KUALA LUMPUR – Airlines that fail to observe their set flight schedules may soon be subjected to stern action, possibly including financial penalties, said Transport Minister Anthony Loke.
He said this proposal is currently under the consideration of the Malaysian Aviation Commission (Mavcom), the body responsible for regulating economic and commercial matters relating to civil aviation.
According to Loke (Seremban-PH), the suggestion, which is part of the government’s efforts to ensure airlines always abide by their schedules, can be implemented through an amendment to the permit and licence conditions.
“Stern actions like this are necessary to ensure instances of flight cancellations and rescheduling do not persist,” he said in a written parliamentary reply.
Loke was responding to Datuk Seri Wilfred Madius Tangau (Tuaran-PH) on the measures currently undertaken by the federal government to put a halt to the common occurrences of flight rescheduling.
Tangau had previously in May last year posted on his Twitter account revealing that his AirAsia flight from Kuala Lumpur to Kota Kinabalu was rescheduled twice from 8pm to 12.30am.
It came on the back of a string of public complaints over the issue of flight delays since the country fully reopened its international borders following Covid-19 restrictions.
Then domestic trade and consumer affairs minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi had said that his ministry was investigating the matter, with an initial probe discovering that the delays began occurring in April last year.
In his parliamentary reply, Loke noted that Mavcom had on January 5, 2023 again reminded all airlines to improve their handling of flight delays and cancellations and to better communicate with passengers.
He said airlines must also attend to the needs and care of customers, in line with the Malaysian Aviation Consumer Protection Code 2016 (MACPC).
Separately, Loke pointed out that companies that postpone or cancel any flights due to technical issues or unsatisfactory capacity must compensate passengers within 30 days or offer alternative flights.
“If an airline disobeys the MACPC, Mavcom can impose a financial penalty of not more than RM200,000, with any following offence to be punished with 10 times the penalty issued the first time.”
Loke said between 2018 and January 2023, Mavcom has issued RM4.72 million in penalties over airlines’ failure to abide by the MACPC. – The Vibes, March 3, 2023
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