KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia Airlines eyes to maintain its positive fiscal reporting trend this year, fuelled by a consistent and aggressive implementation of its Business Plan announced in December 2011.

Managing Director, Ahmad Jauhari Yahya said Malaysia Airlines will continue to accelerate implementation of its Business Plan this year, with added focus on increasing revenue and yields through aggressive marketing and promotions, and better capacity management.

He added the delivery of more new fuel efficient aircraft as part of its fleet renewal programme, including the entry of Airbus A380 into Malaysia Airlines' fleet as well as the entry into the oneworld alliance by Feb 1, 2013 are expected to have a positive effect towards improved products and services delivery to its passengers and ultimately return the Group to profitability.

"At the same time, the airline group will actively continue to lower costs through improved cost management and driving productivity for better efficiencies system-wide," he told Bernama.

Malaysia Airlines posted a net profit of RM37 million for its third quarter ended Sept 30, 2012 after six consecutive quarters of losses and a significant improvement compared with the RM478 million losses it recorded in the previous corresponding period.

Ahmad Jauhari said a key element in the national airline's turnaround is putting the funding plan in place, designed to strengthen the balance sheet, increase working capital and provide a solid funding platform for delivery of the new, fuel efficient aircraft.

Malaysia Airlines, which is currently on a fleet renewal plan which involves 45 Boeing 737-800 aircraft, 15 new Airbus 330-300 aircraft and six Airbus 380 aircraft, will continue taking delivery of these aircraft progressively in 2013 until 2017.

"The new deliveries are very essential to maintain relevance in a competitive market," he added.

He said apart from being more technologically efficient and lowering the overall fuel bill, which currently rakes up to 38 per cent of the carrier's monthly operating costs, the new aircraft will enable the airline to offer a heightened level of products and services to guests at better yields.

On the oneworld alliance, Ahmad Jauhari said the alliance, slated to be sealed next month, will boost and strengthen Malaysia Airline's competitive position considerably with an increased network that expands global coverage to 840 destinations in 156 countries.

"The oneworld alliance will also improve visibility of our network which serves more than 60 destinations in nearly 30 countries and enables the airline to tap the financial benefits that come from being part of a global alliance through additional passenger feed and cost reduction opportunities," he added.

Meanwhile, on Malaysia Airline's wholly-owned subsidiaries, Firefly and MASwings, Ahmad Jauhari said the airlines are expanding their network and capacity ahead of the full implementation of Asean Open Sky policy in 2015.

The RM3 billion worth of 36 ATR72-600 model turboprops aircraft ordered by Malaysia Airlines from French-Italian aircraft maker Avions de Transport Régional (ATR), will also enable the two subsidiaries to gain a stronger aviation footprint upon the liberalisation of the industry.

Some 20 out of the 36 turboprop orders will be slated for Firefly while the rest are for MASwings, and the order is scheduled for delivery by the second quarter of 2013 and will span over the next five years.

Firefly will gradually replace its existing fleet of ATR72-500 and use the new turboprop for its network spanning Peninsular Malaysia, East Sumatra, Singapore and the southern islands of Thailand, while MASwings will continue to focus on East Malaysian operations and secondary routes in the East Asean Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) region.

- Bernama