Technical issues, safety concerns and alleged staff poaching: How Malaysia Airlines can fight the PR turbulence

Malaysia Airlines has seen a significant surge in public attention over the past month with numerous delays and diverted flights due to technical issues. The most recent incident saw a flight bound for Denpasar in Bali detour back to Kuala Lumpur International Airport after taking off. 

Prior to that, a Seoul-bound Malaysia Airlines flight had to turn back an hour after take-off, causing a spike of spike of 12,462 engagements on 2 September, up from zero the day before, according to media intelligence firm DATAXET NAMA. Not long before, the airline's flight MH165 from Doha to Kuala Lumpur on 12 August was delayed, impacting subsequent flights on 13 and 14 August.

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The airlines also saw brand sentiments dip earlier in August when a flight from London to Kuala Lumpur was diverted to Doha due to technical issues. Around 70% of comments criticised the poor service quality and lack of adequate customer care during the disruption, according to media intelligence firm DATAXET NAMA at the time.

In the online conversations, 30% of netizens expressed concerns about the shortage of engineers and mechanics at Malaysia Airlines, noting that many skilled employees have left for better opportunities or were laid-off during the COVID-19 pandemic. This news has made headlines in both Singapore and Malaysia as politician Wee Ka Siong said that the lack of focus on attracting local talent to stay with homegrown airlines has caused the recent rise in technical incidents concerning Malaysia Airlines, according to The Star. 

He reportedly added that allowing Singapore Airlines Engineering Company (SIAEC) to expand its regional base network, with a 15-year lease of hangars at Subang Airport in December last year, was a critical mistake as the organisation was accused of hiring engineers from Malaysia Airlines. Since then, SIAEC also put out a statement saying that less than 10% of its technical staff are from Malaysia Airlines. Malaysian low-cost carrier founder and CEO Tony Fernandes also weighed in on the drama asking SIAEC to be transparent about where its hires were made and the salaries paid.

All of the news and drama has undoubtedly left concerns in the minds of Malaysians with 25% voicing their fears regarding the safety of flying with Malaysia Airlines, expressing hesitation about booking flights with the airlines while 20% criticised management and are calling for better leadership and accountability, DATAXET NAMA said. Around 2% drew comparisons with Malaysia airlines and other airlines such as Singapore Airlines and AirAsia. These netizens suggested that Malaysia Airlines is struggling to maintain its reputation while its competitors thrive. 

The PR problem

With low passenger confidence, Malaysia Airlines faces an issue in regaining the trust of its customers. Jose Raymond, founder and managing director, SW Strategies, said that the airlines' measures so far "show an effort to provide transparency and assist passengers directly affected by flight disruptions."

He said while these actions are a start, they only tackle immediate concerns rather than nipping the issue at the bud in regard to the broader issue of passenger confidence. He added that Malaysia Airlines currently faces the challenge of restoring public confidence after multiple incidents, including poor customer service experiences. 

"Recently, a colleague of ours encountered significant difficulties simply trying to correct an error on her e-ticket. After multiple attempts to reach out to the customer service via both email and phone to no avail, she was forced to wait nearly four hours at Malaysia Airline's ticket office at KL Sentral where ultimately, she was told that her issue could be solved via a simple phone call. This experience highlights a gap in customer care and response protocols that can exacerbate passenger frustration," explained Raymond. 

Moving forward, Raymond suggested that Malaysia Airlines should aim to communicate not just immediate solutions, but also the proactive steps being taken to prevent future occurrences. "For example, sharing details on safety audits, technical upgrades, or staff training initiatives could demonstrate the airline’s commitment to safety and operational reliability, and doing it effectively," said Raymond. 

"It's also beggars' belief that while Malaysia Airlines faces significant operational challenges, its branding appears during live broadcasts of English Premier League matches as an official airline partner of Manchester United and is branded on the official club website as a respected global aviation brand," he added. 

Meanwhile, Joey Gan, Malaysia country lead of PRecious Communications is of the opinion that this isn't a PR issue, as much as it is an operational issue. "I think Malaysia Airlines is dealing with a lot of fleet issues right now, and it’s more of a technical problem than anything to do with comms,' said Gan. 

"They were expecting new planes, but there’s been a delay in delivery. So honestly, this seems more like an operations issue than a comms one. To be fair, Malaysia Airlines has been pretty proactive in tackling the technical stuff, but some of it might be out of their hands," she added. 

Rebuilding trust

According to Sandeep Joseph, CEO and founder of Ampersand Advisory, the Malaysian Airlines brand can be rebuilt but will require addressing issues that are of key interest. "I believe the brand can always be built, but the aspects of safety, reliability, technical performance etc. need to be addressed as a priority," said Joseph, adding:

Without a good core product there is no point building a brand: it will fall on its face.

He said that the management understands there are currently challenges that need to be fixed urgently, and that he finds it heartening that the airline is willing to sacrifice routes and revenues to do so. He added: "Malaysia Airlines is a code of great hospitality and the imprint of a once great airline." 

Raymond agrees with Joseph. From a PR lens, Malaysia Airlines can begin to shift the narrative from crisis management to proactive trust-building, said Raymond.

This can be executed through continuous improvements and maintaining an open dialogue with passengers in restoring confidences ultimately strengthening the airline's reputation to its former glory, he added. 

To rebuild the trust of consumers, Raymond suggests: 

1. Transparent communication and frequent updates: Moving forward, Malaysia Airlines should prioritise consistent, clear communication with passengers and the public. Ensure all available platforms—social media, press releases, and direct communications with customers are accessible and up to date for passengers and stakeholders. This ensures that queries from passengers and key information flow properly and miscommunications are avoided.

2. Customer-centric apologies and compensation: Moving beyond standard apologies, Malaysia Airlines could offer more personalised responses, including compensation packages that reflect genuine remorse and a commitment to customer satisfaction. This could include complimentary services, future flight discounts, or even partnerships with other brands for added value.

3. Strengthening internal communications: Ensuring that all on-ground staff members are well-informed and trained to handle passenger queries with not only empathy, but also accuracy. Equipping frontline staff with clear information can further prevent the spread of misinformation and help manage public perceptions more effectively.

4. Customer engagement and feedback integration: Establishing clear feedback loops where passengers can voice their concerns and see responsive action taken would help build a sense of accountability. Social media, surveys, and direct customer engagement initiatives could serve as platforms to address complaints quickly and publicly. 

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