MALAYSIA Airlines (MAS) is set to axe its services to Buenos Aires, Dubai, Cape Town and Johannesburg as part of a cost cutting exercise, according to a report in The Star yesterday.
In a related move, the flag carrier will also cease using Kota Kinabalu as a hub and terminate services from there to Tokyo (Haneda), Osaka and Seoul.
Quoting an unnamed source, the report stated that the axing of flights to Buenos Aires, Cape Town and Johannesburg would take effect in February.
The pullout from Dubai, meanwhile, would take place gradually—first with the reduction of weekly flights and those via Karachi and Damman.
Kuala Lumpur-based Corporate Information Travel senior manager, Shirley Ho, said: “This development does not look good for MAS as a national carrier because its hub is becoming smaller.”
“Our customers will still be able to fly to the destinations as other airlines serve them, but it is going to be an inconvenience as they would prefer direct flights,” she added.
By N. Nithiyananthan
