Malaysia Airlines restructure will need partners - perhaps Etihad, BA, Finnair or Qatar Airways

Malaysia Airlines (MAS) plans to increase focus on regional operations as it starts to implement capacity and job cuts as part of a new recovery plan. Cuts to the long-haul network are expected as the group's new strategy aims to leverage partnership and its membership in oneworld.

The changes could create a void In Malaysia's long-haul market and persuade AirAsia X to reconsider services to Europe. But it could also lead to an opening for oneworld partners such as British Airways and Finnair to enter the market, possibly as part of a joint venture with MAS.

The new strategy, which also includes a focus on premium services and improving yields, is not actually new. MAS tried to implement a similar strategy as it entered oneworld in early 2013. Then it became distracted over the last year and started pursuing ambitious growth at the expense of yields. A second attempt at the same strategy has a better chance of succeeding as this time it comes with the job cuts that MAS has needed for years. But there will still be challenges.