Malaysia Airlines drops eight routes

Rome, Johannesburg and Dubai are among destinations to be culled

 Grounded for now, Malaysia Airlines puts a stop to eight routes.

Malaysia Airlines (MAS) is putting a stop to eight routes starting January 6, 2012.

The exercise is a move by the airline to rationalize unprofitable routes while re-focusing on other destinations in the ASEAN region and China.

The eight routes include those from Kuala Lumpur to Surabaya, Johannesburg and Rome, and the Langkawi-Penang-Singapore route.

All passengers already booked on the soon-to-be cancelled flights will be switched to alternate carriers at MAS cost.

“The withdrawal of these flights was based on our own independent internal profitability and yield analysis," said group CEO Ahmad Jauhari Yahya. “This accounts for almost 12 percent of our passenger capacity."

The roll-out of the affected routes will staggered across January and February 2012.

• Effective January 6: Daily flights Kuala Lumpur – Surabaya

• Effective January 10: Thrice-weekly Kuala Lumpur – Dubai

• Effective January 12: Twice-weekly Kuala Lumpur – Karachi – Dubai

• Effective January 13: Twice-weekly Kuala Lumpur – Dubai – Damman

• Effective January 30: Daily Langkawi – Penang – Singapore

• Effective January 31: Thrice-weekly Kuala Lumpur – Johannesburg

• Effective February 1: Twice-weekly Kuala Lumpur – Cape Town – Buenos Aires

• Effective February 2: Thrice-weekly Kuala Lumpur – Rome

These routes may not be cancelled for infinity, Yahya added that MAS hopes to return when business has stabilized.

http://www.cnngo.com