Malaysia Airlines Gets Green Light to Take Off with New Name

From September 1, Malaysia Airlines (MAS) will take on a new moniker as the beleaguered national carrier restructures into a new company and undergoes a major rebranding to shake off the taint of recent disasters.

Having fulfilled the requirements to receive the Air Operator Certificate (AOC) from the Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) in Malaysia, MAS was given the thumbs up to operate as Malaysia Airlines Berhad (MAB) during a ceremony at Malaysia's Ministry of Transport in Putrajaya on August 28.

In order to qualify for the AOC, the airline had to undergo months of audit activities to ensure air operations, maintenance procedures and other systems are in line with regulatory standards.

Liow Tiong Lai, Malaysian minister of transport, said: "This is an important milestone in the evolution of Malaysia's national airline. The government of Malaysia is committed to ensure that the rejuvenated Malaysia Airlines will take off on a strong note. We hope to see more progress driven by the new entity especially in terms of service levels."

MAS' chairman Md Nor Yusof added: "This is a start of a new beginning. MAB will endeavour to ensure our passengers are given the best of our services and we will persevere to build a sustainable national icon."

All assets and liabilities from MAS will be ported over to MAB, according to Khazanah Nasional, the parent company of the airline.

Khazanah added in a statement the revamped airline will be akin to a start-up company, equipped with a "refreshed Malaysian-centric brand", young fleet and updated products on all longhaul flights, including flat beds in Business class and a better in-flight entertainment system. A new catering concept and more customisable flight experiences will also be on offer.