Malaysia Airlines facts for kids
Malaysia Airlines Airbus A350-900
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| Founded | 1 May 1947 (as Malayan Airways) |
|---|---|
| Commenced operations |
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| Hubs | Kuala Lumpur International Airport |
| Secondary hubs | Kota Kinabalu International Airport |
| Focus cities | Kuching International Airport |
| Frequent-flyer program | Enrich |
| Alliance | Oneworld |
| Subsidiaries |
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| Fleet size | 82 |
| Destinations | 69 |
| Parent company | Khazanah Nasional Berhad |
| Headquarters | Kuala Lumpur International Airport, Sepang, Selangor, Malaysia |
| Key people | |
| Profit |  RM1.099 billion (2023) |
| Employees | 12,000 |
Malaysia Airlines is the main airline of Malaysia. Its head office is at Kuala Lumpur International Airport. The airline flies to many places in Europe, Oceania, and Asia. It used to be called Malaysian Airline System.
Malaysia Airlines is part of the Malaysia Aviation Group. This group also owns other airlines like Firefly and MASwings. Malaysia Airlines also has a cargo division called MASkargo and a special airline for religious trips called Amal.
The airline's story began with Malayan Airways Limited, which started in Singapore in the 1930s. Its first flight with paying passengers was in 1947. Later, it was renamed Malaysian Airways when Malaysia became an independent country in 1963. In 1966, after Singapore became separate, the airline was called Malaysia–Singapore Airlines (MSA). In 1972, MSA split into two new airlines: Malaysian Airline System (now Malaysia Airlines) and Singapore Airlines.
Even though Malaysia Airlines won many awards in the 2000s, it had trouble making money. This was because many new, cheaper airlines started flying. In 2013, the airline tried to fix its problems by cutting flights that were not making money. Between 2014 and 2015, the airline faced big financial challenges. The government took over the airline and made it smaller to help it recover.
Contents
History of Malaysia Airlines
Early Years (1947–1963)
"Malayan Airways Limited" (MAL) was officially started in Singapore on October 12, 1937. However, it took 10 years for the first passengers to fly. The airline's first flight was a special trip from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur on April 2, 1947. It used a small plane called an Airspeed Consul and carried only five passengers. Soon after, regular weekly flights began from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur, Ipoh, and Penang.
MAL grew steadily in the 1940s and 1950s. Other airlines from the Commonwealth, like BOAC and Qantas Empire Airways, helped it with technical support. By 1955, Malayan Airways had many Douglas DC-3 planes. It became a public company in 1957. Other planes used in these early years included the Douglas DC-4 Skymaster, Vickers Viscount, Lockheed L-1049 Super Constellation, Bristol Britannia, de Havilland Comet 4, and Fokker F27.
Growing Fast and New Names (1963–1972)
The airline grew very quickly in the next few years. More people started flying after the war. By April 1960, the airline flew to new places like Hong Kong and Bangkok. It also increased flights to cities in British Borneo, such as Brunei and Kuching.
In 1960, the airline got a new Bristol Britannia plane and started its first long-distance international flight to Hong Kong. When Malaysia was formed in September 1963, the airline changed its name from "Malayan Airways" to "Malaysian Airways." It also took over another airline called Borneo Airways.
In 1966, after Singapore separated from Malaysia, the airline's name changed again to Malaysia-Singapore Airlines (MSA). The next year, MSA bought its first Boeing planes, the Boeing 707s and later Boeing 737s. It also built a new main office in Singapore.
Becoming Malaysian Airline System (1972–1997)
The two governments (Malaysia and Singapore) had different ideas for the airline. Singapore wanted to focus on international flights, while Malaysia needed to build its domestic network first. So, MSA split up in 1972. Its planes and other things were divided between two new airlines: Malaysian Airline System (MAS) and Singapore Airlines. Singapore Airlines got most of the international routes and bigger planes.
MAS started flying on October 1, 1972, with 19 planes. It quickly grew, adding flights from Kuala Lumpur to London. By 1976, MAS flew to Europe, with flights to Amsterdam, Paris, and Frankfurt using its new DC-10-30 planes.
In the 1980s, Malaysia's economy grew, and so did MAS. By the end of the decade, MAS flew to 47 overseas places, including cities in Europe, Oceania, and the U.S.. In 1993, MAS started flying to South America with its new Boeing 747-400 planes. It was the first airline in Southeast Asia to fly to South America.
In the 1990s, MAS updated its fleet with new planes like the Airbus A330-300 and Boeing 777-200ER. Some older planes were changed to cargo planes for Maskargo, its cargo division.
Tough Times and Recovery (1997–2010)
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Around 1997, the airline faced financial problems. It lost a lot of money. To fix this, it cut many flights that were not profitable, like those to Brussels and Madrid. The airline recovered for a while, making a good profit in 2003.
However, in 2005, MAS lost a lot of money again, mainly because fuel prices went up a lot. The government then appointed Idris Jala as the new CEO to make big changes.
Under Idris Jala, Malaysia Airlines started a "Business Turnaround Plan" in 2006. This plan helped the airline become profitable again by 2007, making a record profit. It cut many domestic and unprofitable international routes. It also bought new planes like the Boeing 737-800.
In 2007, the airline started two new smaller airlines: MASwings for rural flights and Firefly for shorter commercial flights.
Challenges and Changes (2011–2020)
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In 2011, MAS had its biggest loss ever due to high fuel costs. A new CEO, Ahmad Jauhari Yahya, was appointed. The airline stopped flights to some cities like Dubai and Johannesburg.
By 2013, the airline started to show a small profit again because it had cut many routes. However, it still struggled to compete with cheaper airlines.
In 2014, Malaysia Airlines faced two very difficult events. Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 disappeared in March 2014, and Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 was shot down in July 2014. These events caused the airline to lose even more money and trust from passengers.
Because of these challenges, the Malaysian government decided to take full ownership of the airline. In August 2014, Khazanah Nasional, the main shareholder, announced a plan to rebuild the airline. This plan involved cutting about 6,000 jobs and focusing on regional flights instead of long-distance ones that were not profitable.
In January 2015, the airline was declared "technically bankrupt." In September 2015, it was relaunched as Malaysia Airlines Berhad (MAB) with a new CEO, Christoph Mueller. The new company had fewer employees and a smaller flight network, focusing on Asia. MAB also planned to sell its Airbus A380 planes.
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MAB later announced it would add new Airbus A350-900 aircraft to its fleet starting in late 2017. The airline also began to remove its Boeing 777-200 planes from service.
In 2016, the airline stopped serving alcohol on flights shorter than three hours. In April 2016, CEO Christoph Mueller resigned, and Peter Bellew took over. In October 2017, Peter Bellew also left, and Captain Izham Ismail became the new CEO.
In November 2017, new Airbus A350 and Airbus A330-200 planes joined the fleet. The A350s replaced the A380s on long-distance routes. In 2019, the airline launched Project Amal for Muslim pilgrims traveling for Hajj and Umrah.
Recent Years (2020–Present)
In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Malaysia Airlines faced more financial difficulties. It needed a lot of money to keep operating. The airline decided to stop using its six Airbus A380 planes by 2023.
In 2022, the airline improved its financial situation by changing many passenger planes into cargo flights. This helped support the supply chain in Asia. The airline also flew many missions to bring stranded citizens home and transport medical supplies and vaccines. In late 2022, the airline reported a profit for the last three months of the year.
In 2023, because of its improved finances, the government decided to keep full ownership of the airline for now. The airline also had issues with its main food supplier at Kuala Lumpur International Airport, which caused some flights to temporarily stop serving hot meals. By November 2023, most hot meal services were back.
In November 2023, the airline expected to make a full profit for the entire year. This was due to its restructuring efforts and the return of global travel after the pandemic. The airline also started plans to update its fleet with new narrow-body and wide-body aircraft.
In March 2024, Malaysia Aviation Group confirmed that Malaysia Airlines and its smaller airlines made a full profit for 2023.
Since August 2024, Malaysia Airlines has faced some challenges with its management, leading to technical issues and flight delays. The airline's CEO mentioned global shortages of aircraft parts and delays in receiving new planes from Airbus and Boeing. These delays affected the airline's plans for its flight network and new aircraft.
In February 2025, the airline warned that it was losing money again for 2024. This was due to staff leaving and ongoing supply chain problems, which caused the airline to cut 18% of its flights from August to December 2024. However, Malaysia Aviation Group announced that for the full year 2024, Malaysia Airlines and its subsidiaries still recorded a small profit.
How Malaysia Airlines Works
Head Office
Malaysia Airlines has its main office at Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Sepang.
In the past, the airline's head office was at Subang Airport. It also owned a tall building in Kuala Lumpur called Bangunan MAS. In 2006, the airline moved its head office back to Subang. In 2010, the Bangunan MAS building was sold.
Smaller Companies (Subsidiaries)
Malaysia Airlines has several smaller companies that help it run:
| Company | Type | What they do | Where they started | Malaysia Airlines' share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Malaysia Airlines Cargo Sdn. Bhd | Subsidiary | Cargo services | Malaysia | 100% |
| GE Engine Services Malaysia | Associate | Engine repair | Malaysia | 30% |
| MASwings Sdn. Bhd. | Subsidiary | Airline | Malaysia | 100% |
| Firefly Sdn. Bhd. | Subsidiary | Airline | Malaysia | 100% |
| MAB Engineering | Subsidiary | Plane maintenance and repair | Malaysia | 100% |
| Malaysian Aerospace Engineering Sdn Bhd | Subsidiary | Plane maintenance and repair | Malaysia | 55.39% |
| MAB Academy (MABA) | Subsidiary | Training Centre | Malaysia | 100% |
| Abacus Distribution Systems (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd | Subsidiary | Flight booking systems | Malaysia | 80% |
| Taj Madras Flight Kitchen Limited | Associate | Food services | India | 20% |
| MAS Awana Services Sdn Bhd | Subsidiary | Food and cabin handling | Malaysia | 60% |
| AeroDarat Services Sdn Bhd | Subsidiary | Ground handling | Malaysia | 100% |
| Brahim's Airline Catering, formerly known as LSG Sky Chefs | Associate | Food, cabin handling, and cleaning | Malaysia | 30% |
Financial Performance
Malaysia Airlines lost a lot of money in 2005. But after the Business Turnaround Plan in 2006, it made a record profit of RM851 million in 2007. This was a huge improvement and was called one of the best airline comebacks in the world that year.
Branding and Look
Malaysia Airlines has used different slogans over the years. From the late 1990s to 2007, it used "Going Beyond Expectations." Later, it focused on "Malaysian Hospitality" to highlight its friendly cabin crew. Since 2018, the slogan has been "Malaysian Hospitality Begins With Us." In 2024, a new slogan, "Your Gateway to Asia and Beyond," appeared on its website.
Uniforms
Since 1986, female flight attendants have worn a special Sarong Kebaya uniform. It has a "kelarai" (bamboo weave) pattern and Malaysian flowers like the cempaka and jasmine. The colors were updated in 1993. Male flight attendants wear grey jackets.
Logos
The airline's first planes in 1947 had a winged tiger symbol. When Malaysia-Singapore Airlines formed in 1966, it used the letters "MSA."
In 1971, when Malaysian Airline System (MAS) was created, it chose a logo based on the wau bulan (moon kite). The name "MAS" also means "gold" in Malay, symbolizing good service.
In 1987, a new logo was introduced, still using the moon kite but with a modern, swept-back look in red and blue. The airline's name, MALAYSIA, was written in italics to show speed. The red and blue colors also represent Malaysia.
Since 2010, new planes have a refreshed wau bulan on the tail and red and blue stripes on the plane's body. The airline's name is written in full and in blue.
In 2012, the wau bulan logo was updated again, facing right like the original 1971 logo. The word "airlines" was changed to lowercase. A special blue livery was also designed for the Airbus A380 fleet. Some planes even got a special retro paint scheme from the 1970s.
In 2017, a "Negaraku" (My Country) paint scheme was introduced, featuring the Malaysian flag on the plane's back. This design is now becoming the standard for the whole fleet.
In 2023, an updated "Negaraku" livery was shown on new Airbus A330-900 and Boeing 737 MAX 8 planes. This new design includes a "songket" (traditional Malaysian fabric) pattern on the wau bulan logo.
Airline Alliance
On February 1, 2013, Malaysia Airlines joined the Oneworld alliance. This means it can now fly passengers to over 842 places in 156 countries with its partner airlines.
Where Malaysia Airlines Flies
Before 2006, Malaysia Airlines flew to many places around the world. But to save money, it cut many routes that were not profitable, like those to Manchester and Vienna. It was the only airline in Southeast Asia to fly to South Africa and South America for a time. After 2014, it stopped more flights, including to Cape Town and Los Angeles. Its only remaining European destination is London (Heathrow), but it plans to restart flights to Paris (Charles de Gaulle) from Kuala Lumpur on March 22, 2025.
Malaysia Airlines also has special charter flights to places like Guilin and Christmas Island. It also flies many Muslim pilgrims for Hajj trips.
In 2023, Malaysia Airlines started transferring some of its domestic flights to its smaller airline, Firefly.
Malaysia Airlines shares flights with these airlines:
- Air Mauritius
- Alaska Airlines
- American Airlines
- Bangkok Airways
- British Airways
- Cathay Pacific
- China Airlines
- China Southern Airlines
- Emirates
- Ethiopian Airlines
- Finnair
- Firefly (Subsidiary)
- Garuda Indonesia
- IndiGo
- Japan Airlines
- KLM
- Korean Air
- LATAM Chile
- Myanmar Airways International
- Oman Air
- Philippine Airlines
- Qatar Airways
- Royal Brunei Airlines
- Royal Jordanian
- Saudia
- Singapore Airlines
- SriLankan Airlines
- Thai Airways International
- Turkish Airlines
- Uzbekistan Airways
- XiamenAir
Malaysia Airlines Fleet
As of April 23, 2025, Malaysia Airlines has 81 planes. These include Boeing 737-800, Boeing 737 MAX 8, Airbus A330-200, Airbus A330-300, Airbus A330-900, and Airbus A350-900. Its cargo airline, MASkargo, also operates three A330-200F planes.
Malaysia Airlines received its first Airbus A350-900 in November 2017. These planes became the main aircraft for long-distance flights, like to London and Doha. The airline added more A350-900s in 2018 and another one in December 2023. It plans to lease four more A350-900s to expand its fleet.
In August 2022, Malaysia Airlines confirmed it would get 20 new Airbus A330neo planes, with an option for 20 more. These planes will replace its older A330s between late 2023 and 2028. They will be used for flights across Asia, the Pacific, and the Middle East.
The airline also ordered 25 Boeing 737 MAX 8 planes, with the first one arriving in late 2023.
On November 30, 2024, Malaysia Airlines received its first Airbus A330-900 (A330neo) aircraft. This plane flew from Toulouse, France, to Kuala Lumpur International Airport. The airline announced that the first flight for its A330neo fleet would be to Melbourne starting December 19, 2024.
In 2025, Malaysia Airlines announced plans to buy 18 more Boeing 737 MAX 8s, 12 Boeing 737 MAX 10s, and 20 more Airbus A330neo planes. It also plans to expand and replace its A350 and A330 cargo planes.
Services on Board
The Golden Lounge is a special waiting area at the airport for passengers flying in Business Suite Class or Business Class. It's also for members of the Enrich Platinum and Enrich Gold programs, and certain partner airlines.
In April 2008, the airline opened a new Regional Golden Lounge at Kuala Lumpur International Airport for passengers flying to nearby places. Now, Kuala Lumpur International Airport has three lounges: the Satellite International Terminal Lounge, Domestic Lounge, and Regional Lounge.
Between 2017 and 2018, all three lounges at Kuala Lumpur International Airport were renovated and updated.
Malaysia Airlines currently only has lounges at Kuala Lumpur International Airport. Its former domestic lounges in Kota Kinabalu and Kuching are now run by other companies, but special passengers can still use them.
Plane Cabins
Malaysia Airlines won the "World's Best Cabin Crew" award by Skytrax eight times since 2001, including in 2012. All Malaysia Airlines planes have Economy Class and Business Class. Business Suite Class is only on Airbus A350 planes.
Business Suite Class
Business Suite Class (formerly First Class) is only on the Airbus A350. These seats are like private suites with doors and storage. However, Business Suite will slowly be removed after 2025 as the airline focuses on improving its Business Class.
Business Class
Business Class (formerly Golden Club Class) is available on all Malaysia Airlines planes.
As of 2024, Malaysia Airlines has three different types of Business Class seats:
- For domestic and regional flights, on Boeing 737-800 and Boeing 737-Max 8 planes, there are new seats introduced in 2022.
- For medium and long-distance flights, on Airbus A330-300 and A350 planes, there are lie-flat seats introduced in 2016.
- The newest Business Class seats, introduced in 2024, are on the new Airbus A330neo planes. These seats have individual doors, direct aisle access, wireless charging, and modern entertainment screens. The Airbus A350 planes will also get these updated seats.
In 2023, when Malaysia Airlines got more A350 planes from SAS, it kept their Business Class seats.
Economy Class
Economy Class is on all Malaysia Airlines planes. Most planes have seats with 30–32 inches of space between rows and 17–18 inches wide. Some rows on A330 and A350 planes have extra legroom (up to 36 inches).
In 2022, the airline started putting lighter, slimmer seats on its Boeing 737 planes. These seats have USB charging ports. Instead of screens, passengers can stream entertainment to their own devices using Wi-Fi.
Malaysia Airlines has also shown new Economy Class seats for its upcoming A330-900 planes. These seats will have USB-C charging and Wi-Fi. The seat covers will feature the traditional songket pattern. These new cabins will also be added to the A350 fleet starting in late 2025.
Child-Free Zones
Malaysia Airlines has a policy about children in certain parts of its planes. Babies are not allowed in Business Suite Class on Airbus A380s because there are no baby bassinets there. The airline explained that passengers in this class pay more and want to sleep without crying infants. Also, children under 12 are not allowed in the 70-seat upper deck economy section of the A380. This area is for business travelers. The main deck economy section is designed to be family-friendly, with more toilets and faster boarding/exiting.
In-flight Entertainment
MH Studio
In 2023, Malaysia Airlines began introducing a new entertainment system called MH Studio. This system lets passengers stream over 500 movies and shows wirelessly to their own devices. It is currently on the Boeing 737-800 and Boeing 737 Max 8 planes.
For the Airbus A330-900, MH Studio includes personal touch screens at each seat. Business Class seats have 17-inch screens, and Economy Class has 13.3-inch screens. These screens have 4K resolution and wireless headphone connections. The A350 planes will also get this system.
The airline has also started offering free unlimited Wi-Fi on most of its wide-body planes and will gradually add it to narrow-body planes.
Select 3000i
All Malaysia Airlines Airbus A350-900, Airbus A330-300,-200, and Boeing 737-800 planes have an entertainment system called Select 3000i. It offers audio and video in 14 languages. This system will be removed from all Boeing 737-800 planes in the future.
Select Mainscreen
This system is used in Economy Class on some Boeing 737-800 planes for regional and medium-haul flights. It has 15-inch screens that drop down every four rows. The content is limited. This system will be removed as these planes are transferred to Firefly.
Sponsorships
Malaysia Airlines had a sponsorship deal with the English football club Liverpool FC from 2016 to 2019. It was their Official Global Airline Partner.
Recently, the airline signed a partnership with Manchester United F.C. to help promote its brand in different markets.
Loyalty Programs
Malaysia Airlines' frequent flyer program is called Enrich by Malaysia Airlines. Members can earn miles when they fly with Malaysia Airlines or its partners. They can also earn miles from credit card spending, hotels, and shops.
Enrich by Malaysia Airlines
The Enrich program was improved in 2006. In 2021, Enrich was updated to focus more on travel and lifestyle, allowing members to buy products from various retailers.
Members can earn miles on flights with:
- Oneworld alliance airlines (since February 1, 2013)
- Air France, Alitalia, Etihad Airways, Emirates Airline, KLM, Virgin Atlantic, Firefly, MASwings
Journify App
Malaysia Aviation Group launched a mobile app called Journify. This app lets passengers buy different services and products, like snacks before their flight. It also offers travel passes and flight+hotel packages. All purchases through the app allow members to earn Enrich points.
Incidents and Accidents
- December 4, 1977 – Malaysian Airline System Flight 653, a Boeing 737, was hijacked and crashed in Johor, killing all 100 people on board.
- December 18, 1983 – Malaysian Airline System Flight 684, an Airbus A300, crashed near the runway at Subang Airport. All 247 people on board survived.
- September 15, 1995 – Malaysia Airlines Flight 2133, a Fokker 50, crashed in a shantytown after landing too far down the runway at Tawau Airport. 34 people died. The pilot's poor handling of the plane was the likely cause.
- March 8, 2014 – Malaysia Airlines Flight 370, a Boeing 777, disappeared while flying from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing. All 239 people on board are believed to have died. Parts of the plane were later found washed up on islands.
- July 17, 2014 – Malaysia Airlines Flight 17, a Boeing 777, was shot down over Ukraine while flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur. All 298 people on board died.
See also
In Spanish: Malaysia Airlines para niños
- List of companies of Malaysia
- List of airports in Malaysia
- Transport in Malaysia
