Malaysia Airlines restructuring - Part 2: 23% international ASK cut enables AirAsia to overtake MAS

Malaysia Airlines (MAS) is cutting international seat capacity by about 18% in Aug-2015 as the ailing flag carrier restructures its network ahead of the 1-Sep-2015 transition to a new company. International ASKs are being reduced by about 23% as the medium and long haul networks have seen bigger reductions than operations within Asia with the new MAS seeking to leverage its strong regional position.

Australia accounts for about 30% the seats and about 40% of the ASKs being removed from the MAS international network in Aug-2015. Europe accounts for about 10% of the seats and 20% of the ASKs being removed in Aug-2015 but the cuts to Europe are much steeper when also factoring in the May-2015 suspension of services to Frankfurt.

In Sep-2015 MAS will for the first time have a fewer international ASKs than the AirAsia/AirAsia X groups. AirAsia's short-haul Malaysian subsidiary will also overtake MAS as Malaysia's largest international carrier on a seat basis. On a group level AirAsia already has more international seats in Malaysia and has been the domestic leader for several years.