Malaysia Airlines restarts Dubai route

Holidaymakers waiting until Eid to plan their summer travel can now take advantage of greater connectivity to Malaysia, with the country’s national carrier restarting its services to Dubai from August 5.

Malaysian Airlines (MAS), which cut its flights to the emirate in cost rationalising move in 2012, will reinstate it with a daily direct from Dubai.

In a statement, MAS CEO Ahmad Jauhari Yahya explained the rebuilding the connectivity to the emirate, saying: “Dubai was one of the routes that were suspended in our route rationalisation exercise in January 2012.

 “We continuously monitor market demand, and are happy to be able to add back Dubai into Malaysia Airlines network to extend our reach and strengthen our offering to customers.”

A B777-200 aircraft configured with 282 seats across two classes or 3,948 seats weekly will serve MAS’ comeback service.

With its Dubai route launch, MAS is also in the bidding to increase capacity on the routes with the inclusion of Airbus A380 on flights to Paris, London and Hong Kong; the carrier has also announced a new route with Kathmandu.

Could the expansion drive bring the A380 on the Dubai-Kuala Lumpur route is still unconfirmed, but MAS has registered a significant improvement in its operations with its Q1 2013 financials indicating a reduction operating loss of 46 per cent to RM165 million compared with RM307 million in the same quarter in 2012.

The airline also recorded a 17 per cent increase in passenger traffic, 14 per cent increase in revenue, and a higher seat load factor of 76.6 per cent.

MAS registered a RM147m positive cash balance from its operating activities in the first three months of 2013, compared to a negative cash position of RM202m in the previous corresponding period.

This is the third consecutive quarter of positive cash contribution from operating activities for the airlines.

However, MAS will have a tough fight on its Dubai-Kuala Lumpur route, with Emirates flying four times a week, with services also stretching to the mammoth A380.

In price comparison, Emirates appears to hold the upper hand, with the direct flights averaging Dh4,250 during the upcoming Eid-Al-Fitr holidays, from August 9 until 11.

Meanwhile, MAS averages higher by nearly Dh300; the carrier does hold the clear advantage with a daily connection.

When Emirates 24|7 spoke to a few Dubai residents, the clear choice between the two remained Emirates, with Mustafa Ghori saying: “With Emirates, you know what you are paying for, in terms of service, quality and assurance of reaching your destination in average listed time.

“Not that Malaysian Airlines is worse, but in terms of credibility, one takes precedence over the other.”

Damian Smolski also preferred Emirates over MAS, but added that ultimately connectivity also played an integral part, saying: “If I need to return to Dubai at a set time and one of the two carriers offers flights on those travel dates, then it will surely win out.”

However, travellers such as Neeyati Pradhan, who travel with family on a budget, both carriers lose this customer war.

She said: “I would still take an Oman Air, Thai or Jet Airways over any one of these carriers, because the price difference is considerable. When you are travelling with a family of four, ever Dh500 saved can sponsor another airline ticket or a room night.

“And if the stopover is in India, in our case, we even get the chance to briefly meet our families and take in a holiday in the same ticket price.”

In case you were wondering, Jet Airways worked out the cheapest for the same Eid holiday break, with ticket prices averaging Dh2,700, with a maximum eight-hour stopover in New Delhi. 

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