Airline operators are required to resolve complaints within 30 days

KUALA LUMPUR, 13 May 2022: The Malaysian Aviation Commission (MAVCOM) is urging consumers affected by indiscriminate changes to flight schedules to lodge a complaint with their respective operating airlines in order to ensure that they receive proper care and reimbursements. 

The Malaysian Aviation Consumer Protection Code (MACPC), which the Commission introduced in 2016 and further enhanced in 2019 to protect consumer interests in air travel, requires airlines to resolve consumer complaints within 30 days of receipt of those complaints. 

Datuk Seri Hj. Saripuddin Hj. Kasim, Executive Chairman, Malaysian Aviation Commission, said, “It is important for consumers to be well informed of their rights as air travellers and be made aware that airlines and other aviation service providers must resolve their complaints within 30 days as outlined in the MACPC. This timeline requirement also applies to various other aviation-related issues, including flight cancellations, mishandled baggage, and others.”

He added, “If the response provided by the airlines is unsatisfactory or if the matter remains unresolved, please escalate those complaints to MAVCOM together with the relevant documentation. Since MAVCOM’s inception in 2016, we received more than 22,000 complaints and feedback from consumers whom we have assisted.” 

MAVCOM stands firm that consumer rights should continuously be upheld by airlines and is well underway with its investigation of flight schedule disruptions by all airlines over the recent festive period. MAVCOM’s review, based on facts and data, aims to provide an objective, accurate and comprehensive view of the situation. The outcome of the investigation will be made known and announced in due course. 

MAVCOM will be guided by its existing financial penalty imposition mechanism should there be any non-compliance with the MACPC or the Malaysian Aviation Commission Act 2015. In the past, MAVCOM has imposed penalties on airlines amounting to RM4.7 million for non-compliance with the MACPC.

Affected consumers who did not receive a response or are dissatisfied with the resolution provided by air service providers are encouraged to forward their complaints to MAVCOM via the FlySmart website at www.flysmart.my, or the FlySmart mobile app which can be downloaded for free via the Apple App Store of the Google Play Store. Consumers may also contact our consumer hotline at 1800-18-6966 for calls within Malaysia or +603-7651 2777 for calls outside of Malaysia. 

To learn more about your air travel rights in the case of flight delay or cancellation, please click here.