PLANE STUBBORN @ DUMB

COMMUNICATION FROM THE EMPLOYEES 

OF MALAYSIA AIRLINES ITALY

"In order to face the heavy effects on the air transport industry of the last 3 years of economic crisis, Malaysia Airlines Italy has proposed innumerable sales and pricing initiatives to support and consolidate its presence in the local market. These initiatives were NEVER listened to, NOR considered, NOR evaluated by the Regional and Central managements, which remained totally blind to the needs of the Italian market."                                                                                                          Source:   http://weechookeong.wordpress.com/2012/03/18/the-sit-in-protest-in-the-office-                                                                                             

After 18 years of consolidated presence in the Italian market, on 16 December 2011 Malaysia Airlines announces the suspension of the flights from Italy to Malaysia and vv., effective 31 January 2012.

We, employees of Malaysia Airlines Italy, would like to provide our version and views on the whole matter, coming from our in depth knowledge of both the Company and the market. 

The value and the potential, which the Company unquestionably showed in the last few years, has brought us to believe that this decision is hasty and not thought through.

Last November the 27th, during an internal meeting, an increase in frequencies from the current three to five weekly, effective November 2012, was discussed. After only 15 days, these intentions were reversed by a communication from the Company announcing the termination of Italy-Malaysia vv. route.

In the past, grave moments of crisis (bird flu, SARS, tsunami in Indonesia) have hit the influx of Italian traffic towards the Asian region. These were overcome thanks to the initiatives of the Italian management, strongly supported by both the European Regional office and the Central Headquarters in Kuala Lumpur.

In order to face the heavy effects on the air transport industry of the last 3 years of economic crisis, Malaysia Airlines Italy has proposed innumerable sales and pricing initiatives to support and consolidate its presence in the local market. These initiatives were NEVER listened to, NOR considered, NOR evaluated by the Regional and Central managements, which remained totally blind to the needs of the Italian market.

On the contrary, strategies and policies have been imposed, which were completely alien to the reality of the Italian market and based on reasoning that contrasts with the local peculiarities. The failure of these strategies determined a significant drop in productivity and the progressive loss of market shares for Malaysia Airlines Italy.

The Regional office in Amsterdam abused its position by forcing Malaysia Airlines Italy to implement theseinappropriate strategies, designed to streamline Italy into unsuitable European models, despite frequent indications from the Italian office.

We believe that the Regional office in Amsterdam failed in its duty to distinguish and coordinate the European offices and mediate their differing needs to Kuala Lumpur. Instead, they limited themselves to a rigid control administered with arrogance towards the Italian market, that led the Company to its inevitable estrangement from the local market.

From the 31st of March, our GSA for reservations and ticketing (ATT, Asian Tour Travel) will cease all activities. As of yet, the Company, whilst keeping the operations from other European gateways (Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Paris and London), did not show any opening towards maintaining a possible offline office, which has happened in other European locations such as Zurich, Zagreb, Brussels and Madrid, all manned with Malaysia Airlines personnel.

At this time, there is no evidence of any appointed European representative to guarantee continuation of business and service to Italian agents and passengers, thus confirming a total disinterest in the Italian branch.

With deep regret, we have to note that even the “internal clients” of the Company were given no consideration.

The Company’s only consideration was collective redundancy, which will be effective after suspension of work, which started on the 29th of February. This decision was irrevocable and did not even follow the offer of extraordinary measures such as cost cutting campaigns or special employee contracts (e.g. “contratto di solidarietà”).

Neither did the Company pick up the opportunity offered by the State Redundancy Scheme (“Cassa Integrazione Straordinaria-CIGS-“), which would have cost them nothing, remaining stubborn in their decisions.

We, employees of Malaysia Airlines Italy, do not align with the Company position, which we believe is detrimental to the image of Malaysia in Italy, and take this occasion to thank the market for the support shown in all these years.

16-March-2012