hot meals on domestic flights was reintroduced even before JQ was created.

[Robert 0]

Why can SIA fill 3x B772 services SIN-PEN while MAS can only manage with 1x B734 service?

 

I'm doing the KUL-SIN route every week at the moment with about an 70/30 sloit between Y & F class. Although the cost is the same I will always choose SQ becuase they offer more for the money, esp in F with some nice food rather then a greasy curry puff.

 

In Y there is little to separate the two however I would rather fly SQ on a 777 with a free newspaper then the junk MAS use.

 

Long haul I have no issues with MAS other then price.

 

[Isaac 0]

Hot meals on domestic flights was reintroduced even before JQ was created.

Oh, my faulf. Anyhow, MAS should never ever cut the hot meal service between the Peninsula and East.

 

[Robert 0]

Is that so, Keith? I never knew seldom have priority luggage, but when I do, it's always fast.

Then again, I only really fly between KUL and PER.

 

Arriving at KLIA priority baggage arrives slowly instead of very slowly. Even LHR is quicker then KLIA.

 

My understanding is that MAS are looking to target the leisure market rather then the high end F & C class business travellers.

 

VS have stated that the seats which offer the highest yield are the premium economy seats because of the relatively small space they take and non lounge access that comes with them.

 

Recently VS have announced a new seat along with a programme to add seats to the fleet.

 

Neither TG, SQ or EK offer this and with the flights to Europe and SYD being pretty long I believe that there would be a market for them in the region.

 

I wonder why MAS have not implemented them??

 

With regards to the IFE system - the last update was a step in the right direction but its nothing to be proud of.

 

 

[Keith T 2]

 

I said the European airports 'I've been to.'

I've not been to AMS however.

And priority baggage in the US might be slower for all I know but you spend so much time queuing up for immigration and security that your bags are already out spinning happily on the belt before you emerge.

Edited October 21, 2006 by Keith T

[Seth K 3]

And priority baggage in the US might be slower for all I know but you spend so much time queuing up for immigration and security that your bags are already out spinning happily on the belt before you emerge.

Haha....straight to the points, the bags could be there for an hour, but some officers are kind enough to let us get the bag first. For priority bagage, just put "Diplomatic" or to get to go to the premium lane so u don't hv to q for an hour, walk with someone who has diplomatic passport

[Andrew Ong 1]

Can you explain a bit clear......quite don't get it............you suggest MH have lanes for families, and on ur flight with MH, there is lanes for families with kids????Well, if you want to divide them, that will even take more time.

 

During boarding time for MH095, when a MAS personnel divides the group: First, Golden Club, Economy (Families with children and those with children), the families with children from a HUGE line wiht approx. 120 in line, so I think to divide that line in order to save time and board faster.

[Kiyoshi Takizawa 0]

But then I got thinking.. why should SQ still have the upper hand?? sure those seats are great, but they are gonna be charging more for them, right?? and how many people will really get to benefit from these seats??? The Economy seat and entertainment system is perhaps where MH should really focus it's attnetion - especially if the airline hopes to be a dominant player in the leisure market as indicated by their BTP.

 

What is with the fixation on competing with SQ? SQ does not even consider MH a viable competitor.

 

Seriously, there is some terrible inferiority complex going on around here.

[Lawrence L 0]

What is with the fixation on competing with SQ? SQ does not even consider MH a viable competitor.

 

Seriously, there is some terrible inferiority complex going on around here.

 

Care to explain....???

Edited October 22, 2006 by Lawrence L

[Kiyoshi Takizawa 0]

Care to explain....???

 

SQ does not consider MH as a huge competitor, there is a reason why SQ still charges twice the amount say, from SIN-CDG (about S$1900 after taxes), while MH goes as low as S$900 including taxes during its promotions, which are aplenty.

 

As mentioned somewhere in this forum, MH only manages to attract a leisure market, and in airline economics, where premium traffic making up a substantial amount of profits, SQ is more worried with CX, BA, QF etc. Maybe EK, where its global expansion is driving down yields.

 

Anyway, back to the point, I realise that a lot of posts in this forum seem to view SQ as one huge airline that MH needs to push itself past. Why not compare with oneself first?