PETALING JAYA: Tom, an airline pilot, used to look forward to a packed flying schedule. Not anymore.
“Usually, we operate between 15 and 18 flights monthly. For May, I was only scheduled for 10 flights.
“Next month, I will only be scheduled for six,” said Tom, who has seen his take-home pay shrink by roughly 20% as a direct result of the cutbacks.
“Fewer flights mean less allowances and everyone is affected. Hopefully the situation eases so we can all operate as usual again,” he said in an interview.
Another pilot, who wanted to be known only as Joe, said most pilots are currently flying below 50 hours monthly, which is the minimum required threshold. The maximum limit is 100 hours monthly.
“We are scheduled for flights accordingly due to reduced flight hours and fewer routes,” he said.
The experiences of the two pilots are fast becoming the norm across the local aviation industry as airlines grapple with soaring jet fuel prices, rerouting costs and war-risk insurance surcharges stemming from the Middle East conflict.
ASLO READ: Local airlines adjust operations amid crisis
As of this year, a regional carrier has suspended at least nine of its flight routes across destinations in Asia. It was also reported last month that another carrier would cut 35% of its scheduled flights to cushion soaring fuel costs amid developments in the Middle East.
Air stewardess Joan Lee from a local airline said she is bracing for fewer shifts next month due to reduced flight frequencies.
She added that her management had recently briefed staff about potentially cutting flights beginning this month.
“My colleagues and I are starting to look for second jobs so that when flights are reduced, we won’t be caught off-guard,” she said.
Lee added that she was concerned whether her take-home pay would be affected, given her high monthly financial commitments.
Aviation experts said that local carriers may be feeling the effects more acutely than most foreign airlines.
“We are seeing cuts in Indonesia, the Philippines and Thailand, so it’s not just in Malaysia,” said Shukor Yusof, founder of an aviation consultancy company.
He added that restructuring was now unavoidable for local carriers.
“Airlines in Malaysia will need to adapt to the external issues and realign their capacities, frequencies and fleet requirements,” he said.
Aviation expert Abdul Rahmat Omar said Malaysian carriers are structurally more exposed than their larger regional rivals.
“They are more cost-sensitive, heavily dependent on regional and leisure travel, and generally have less financial cushioning than larger carriers like Singapore Airlines.
“The problem is regional, but Malaysian carriers may appear more aggressive in cutting frequencies because they are more vulnerable to rising costs and operational disruptions.”
Abdul Rahmat said the ongoing conflict in the Middle East has forced airlines to avoid Iranian, Iraqi and nearby airspace, adding significant time and cost to long-haul journeys that transit Gulf hubs.
Routes such as London-Singapore, Paris-Bangkok and Frankfurt-Kuala Lumpur have been among the hardest hit, with rerouting translating directly into longer flight times, heavier fuel consumption and higher crew costs, he said.
Should jet fuel prices remain unstable or continue rising, further flight reductions are likely, he warned.
Jet fuel prices have seen their steepest fluctuations in decades since the onset of the Middle East conflict on Feb 28.
Prior to that date, prices were hovering at around US$100 (RM396) per barrel before geopolitical tensions drove them as high as US$240 (RM951) per barrel.
The global average currently stands at roughly US$160 (RM634) per barrel.
The Malaysian Aviation Group said earlier this month that it expects jet fuel prices to stabilise between US$120 (RM475) and US$130 (RM515) per barrel over the next year.
