PROS Revenue Management Advantage Delivers Accurate Demand Forecasting and Optimizes Network Revenue Strategy, Driving Growth for the Flag Carrier

Houston, Texas | July 8, 2020–PROS, a provider of AI-powered solutions that optimize selling in the digital economy, today announced Malaysia Airlines has implemented PROS Revenue Management Advantage (RM Advantage) as part of its revenue management transformation strategy. The next-generation system from PROS will enable Malaysia Airlines to deliver optimized offers in an ever-changing marketplace.

The national carrier of Malaysia serves 58 global and domestic markets. With a focus on Southeast Asia, Malaysia Airlines has opened more of Malaysia’s destinations than any other airline while delivering a world-class customer experience. But intense competition among both low-cost and full-service carriers coupled with a price-sensitive population make operating in this region particularly challenging.

“We operate in a tough environment where yields are always pressing downward,” said Izham Ismail, Group Chief Executive Officer at Malaysia Airlines. “With PROS RM Advantage, we expect to continue making remarkable improvements in our performance despite the challenges of overcapacity and notoriously thin margins, further strengthening our commitment to digital transformation strategies to meet passenger needs while attaining our growth goals.”

“Malaysia Airlines’ strategy to continually drive greater innovation and market leadership demands a world-class solution that can optimize network revenue critical to its business,” said Benson Yuen, PROS President, Travel. “RM Advantage provides the framework that meets Malaysia Airlines’ needs today and can easily scale as its business continues to evolve. We are proud of our long-standing partnership with Malaysia Airlines and look forward to continued collaboration in the future.”

RM Advantage, an edition of PROS Revenue Management, features the latest in technology and revenue management best practices and workflows. As a SaaS-based solution, RM Advantage is scalable and allows airlines to transition smoothly from one PROS edition to the next as its business grows. It features AI-based forecasting and optimization designed to deliver the optimal price, even in the most volatile of markets.

“The relationship we have with PROS is very strategic,” said Dersenish Aresandiran, Global Head of Revenue Management at Malaysia Airlines. “Working with PROS, we now leverage the most innovative science and best practices into our revenue management approach, which has delivered measurable improvements to yield performance, enabling us to remain highly competitive within a complex marketplace.”

For more information on PROS Airline Solutions, visit http://www.pros.com/prosair.

Airline is first to adopt joint solution for real-time, space-based alerting system for flight tracking
April 18, 2017– SITAONAIR, Aireon and FlightAware today announce that Malaysia Airlines will be the first SITAONAIR airline customer to benefit from a revolutionary flight tracking partnership.

Under the agreement, all Malaysia Airlines aircraft will have access to minute-by-minute, 100% global, flight tracking data, delivered by SITAONAIR’s AIRCOM® FlightTracker.

This solution will enhance the existing SITAONAIR AIRCOM® FlightTracker by adding Aireon’s space-based Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) data to the existing data available from FlightAware’s multiple global sources, complementing active Air Navigation Service Provider (ANSP) Future Air Navigation System (FANS) activity data.

By incorporating this data, Malaysia Airlines’ aircraft operations center will receive real-time position updates of its airborne fleet globally. Aireon’s space-based ADS-B data will also resolve any existing data feed coverage gaps that remain, particularly over oceanic and remote airspace, where there is currently no surveillance.

No new avionics or modifications are needed for aircraft to take advantage of this new service.

“Real-time global aircraft tracking has long been a goal of the aviation community,” said Captain Izham Ismail, Chief Operating Officer, Malaysia Airlines. “We are proud to be the first airline to adopt this solution using space-based ADS-B data as part of SITAONAIR’s AIRCOM® FlightTracker.”

Paul Gibson, Portfolio Director, AIRCOM®, at SITAONAIR, said: “With the addition of the Aireon SM data, via FlightAware, to SITAONAIR’s AIRCOM® FlightTracker, combined with our active monitoring and automated alerting capabilities, Malaysia Airlines will be at the cutting-edge of real-time flight tracking technology. With access to up-to-the-minute reporting, Malaysia Airlines will know the location, heading, speed and altitude of all aircraft in its fleet, at all times, and be alerted to any exceptions.”

In November 2016, Aireon, FlightAware and SITAONAIR announced a new partnership to deliver Aireon data via FlightAware to SITAONAIR customers. FlightAware provides a combination of global air traffic control data, aircraft datalink information and terrestrial ADS-B data through a secure streaming data feed.

Once the Aireon system is operational, expected in 2018, airlines already using SITAONAIR’s AIRCOM® FlightTracker will automatically begin seeing the new Aireon data appear in their systems without the need for costly modifications.

“In addition to not requiring any new avionics or modifications to their aircraft, Malaysia Airlines will seamlessly gain real-time flight tracking ability of its fleet, even in areas where regional Air Navigation Service Providers do not have full surveillance,” said FlightAware Chief Executive Officer, Daniel Baker. “The result will be that Malaysia Airlines will have greater visibility of their aircraft’s exact location.”

Aireon Chief Executive Officer, Don Thoma added: “Malaysia Airlines has taken a lead role in the industry since the tragic events of 2014. Real-time, global flight tracking, anywhere on the planet will further their safety goals, by allowing Malaysia Airlines to track their aircraft anytime, anywhere.”

Aireon’s space-based ADS-B system will offer a global solution that works for all ADS-B Out equipped aircraft everywhere. ADS-B Out mandates have been passed by ANSPs and industry governing bodies around the world, resulting in operators automatically knowing that their aircraft are properly equipped.

The Aireon service will be operational in 2018, shortly after the completion of the Iridium NEXT satellite constellation. On January 14, 2017, the first 10 Iridium NEXT satellites carrying the Aireon ADS-B hosted payload were successfully launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. In total, the constellation will consist of 66 operational low-earth-orbit satellites providing global coverage. The service will also provide Air Navigation Service Providers with global aircraft surveillance capability, and is expected to help reduce fuel costs, increase safety and enable more efficient flight paths.

Hamburg, Germany | April 7, 2016– Leading aircraft cabin lighting company, STG Aerospace, has expanded its saf-Tsign® product range with a new self-adhesive, photoluminescent decal designed to subtly illuminate the AC outlet unit on airline seats.

Malaysia Airlines has become the launch customer for the latest saf-Tsign® product which has been successfully installed across the airline’s fleet of A380 aircraft earlier this year.

The new saf-Tsign® photoluminescent solution will enable passengers to find the AC outlet unit during low light or dark conditions. Easily installed, the decal can be customised to any size or shape, making it equally suitable for other applications on the seat such as headphone sockets and seat numbers. With a charging time of 5 to 45 minutes, depending on cabin light levels, the sign will deliver up to 14 hours of light output.

STG Aerospace has been manufacturing and supplying high-quality, industry-approved saf-Tsign® products for over 20 years. The leading brand of photoluminescent emergency and informational signage, developed for both commercial and military fixed-wing and rotary aircraft, saf-Tsign® is a low-cost, environmentally friendly, direct replacement for tritium signs. 100% fail-safe, saf-Tsign® has the added benefit of zero operating costs and can be tailor-made to suit individual operators’ requirements.

Marcus Williams, added: “This is a great example of our commitment to the ongoing development of a truly innovative, holistic and cost effective cabin lighting product range. The STG Aerospace R&D team are continuously looking for ways to expand our product range to solve customer problems and improve the passenger experience. saf-Tsign® continues to be the number one choice for cabin signage for numerous OEMs and airlines worldwide.”

Kuala Lumpur| November 20, 2013–

Malaysia Airlines has halved the average processing time for mishandled bag claims with a new WorldTracer tablet application from SITA, the air transport IT specialist. Armed with iPads, Malaysia Airlines agents at Kuala Lumpur International Airport are bringing SITA’s global service for tracing bags and managing missing bag claims directly to the baggage belts.

Dato’ Mohd Salleh Ahmad Tabrani, Director of Customer Services Division, Malaysia Airlines, said: “In the unfortunate case that passengers arrive without their bags, they want immediate action. With SITA’s new tablet application, we can proactively manage baggage claims from anywhere in the airport. The whole process takes around five minutes, half the time customers normally spend finding the right counter and filling in forms on desktop terminals.”

Using WorldTracer on a tablet, airline agents can check the status of a missing bag, file a report for a delayed or lost bag, and print the passenger a receipt. Passengers no longer need to fill in forms because the agents simply scan their bag tags and boarding passes to retrieve the necessary information.

Matthys Serfontein, Vice President, Airport Solutions, SITA, said: “Our annual Baggage Reportshows that effective bag management plays an important role in improving passenger satisfaction. At SITA, we continually work with partners like Malaysia Airlines to develop and pilot new technologies that provide the best baggage handling tools available.”

SITA’s technology research arm, SITA Lab, designed the new tablet application in close collaboration with SITA baggage experts. The application draws on both commercial and open source software libraries to quickly scan boarding passes and bag tags using the tablet’s scanner, so no external scanner is necessary. In addition, it integrates several application program interfaces (APIs) from SITA’s developer.aero platform for air transport industry developers.

SITA has led the air transport industry in baggage tracking and tracing solutions for more than 20 years. Today, more than 150 airports and 500 airlines worldwide use its baggage management solutions. By facilitating communications between airlines and local baggage handling and reconciliation systems, SITA ensures that bags reach their correct destination. Its proprietaryBagMessage system delivered more than 1.5 billion messages between airline departure control systems and automated baggage systems in 2012. Each year, more than 2,200 airport locations useWorldTracer, SITA’s baggage tracing system.

According to the ninth annual SITA Baggage Report, airline baggage handling improved last year with the rate of mishandled bags dropping 1.78%. In 2012, the air transport industry mishandled 8.83 bags per thousand passengers, down from 8.99 in 2011. The industry achieved this improvement despite a 4.5% rise in passenger numbers to 2.95 billion; higher passenger volumes inevitably increase pressure on airport baggage operations.

Malaysia Airlines will pilot SITA’s WorldTracer tablet application for six months.

 

– Sixth aircraft for Malaysia Airlines handed over in Toulouse

Blagnac Cedex, France | March 14, 2013– Malaysia Airlines (MAS) and Airbus together marked a major achievement, with the hand-over of the 100th A380 to MAS at Airbus’ Henri Ziegler Delivery Centre in Toulouse, France. The aircraft is the sixth A380 for MAS.

“We are delighted that our 100th A380 delivery is to Malaysia Airlines as this gives us an early glimpse into the future shape of aviation,” said Fabrice Brégier, Airbus President and CEO. “We see a growing demand from dynamic, competitive airlines such as MAS for larger aircraft, with many markets and routes, and in particular in the fast developing Asia-Pacific region, being ideally suited to A380s.”

Now in its sixth year of commercial service, the A380 is flying with nine world class airlines. To date, the worldwide fleet has carried some 36 million passengers in 100,000 flights. Previous generation Very Large Aircraft (VLA 400 seats and above) would have required 140,000 flights. This reduction in flights brings essential relief to airport-congestion and the environment. The corresponding saving of 5.7 million tonnes of CO2, demonstrates the A380 generates more revenue whilst minimising emissions and noise.

The A380 fleet performs over 140 flights per day and carries over one and a half million people each month. Passengers can hop on board one of the A380s which are either taking off or landing every six minutes at one of the 32 international airports where it operates to date. On top of these, more than 50 other airports are getting prepared to accommodate the A380 and answer the airlines’ need for more A380 destinations.

Over the next 20 years, more than 1,700 VLA such as the A380 will have been delivered. Asia Pacific leads demand (45 percent) for these high capacity aircraft, followed by the Middle East (23 percent) and Europe (19 percent).

Typically seating 525 passengers in three classes, the aircraft is capable of flying 8,500 nautical miles or 15,700 kilometres non-stop, carrying more people at lower cost and with less impact on the environment. The spacious, quiet cabin and smooth ride have made the A380 a firm favourite with passengers, resulting in higher load factors wherever it flies.

Since 2006 the A380 has registered repeat orders by satisfied customers every year, bringing the total order book to date to 262 from 20 customers.

– Eight operator of world’s largest and most eco-efficient aircraft

May 29, 2012– Malaysia Airlines (MAS) has taken delivery of its first A380, becoming the eighth operator of the world’s largest and most eco-efficient airliner. The aircraft was handed over to MAS Group Chief Executive Officer Ahmad Jauhari Yahya by Airbus Chief Operating Officer Fabrice Brégier in Toulouse today.

Malaysia Airlines has ordered six A380s. Powered by Rolls-Royce Trent 900 engines, the aircraft feature a premium three class layout, with accommodation for a total of 494 passengers. Features include fully flat beds in First and Business Class, plus new wider seats in Economy. Seats in all classes are equipped with the latest individual in-flight entertainment systems, USB ports and satellite telephone facilities.

“The A380 showcases our latest premium offering in products and services. This will be our flagship aircraft, offering new levels of comfort, luxury and convenience for long haul travel,” said Ahmad Jauhari Yahya, MAS Group Chief Executive Officer. “With the A380 in our fleet, MAS will reinforce its position as one of the world’s preferred premium carriers bringing great Malaysian Hospitality to our customers.”

“We are extremely proud to welcome Malaysia Airlines as the latest operator of the A380,” said Fabrice Brégier, Chief Operating Officer, Airbus. “The A380 has set new standards of comfort, fuel-efficiency and respect for the environment. The combination of these features and MAS’s world-famous in-flight service represents a winning formula, enabling the carrier to offer its passengers the best the industry has to offer.”

Since first entering service in 2007, the A380 has exceeded all expectations, flying more people further at lower cost, while significantly reducing carbon emissions. The spacious, quiet cabin and smooth ride have also made the A380 a firm favourite with passengers, resulting in higher load factors and increased profitability on all routes where the aircraft is operated.

Typically seating 525 passengers in a three class layout, the A380 is capable of flying 8,300 nautical miles or 15,300 kilometres. This enables non-stop service with a full payload from Kuala Lumpur to any destination in Europe or one-stop service to major destinations in the US.

31 March, 2009 – Passengers on Malaysia Airlines are proving some of the world’s most enthusiastic users of in-flight mobiles as they embrace the award-winning AeroMobile service.

The rapid take-up has taken place since Malaysia Airlines launched the service last November, with customers taking advantage of keenly-priced calls, text messages and data services. The in-flight service is available to many destinations across Europe, Australia and the Asian region, including China and Japan. On some flights, passenger adoption has exceeded 40%.

Data devices such as Blackberry are proving popular, with data traffic on some flights exceeding 2MB, the equivalent of 40 Blackberry users sending and receiving email.

The service has benefited from collaborative marketing initiatives with leading telecoms providers in Malaysia, many launching with highly competitive pricing. As an introductory rate, a leading Malaysian Telco is charging just 0.99RM (circa. 19p) per text message. Receiving text messages is free of charge. These rates are comparable to global terrestrial cellular roaming rates.

Malaysia Airlines’ Commercial Director Dato’ Rashid Khan said: “We are delighted with passenger feedback from AeroMobile’s ongoing marketing initiatives. In line with our aim to become the World’s Five Star Value Carrier we are committed to delivering unrivalled levels of service to our passengers.

“Our cabin crew is trained to provide guidance to passengers on the usage of inflight mobile devices while maintaining privacy and comfort for all other passengers. This includes ensuring mobile phones are switched to silent mode during flights.

“I believe this has contributed to the overall positive customer experience on this service,” he said.

Bjorn-Taale Sandberg, Chief Executive Officer of AeroMobile, said: “High awareness amongst passengers, competitive pricing and a reliable platform has seen our service with Malaysia Airlines reach new heights.

“Customer feedback has been very positive. The imaginative pricing, with texts for as little as 0.99RM as an introductory offer, has really driven up usage. As we expected, data and SMS usage has been prolific, demonstrating clear passenger demand.

“We are also very well placed to upgrade our capability with Malaysia Airlines as, uniquely, the Honeywell avionics are already in place on their fleet to enable future Inmarsat SwiftBroadband upgrades later this year”.

The first Malaysia Airlines B777-200 was installed with the light weight AeroMobile system during a routine maintenance check.

About AeroMobile

AeroMobile Limited is a UK-based company which is majority owned by Telenor ASA. Since 2003, it has been pursuing the objective of developing the safe use of passengers own mobile phones and PDAs in response to market demands.

AeroMobile is the first in-flight mobile technology to be commercially available and first flew in June 2005 on Boeing’s 777-200LR ‘Worldliner’ demonstrator aircraft. It was subsequently trialled with Qantas on over 1,000 domestic Australian flights in 2007, when GSM text messaging and GPRS data services were offered to its passengers.

In March 2008, the AeroMobile system made possible the first authorised in-flight calls on a commercial flight with launch customer Emirates. Since that time, over 160,000 Emirates passengers have used AeroMobile, and it is now available on 32 aircraft – a quarter of the airline’s fleet.

AeroMobile is also in service with Malaysian Airlines, and will be rolled out on V Australia aircraft later this year.

AeroMobile is teamed with Panasonic Avionics Corporation, the Panasonic’s market-leading in-flight entertainment (IFE) systems provider, to offer the AeroMobile aircraft technology under the eXPhone brand as an integral part of Panasonic’s IFE systems. The AeroMobile system uses existing Inmarsat satellite communications systems installed on commercial aircraft, and these will be upgraded at the earliest opportunity to Inmarsat’s latest SwiftBroadband service providing further features and capabilities such as GPRS mobile data services

In September 2008, AeroMobile won the “Best Achievement in Technology 2008” award from the World Airline Entertainment Association (WAEA).

More information may be found at www.aeromobile.net