Malaysia Airlines closes Perth, Singapore airport lounges
By David Flynn, September 1 2015
Malaysia Airlines has closed its airport lounges at Perth and Singapore as the airline continues efforts to slash costs and 'right-size' its operations.
Business class passengers and Enrich Platinum and Gold frequent flyers travelling from Perth Airport are being directed to the business lounge of Oneworld partner Qantas.
The Malaysia Airlines Golden Lounge at Singapore's Changi Airport has also been shuttered, with travellers steered to the Premier Lounge – although MAS notes that "guests who have valid Enrich Golden Lounge Access redemption voucher to access the Malaysia Airlines Golden Lounge are not entitled to use this Premier Lounge as is this a 3rd party lounge."
The move mirrors MAS' decision to close Sydney lounge in 2014 in favour of the airport's superior Qantas lounges.
Malaysia Airlines CEO Christoph Mueller told Australian Business Traveller earlier this year that some of the airline's own lounges would "be closed and replaced... in order to provide a better service to the customer, because our smaller lounges will never be able to compete with a larger lounge equipped with showers and so forth."
Upgrades for KL and London lounges
However, those lounges which remain in business – including its flagship lounges at Kuala Lumpur – will receive a much-needed upgrade to woo premium travellers.
"They will all be improved, because they are a little bit tired" Mueller said.
"There is very little consistency in terms of what we offer when it comes to food, to workspace and other facilities. This is the plan for our main three lounges in KLIA, and also London Heathrow and Melbourne."
Read: Malaysia Airlines to close some airport lounges, update others
Last month saw Malaysia Airlines axe all flights to Brisbane and reduce flights to Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth, while two of MAS' six Airbus A380s have also been offered for sale or lease as "surplus to requirements."
Malaysia Airlines has racked up debts approaching $1.5 billion since 2011, with a dire situation worsened by last year's twin tragedies of the disappearance of flight MH370 and the shooting down of MH17.
The airline was nationalised in late 2014 by Malaysia's government-owned investment arm Khazanah Nasional, which has pledged a A$2 billion injection to fund the dramatic restructure aimed at returning the airline to profitability by 2017.
The company behind the airline has today changed its name from Malaysia Airline Systems Berhad to Malaysia Airlines Berhad.
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David Flynn is the Editor-in-Chief of Executive Traveller and a bit of a travel tragic with a weakness for good coffee, shopping and lychee martinis.
21 Feb 2015
Total posts 68
And that (critically, for those who smoke, I don't fwiw) marks the end of the last lounge available with a smoking room in SIN after SQ did away with them in their T2 SKL's. Naturally it's inconsequential for most of us, but I thought I'd highlight the fact.
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
10 Jan 2012
Total posts 258
Would anyone have used the MH lounge in SIN when the Qantas Lounge is there? Even a terminal switch wouldn't faze most people.
21 Feb 2015
Total posts 68
The QF lounge is as you say, decidedly superior, but the vast majority of MH travellers on this route, from observation, would be business travellers, and would arrive at the airport very late and sometimes not even use any lounge at all. For them I understand it was a daily/weekly commute.
02 Apr 2015
Total posts 4
As Nix584 said, I would have happily walked from the future T5 to get to the Qantas lounge! The QF lounge hours are often not compatible with the MH flights - that lounge was a joke, good riddance.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
19 Nov 2011
Total posts 243
Shame that MAS or should I say MAB now, is located at T2 rather than T1 at Singapore airport. Would have been useful to use BA, QF, CX lounge options as they're pretty spectacular.
Instead, they've diverted their J class passengers to Premier Lounge in T2.
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