Malaysia Airlines adds extra flights, focuses on ASEAN routes

Malaysia Airlines is adding flights from its hub in Kuala Lumpur, with Bangkok, Beijing, Jakarta, Los Angeles, Manila, Medan, Phnom Penh and Taipei all seeing extra scheduled services.

That's good news for business travellers connecting to Asian destinations on MAS via KL, since extra flights can mean shorter layovers en route.

Malaysia Airlines is focussing its network on what it calls "the core ASEAN region" within Southeast Asia.

For Australian business travellers, MAS' frequent flyer partnerships with numerous other airlines -- not to mention its plans to join the oneworld alliance, sponsored by Qantas -- make it a useful way to top up your frequent flyer accounts.

We've summarised the list of MAS' schedule additions, which come into force on 25 March unless otherwise specified:

• Bangkok: extra weekly flight on Sundays, making the route four times daily.
• Beijing: new evening flight daily, bringing service to double daily 
• Jakarta: two more weekly flights, for a total of 42 flights a week
• Los Angeles: changes from via Taipei three times a week to via Tokyo Narita four times a week.
• Manila: extra daily flight, up to 21 weekly
• Medan: extra flight on Fridays, bringing service to double daily
• Phnom Penh: extra two flights weekly from 25 March, three further extra flights from 1 May, to end up with double daily flights
• Taipei: three extra flights a week, bringing schedule to daily.

John Walton

Aviation journalist and travel columnist John took his first long-haul flight when he was eight weeks old and hasn't looked back since. Well, except when facing rearwards in business class.