Inflight Editor Satu Dahl speaks with Lau Yin May, the Group Chief Customer Experience Officer of Malaysia Aviation Group, to discover how Malaysia Airlines is modernising its fleet and enhancing its in-flight experience, and learns more about Malaysia Aviation Group’s subsidiary carrier Firefly’s newly upgraded passenger experience.
This article was originally published in the September/October 2024 edition of Inflight. To receive articles and news directly to your inbox, apply for your complimentary subscription to Inflight.
Introduction to Malaysia Airlines – Leading in-flight services and passenger experience
Malaysia Airlines, Malaysia’s national carrier and a member of the oneworld Alliance, recently enhanced its standing among the World’s Top 100 Airlines, moving up to 39th place from 47th in 2023.
The carrier continues to integrate improvements across its end-to-end passenger journey and takes pride in contributing to Malaysia’s inbound and outbound tourism, as well as promoting the country as a premier destination, showcasing its rich cultural heritage, stunning landscapes and vibrant cities.
Malaysia Aviation Group, which Malaysia Airlines is part of, says it remains focused on ensuring its service delivery is not only adaptive to external challenges but also proactively addresses the evolving needs of customers.
In addition to the many other efforts to ensure seamless journeys across all customer touchpoints, the group is investing in three customer value propositions, which include cabin comfort, in-flight dining and in-flight services.
Lau Yin May, Group Chief Customer Experience Officer from Malaysia Aviation Group.
Lau Yin May, who has had a long career at Malaysia Aviation Group and took on the role of the Group Chief Customer Experience Officer in January 2023, explains more about each point in this strategy before delving into each area in more detail.
Starting with cabin comfort, she says: “We will align our efforts to improve customer experience and enhance the feeling of being at home by delivering comfortable and practical personal space.
“From providing quality supplementary amenities and free Wi-Fi connectivity to highly practical retrofitted cabin space, we will continue to invest to improve the cabin experience for our customers, who remain our centre of gravity.”
Regarding in-flight dining, Yin May notes that the group is determined to enhance the meal offerings over time, anchoring on delivering unique local delicacies to showcase the rich and colourful Malaysian heritage.
When it comes to in-flight services, she explains: “Our cabin crew will be continuously trained to deliver the Malaysian hospitality ambience consistently, following the principles of making customers feel at home through personalised and premium service.”
Global ambition – Goals and global ranking in the airline industry
Malaysia Airlines aims to become the World’s Most Improved Airline, be awarded the World’s Best Cabin Crew by 2025 and be among the top 10 global airlines and top five in Asia-Pacific by 2030.
The carrier recently earned a spot on the Top 10 World’s Best Airline Cabin Crew at the Skytrax World Airline Awards 2024, a significant climb from its previous position of 17th in 2023.
The award, which acknowledges exceptional performance in both hard service metrics including techniques, efficiency, attention to detail and soft service characteristics such as staff enthusiasm, attitude, friendliness and hospitality, highlights the cabin crew’s dedication to delivering professionalism, warmth and top-tier hospitality to every passenger.
On board Malaysia Airlines, Yin May notes that passengers can enjoy upgraded amenities, including special giveaways for young travellers on selected international routes, refreshed amenity kits, enhanced soft furnishings such as larger blankets and redesigned duvets and mattress covers, and refreshed in-flight dining offerings that celebrate both the rich flavours of Malaysian cuisine and diverse global palates.
Earlier this year, the airline introduced its “Best of Asia” menu and has since taken passengers on a culinary journey of destination-inspired dishes from countries including Thailand, India, and Indonesia.
Passengers can look forward to more curated offerings through to the end of the year, including Sogogi Japchae (beef japchae) from Korea, Vietnamese Chicken Rice, and Zhajiangmian (fried sauce noodles) from China, applicable on selected flights.
With a diverse array of over 35 Asian dishes, Malaysia Airlines’ in-flight food and beverage offerings cater to passengers travelling to and from various destinations across Asia.
Malaysia Airlines’ fleet expansion – Growing global passenger demands
Malaysia Airlines is modernising its fleet, and Yin May explains how this is progressing.
“We are pleased to have inducted four Boeing 737-8 so far and expect to receive three A330neo aircraft in 2024,” she says.
“This is aligned to our commitment to provide world-class experience with a modernised fleet for our passengers and additional capacity to support our growth requirements to existing and new destinations. We are optimistic about operating a fleet of approximately 50 narrowbody and 50 widebody aircraft by 2033.
Malaysia Airlines and their A330neo cabins
The new A330neo cabin will feature many “firsts” for the airline, Yin May notes, including the introduction of the Collins Aerospace Elevation Business Class seats which will feature an all-suite cabin with individual privacy doors and wireless charging pods available in all 28 Business Class seats.
“With this introduction, we are set to become the world’s leading carrier to feature Elevation seats on the A330 airframe, solidifying our position as an industry leader in passenger experience and innovation.”
Meanwhile, the award-winning RECARO CL3810 Economy Class seats feature an ergonomic design and enhanced support, coupled with thoughtful amenities such as coat hooks, cup holders and ample stowage for added cabin comfort and practicality.
“The seat covers throughout the cabin will feature our signature songket motif, paying homage to Malaysia’s cultural heritage by seamlessly blending tradition with contemporary style,” says Yin May.
“The A330neo will comprise 297 seats, with 28 in Business Class and 269 in Economy Class, of which 24 seats come with extra legroom.
“We will also be retrofitting six of our A350-900s beginning 2027 to ensure consistent cabin standardisation and premium experiences for its guests in alignment with the new A330neo cabin.”
Sustainable operations – SAF flights and carbon footprints
Malaysia Airlines incorporates many sustainability initiatives into its cabin operations, and Yin May tells Inflight the carrier is increasingly prioritising these across various aspects of its operations, including the adoption of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and improving the sustainability of in-flight catering.
“Our commitment to sustainability is unwavering,” says Yin May. “We are proud to stand at the forefront in Malaysia, having executed 19 demonstrative flights utilising SAF (passenger and cargo) since December 2021. Malaysia Airlines has operated three of these flights.
“On board, we continue to implement initiatives for the reduction of single-use plastics (SUP), such as cutlery packs and dental kits, to recyclable, reusable, and biodegradable alternatives.
“This shift aims to decrease the reliance on SUP in our in-flight operations, thereby reducing the overall volume of plastic waste.
“Moreover, we’re empowering our passengers to be part of the solution through our voluntary carbon offset programme, which we introduced in June 2023.
“Travellers who book through our website have the option to offset their flight emissions by supporting verified carbon projects that adhere to international standards.”
Yin May says the programme encourages individuals to take ownership of their carbon footprint and facilitates collective action toward decarbonising the aviation industry.
“In March 2024, we extended this initiative to our corporate customers by launching the corporate carbon programme to empower business travellers by providing a comprehensive platform to understand and offset the carbon emissions associated with their travel.”
She explains that through this programme, companies can also view detailed analytics on emission trends, access in-depth carbon project content and track their cumulative support for selected climate projects while addressing their Scope 3 emissions.
Upgrades across the board – Enhancing passenger experience in the air
Turning to Malaysia Aviation Group’s subsidiary carrier, Firefly, Yin May notes that it has also recently upgraded its passenger experience.
Fireflys new menu; Sweet Sour Fish
She says: “On 1 June 2024, Firefly introduced a refreshed menu of pre-bookable meals and snacks available on all Firefly jet operation routes. Passengers can enjoy a diverse menu showcasing culinary delights from beloved classics like Nasi Lemak and Chicken Rice to exciting new additions such as Ginger Beef Udon, Nasi Goreng Chicken Satay, Thai Basil Chicken, Sweet and Sour Fish, Mapo Tofu (Vegetarian), and Mac and Cheese (Junior Meal). This diverse selection caters to various dietary preferences, providing greater variety and satisfaction to passengers.”
In addition to the upgraded meal offerings, Economy Class passengers on selected routes can also now opt for the “FY Neighbour-Free Seat” option, reserving up to two adjacent empty seats for extra comfort during their flight.
Passengers can bid on available seats in their cabin through a dedicated portal up to 72 hours before the flight departure.
“To further strengthen our value proposition for Firefly, we have also recently announced the commencement of Firefly’s jet operations from Subang to Penang and Kota Kinabalu, beginning 29 August 2024, complementing its current turboprop operations from the city airport,” Yin May says.
With this introduction, Firefly will strengthen its presence from Subang with over 2,100 weekly flights to eight destinations.
Regarding Malaysia Airlines’ route network and where the carrier sees most demand currently/demand growing in the near future, Yin May highlights the market’s positive trends and outlook.
“Overall, all markets in the Malaysia Airlines network are performing well, with Australia, the UK, and India being the highest performers of the year,” she says.
“Currently, we have restored 95 per cent of our pre-pandemic capacity, with full recovery expected in August 2024.
“To further strengthen our reach, we are excited to launch our direct flights to the Maldives and Chiang Mai, beginning August, followed by Da Nang in September 2024.
“In light of the strong travel demand and positive load factor performance on the Amritsar to Kuala Lumpur route, we will also increase our flight frequency from four to seven times weekly, effective 1 August 2024, signifying the confidence of this booming market.”
We hope you enjoyed reading our Operator – Malaysia Airlines profile feature from our September/October edition. You may be interested in these news:
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