KUALA LUMPUR: Airlines have full discretion over whether to serve alcoholic beverages on board, as it is a commercial decision, says Anthony Loke.
The Transport Minister said Malaysia Airlines Berhad (MAB) had stopped serving alcoholic drinks on all domestic flights since Jan 1, 2016. For international routes, alcoholic beverages are only served on flights lasting three hours or more.
“This practice is in line with other major international airlines from Muslim-majority countries such as Emirates, Etihad Airways, Qatar Airways, Gulf Air, Turkish Airlines and Garuda Indonesia,” he told the Dewan Rakyat during the Transport Ministry’s winding-up speech on the 2026 Budget.
“For flights to Jeddah, for instance, no alcohol is served at all. This policy has already been implemented by Malaysia Airlines. We respect Muslims who do not consume alcohol, but we must also be objective and recognise that international passengers come from diverse backgrounds,” he said.
Loke added that the serving of alcoholic drinks is now done strictly on request.
“It is on demand, not served freely. Only when a passenger specifically orders it will the cabin crew serve,” he explained, stressing that the decision remains a matter of business policy for airlines.
During the debate, Hulu Selangor MP Mohd Hasnizan Harun (PN) called for a review of the current practice, arguing that the matter should be reassessed to better reflect the sensitivities of Muslim passengers.
Recently, Lim Lip Eng (PH-Kepong) made a sarcastic suggestion, saying, "if you dislike it that much, I suggest you start your own airline, call it PAS Airlines".
Loke, however, reminded MPs not to politicise the issue.
“Some have joked about forming their own political party airlines — ‘PAS Airline’, 'Rocket Airline" or ‘DAP Airline’. That’s not right.
“Political parties cannot run airlines because they are subject to strict licensing and regulatory requirements,” he said.
He reiterated that it is up to individual airlines to determine which routes should or should not serve alcohol, depending on the nature of their passengers and the viability of their routes.
