Malaysia Airlines open to India partnership
Malaysian Airlines is open to a partnership with India to capitalize on strong demand for corporate and VFR traffic, according to its CEO Nasaruddin A Bakar. The carrier, currently flying to and from ten Indian destinations, aspires to expand its network but is limited by bilateral traffic rights. The Gulf war has boosted fuel costs to 55% from 40% of operating costs, prompting measures like cutting capacity by 5% and raising airfares by 20%.
Bakar emphasized that any partnership must be mutually beneficial, not limited to airline alliances, but could also involve non-airline companies. In the first half of 2026, India accounted for 10% of Malaysia Airlines' total passenger traffic of 10.6 million, with corporate travel demand growing by 40% and VFR demand up 24%. The airline currently operates 80 weekly flights to India and aims to increase frequencies and slots with better bilateral relations.
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