Malaysia Airlines to stop Kuala Lumpur -Stockholm – New York flights

Malaysia Airlines, the flag-carrier airline of Malaysia, has decided to suspend its thrice-a-week flights from Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) to New York (the United States) via Stockholm (Sweden) and vice-versa from October 2009. In a statement, Malaysia Airlines said the last flight from Kuala Lumpur to New York would be on September 30, 2009; the last flight leaving New York would be on October 1, 2009; and the last flight would take off from Stockholm on October 2, 2009.

However, Malaysia Airlines will continue to offer its thrice-a-week flights from Kuala Lumpur to Los Angeles (the United States) via Taipei (Taiwan).

The airline said it would maintain an office in New York and continue to offer services to New York via its partner-airlines.

Also, Malaysia Airlines will keep an office in Stockholm, and customers can continue to connect to Stockholm via Amsterdam in the Netherlands with KLM, Malaysia Airlines’ codeshare partner.

Malaysia Airlines, which serves domestic and international destinations, has been flying to New York since 1998 and to Stockholm since 2004.

Rashid Khan, commercial director of Malaysia Airlines, said in a statement that the carrier was compelled to suspend services to New York and Stockholm following a fall in the demand for air travel on account of the global economic depression.

Malaysia Airlines said it would notify all customers who have been affected. Those customers holding tickets issued prior to July 8, 2009, for flights from Kuala Lumpur to New York/Stockholm and vice-versa and from Stockholm to New York and vice-versa are eligible for a refund without any fees.

Arrangements also would be made for these customers to fly with Malaysia Airlines’ partner airlines in case they opt to go ahead with their journey.

For more information, Malaysia Airlines has requested its customers to contact their travel agents. Those customers who have bought their tickets via Malaysia Airlines’ offices, website and call centre have been asked to contact Malaysia Airlines’ call centre at 1300 88 3000 (Malaysia).

Malaysia Airlines’ customers in North America are to contact the carrier’s office in Los Angeles at 1 800 552 9264. Those customers in Sweden have to call the airline’s office in Stockholm at 08-50530050.

For the first quarter ended March 31, 2009, Malaysia Airlines flew about 2.5 million passengers – with the airline’s load factor falling to 56.1% from 69.2% a year ago.

Malaysia Airlines had recently introduced many packages like the Everyday Low Fares, MH Value fares, All-inclusive fares, Weekend Specials as well as effected reduction in fuel surcharge with a view to enhancing sales.