A Malaysia Airlines Airbus A330-323E flew the last batch of its country’s contingents to the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 today. 44 competitors and officials of Malaysia were on board the widebody as it landed in the capital of Japan.
Strong connections
Last week, Malaysia Airlines and Japan Airlines marked the first anniversary of their joint venture with the transportation of Malaysian Olympic contingents and officials to the Tokyo Olympic Games. While Japan Airlines operated the flight last Sunday, Malaysia Airlines took the helm this weekend for the third and final trip.
According to RadarBox.com, flight MH070 departed Kuala Lumpur International Airport at 09:44 MYT to land at Tokyo Narita at 17:54 JST. One of these passengers was Malaysia’s Minister of Youth and Sports, YB Dato’ Sri Reezal Merican Naina Merican.
A symbolic occasion
Malaysia Airlines Berhad Group CEO Captain Izham Ismail highlighted the importance of his airline as a national carrier. With this in mind, he spoke about the wider initiatives that the firm has been implementing to keep Malaysia’s passengers moving during the difficult industry climate.
“As the national carrier, Malaysia Airlines is proud to play our part in supporting Malaysians to excel and soar in their expertise in representing the country. Our national contingents dedicate their lives to bring our country’s name to the eyes of the world and make every Malaysian proud,” Ismail shared.
“This is exactly what Malaysia Airlines has been doing through our Fly Malaysia campaign and will continue to do. We understand how much it takes for them to brave through the challenges in their preparations and as they participate in the Olympics 2020. In return, we thank them by giving them the best of our signature Malaysian Hospitality throughout their entire journey, complete with stringent health and safety protocols that we have put in place to help them stay focused and motivated to perform their best when competing.”
The executive added that his company is honored to collaborate with Japan Airlines to help ensure that all those involved in the tournament have a safe passenger experience throughout their journey. He concluded it is crucial for those flying to and from Tokyo to be at ease during this challenging period.
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Making the most out of the situation
Tokyo 2020 was supposed to be a far more notable experience for airlines. In 2019 and the beginning of 2020, many airlines across the globe were promoting the ramp-up of services to Tokyo to meet the expected capacity demand.
The pandemic naturally rocked the schedule and the event was postponed by the year. It was hoped that by the time the games came around again, the conditions would be better. However, despite all the delays, fans could not still attend the games to support their countries. As a result, the likes of United Airlines, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and Hawaiian Airlines, which were previously had more slots open to them to fly into Japan, lost out on a lot of business in the end.
Asian carriers have also been feeling the brunt of it. Malaysia itself lost over 20 million visitors during 2020. Thus, the country’s operators have had to restructure. One of the consequences is that Malaysia Airlines has had to put all six of its Airbus A380s on sale.
Nonetheless, the airline will be glad that is has managed to be part of such a special occasion for its country during these tough times. It’ll undoubtedly be keeping a close eye on Malaysia’s progress in the games ahead.
What are your thoughts about the work that Malaysia Airlines is doing alongside its partner Japan Airlines? Let us know what you think of the carrier’s operations in the comment section.