Regulator cuts Malaysia Airlines' air operator certificate duration after probe

Malaysia's civil aviation regulator has cut the duration of Malaysia Airlines' air operator certificate to one year from three years, following a probe into technical issues faced by the state carrier, the transport minister said on Wednesday. The airline's parent, Malaysia Aviation Group (MAG), announced on Saturday that it plans to temporarily reduce flights and routes across its carriers until December this year after service disruptions earlier this month. In June, Malaysia's Civil Aviation Authority carried out an investigation into Malaysia Airlines that found several significant safety and maintenance issues including a shortage of skilled workers and mechanical components, minister Anthony Loke told a press conference. In response, Malaysia Airlines has prepared a mitigation plan that will include an aggressive labour recruitment programme and a reduction to its third party maintenance, repair and operations services to focus more on its own aircraft, he said. "In order to ensure compliance with the mitigation plan, Malaysia Airlines has been directed to present a monthly report on the status of the plan," Loke said, adding that regulators will conduct an annual audit if the air operator certificate is to be renewed. Malaysia Airlines has struggled over the past decade due to two fatal aviation disasters in 2014. It was delisted that year and Malaysian Airline System (MAS) was restructured into MAG under the sovereign wealth fund Khazanah Nasional.<br/>