Anthony Loke: Airlines That Do Not Abide By Flight Schedules May Need To Pay Penalties

We’ve heard of many horror stories about flight delays and rescheduling on all social media platforms.

Tuaran MP Datuk Seri Wilfred Madius Tangau who faced the flight delay situation before had asked the Ministry of Transport what they will do to ensure that airlines abide by the flight schedules.

In a parliamentary written reply, Minister Anthony Loke says MAVCOM has reminded all airlines to “improve their handling of flight delays and cancellations and to better communicate with passengers” and to take care of their needs in accordance with the Malaysian Aviation Consumer Protection Code 2016, – MACPC.

He added that MAVCOM is considering monetary penalties to make sure that airlines stick to their flight schedules.

“Strict actions like this can be taken to make sure that no cancellations or rescheduling will happen again.”

The minister also said that if the airline company cancels the flight due to factors under the company’s control such as technical problems or insufficient capacity which could cause a delay or cancellation then they must offer a refund in 30 days or a change in the route according to MACPC.

If the airline company fails to abide by the MACPC, MAVCOM can give a monetary penalty of not more than RM200,000. For the next penalties, they will need to pay 10 times the amount that was asked during the first penalty.

From 2018 till January 2023, MAVCOM has received over RM4.72 million in penalties.

Anthony Loke added that MAVCOM is in the process of improving the MACPC based on the consumer’s feedback and the lessons learnt during the pandemic. It is expected that this process will be done by the 2nd quarter of 2023.

We surely hope to see more improvement in this aspect! We’re receiving more tourists after the pandemic and the airline company along with the airport are the first impressions for any tourist.

Also read: Passengers Seen Walking on Track Towards Terminal in The Rain After KLIA Aerotrain Breaks Down