Malaysia Airlines has been operating in a region that has had its long-haul services rocked since the rise of the pandemic. Despite the challenges that the aviation industry is facing in this field, the flag carrier of Malaysia is determined to maintain a strong connection between the United Kingdom and its home.

The airline prides itself on being the only commercial carrier to offer nonstop service to Kuala Lumpur from London. Flight MH3 heads to Malaysia's capital from Heathrow Airport five days a week, covering a distance of 10,616 km (5,730 NM) at an average duration of 12 hours and 49 minutes. While frequencies aren’t close to matching the double daily service before the global health crisis, it is a vast improvement on the minimal operations conducted during the height of the pandemic.

As global restrictions continue to be reviewed and long-haul passenger activity returns, the carrier is keen to keep operating with cautious optimism. In practice, it won’t irrationally schedule a group of widebodies to Europe with the risk that they could be half full amid the ever-changing conditions of the health crisis.

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In 2019, the most visited destination for Malaysians was the UK, highlighting that the demand has been strong both ways. Photo: Airbus

A sustainable approach

Nonetheless, the company is determined to utilize its balance between business and leisure services to meet demand in the sensitive climate.

International tourism had been picking up in numerous key sectors before the turn of the year. While new virus waves have hindered the industry’s bounce back, the recovery is set to become consistent by the time summer arrives. Malaysia Airlines is keeping a close eye on the reopening of these markets as it provides a critical role in connecting UK passengers to several Asia-Pacific tourism hotspots.

Malaysia Airlines UK regional manager Daniel Bainbridge told Simple Flying:

“We’re very keen to welcome passengers on board again and increase our flying schedule as demand increases. Across the network, it is relatively modest. As borders open, we will uplift our capacity in a responsible and sustainable manner. We’re fortunate that our business is split between business and leisure travel. So, we’re not totally dependent on business travel. The airline is looking very much forward to working with partners to grow travel to Malaysia and across ASEAN to develop connections to the likes of Bali and Thailand and through to Australia and New Zealand. We are highly keen to encourage and promote that as much as possible."

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Helped by its oneworld membership, the carrier has a network of several valuable partners. Photo: Airbus

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Modern structure

Speaking of sustainability, Malaysia Airlines’ six gas-guzzling Airbus A380s won’t be hitting the skies again. These planes used to be seen on the route to London before being replaced with the A350. The carrier appreciates the twinjet's efficiency over its quadjet sibling on these long-haul missions.

Malaysia Airlines is excited to utilize its partnerships to link passengers between Europe and Asia. The airline has several alliances with other major airlines, including intercontinental powerhouses in the form of KLM, Qatar Airways, Finnair, Qantas, British Airways, Turkish Airlines, and Emirates. These collaborations will undoubtedly work wonders to link passengers from Europe to Malaysia and beyond in this next chapter.

What are your thoughts about Malaysia Airlines’ services to the United Kingdom? What do you make of the carrier’s presence in the country? Let us know what you think of the operator and its prospects in the market in the comment section.