Malaysia Airlines Axes 8 routes

Malaysia Airlines has embarked on a significant route rationalisation as part of its restructuring plan to stem its losses anticipated this year and in 2012.

The route rationalisation involves the withdrawal from the following loss-making routes:
Effective 6 January 2012: Daily flights Kuala Lumpur – Surabaya B737.
Effective 10 January 2012: Thrice-weekly Kuala Lumpur – Dubai A330.
Effective 12 January 2012: Twice-weekly Kuala Lumpur – Karachi – Dubai A330.
Effective 13 January 2012: Twice-weekly Kuala Lumpur – Dubai – Damman A330.
Effective 30 January 2012: Daily Langkawi – Penang – Singapore B737.
Effective 31 January 2012: Thrice-weekly Kuala Lumpur – Johannesburg B777.
Effective 1 February 2012: Twice-weekly Kuala Lumpur – Cape Town – Buenos Aires B747.
Effective 2 February 2012: Thrice-weekly Kuala Lumpur – Rome B777.

“The withdrawal was based on our own independent internal profitability and yield analysis," said Malaysia Airlines’ Group CEO Ahmad Jauhari Yahya. However Malaysia Airlines will start operating back to these routes when the business is stable.

For my point of view, Malaysian able to attract customers if they refurbish their fleets for a better looks and new products offering. Currently Malaysia Airlines products quality are shrinking and left behind by other mainstream airlines such as Singapore Airlines, Emirates and Qatar Airways.