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KUCHING, June 28: Passengers on Malaysia Arlines including Firefly and MASwings can keep their mobile phones and other personal electronic devices on, from the moment they board the aircraft through to arrival at their destination airport, effective from July 1, 2023.
In a statement today, Malaysia Aviation Group (MAG) said the airline has been given regulatory approval by the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM) to enable Gate-to-Gate connectivity for passengers on its airlines, making it the first airline to provide this feature for travellers departing from Malaysia.
“Passengers will no longer be required to switch off their personal or portable electronic devices (PEDs) during take-off and landing, as was previously required due to regulatory and aircraft requirements,” it said.
PEDs include mobile phones, tablets, and other small handheld devices that are stowable in the passenger’s seat pocket.
MAG chief executive officer (CEO) of airlines Ahmad Luqman Mohd Azmi said as part of its connectivity strategy, MAG will be actively expanding the number of its aircraft equipped with Wi-Fi to provide an improved in-flight experience to valued customers.
“With a focus on safety, comfort, and convenience, we are dedicated to making air travel more accessible and enjoyable for all of our passengers. We will continue to invest in innovative technologies and services to meet the changing needs and provide comfort to our passengers as guests to our ‘home’.
“We are committed to providing exceptional customer service and innovative travel experiences which places customers at the heart of everything we do. By enabling gate-to-gate connectivity across all our airlines, it allows passengers to stay connected throughout their journey with us; whether it’s to keep their loved ones updated on the move or even get some work done during their flight,” he said in the statement.
Simultaneously, Malaysia Airlines will also be offering complimentary Wi-Fi for all Business Suite and Business Class passengers, as well as Enrich Platinum members, regardless of their class of travel to be enjoyed from July 1 until Dec 31, 2023.
The offer will be available on a total of 20 aircraft that are equipped with Wi-Fi. The offer comes with a generous data cap of 100MB per sector, with a bandwidth of up to 512 kbps, ensuring passengers can stay connected and productive during their journey.
All passengers can still enjoy the convenience of being connected through the airline’s pay-per-use Wi-Fi offering (MHconnect) and wireless in-flight entertainment (MHstudio) which can be used uninterrupted on their PEDs throughout their journey.
MAG emphasised that it will continue to take proactive measures to enhance its customer experience across all touchpoints and will embark on several product enhancement initiatives to refresh the overall cabin experience.
This include the modernisation of the in-flight experience in its entirety, from seating to in-flight entertainment, while keeping passenger safety and comfort at its core.
Among the initiatives already rolled out is a refreshed content expansion of in-flight entertainment offered onboard Malaysia Airlines’ including more than 100 per cent increase in Hollywood movie options, and the introduction of new content categories including podcasts and wellness programmes.
In line with its fleet modernisation plans, MAG will also see the induction of new aircraft and technologies which will provide enhanced operational efficiency while also keeping its commitments to sustainability. — DayakDaily
