Battling Malaysia Airlines likely to pull plug on Darwin
The MH17 tragedy will likely spell the end for the beleaguered Malaysia Airlines’ popular Darwin to Kuala Lumpur route, a Territory travel agent says.
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The MH17 tragedy will likely spell the end for the beleaguered Malaysia Airlines’ popular Darwin to Kuala Lumpur route, a Territory travel agent says.
Latitude Travel managing director Xana Da Silva said Territory travellers booked to fly on Malaysia Airlines in the coming weeks were now asking to be taken off flights in the wake of the latest air disaster.
The airline has announced that it will offer full refunds for the next week for passengers wishing to postpone or cancel their travel plans – including for non-refundable tickets.
Ms Da Silva said the Malaysia Airlines route from Darwin into KL had been a popular connection for Territorians travelling on to London, Paris and Amsterdam.
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The route is popular with Territory adventure travellers to Amsterdam taking part in river cruising into Budapest.
The Darwin-to-KL route had been noticeably flying under-capacity since the MH370 went missing earlier this year.
Ms Da Silva told the NT News she was doubtful the airline could recover following its second air tragedy this year.
READ: THREE TERRITORIANS KILLED IN MH17 CRASH
“I think they will pull out. Loadings from Darwin were already pretty low. To go through what happened a second time round in four months is just catastrophic,” she said. “People accepted this happening once in a lifetime ... but when it happens twice within four months people will start questioning whether they will fly again.
“I’ve had text messages from clients saying get me off their flights.
“I don’t know anyone who would want to fly that route, and I think we will definitely see a decline in travel to Europe as people stop and take note and start travelling a little closer to home.”
Ms Da Silva said if the airline pulled out of the Territory, it would limit direct flights from Darwin into Singapore to Jetstar and Silk Air.
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