Malaysia Airlines offers higher baggage allowances

MANILA, Philippines - Malaysia Airlines said effective Feb. 14, 2013, its passengers will enjoy an additional 10 kilograms free checked baggage allowance and reduced excess baggage charges for travel in all classes. These apply to all travel from this date irrespective of tickets issued earlier reflecting the original lower free allowance. 

The national carrier of Malaysia is introducing these benefits on all its flights involving the weight system concept for checked baggage, except for travel to and from Los Angeles where the charges are based on the piece system.

Malaysia Airlines’ regional senior vice president for Malaysia/ASEAN Muzammil Mohamad said: “The revised checked baggage policy improves our product proposition in the ever-changing competitive landscape of the commercial aviation industry. This is also in line with our business plan strategy of ‘Winning Back Customers’.”

“As travellers are becoming more discerning in selecting their air travel options, we have simplified the excess baggage rates to introduce a consistent policy for our passengers that delivers significant savings while they enjoy our premium service hospitality,” he added.

Under the new baggage guidelines all adult and child passengers will enjoy 30, 40, and 50 kilos free baggage allowance respectively for travel on economy, business and first class.

Charges for checked baggage weights in excess of the new free allowance will be calculated depending on zone of travel with a fixed rate applied for every five kilos of excess baggage weight.

The excess baggage rate for each block of five kilograms excess weight will be in the US Dollar equivalent of Malaysian ringgit (RM) 30, 60 and 90 respectively depending on zone of travel.

The equivalent of RM30 applies for each sector in the zone within Malaysia and the ASEAN countries of Singapore, Brunei, Indonesia, Philippines, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia.

For sectors in the zone beyond Malaysia and ASEAN, covering destinations in India, China, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Hong Kong, China, Taiwan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Japan, Korea, New Zealand and Australia, the equivalent of RM60 applies.

The intercontinental rate of RM90 or its equivalent will be charged on all travel between Malaysia and the cities of Jeddah, London, Amsterdam, Paris, Frankfurt and Istanbul.

For return travel from the international cities, the RM value of the applicable zone charge will be converted into the local currency of payment during check-in.

The above guidelines apply only for travel on Malaysia Airlines and does not cover code-share flights as well as travel involving other airlines.

Earlier, effective May last year, the national carrier also streamlined cabin baggage rules for all its domestic and international flights. Guests travelling economy class were allowed one piece cabin baggage up to a maximum of seven kilos instead of five kilos. first and business class travellers were allowed two pieces of cabin baggage with a maximum weight of seven kilos each.