An ATB incident involves a flight being forced to return to the airport from which it departed after takeoff.
In a written response to the Dewan Rakyat today, the ministry said this number compared with 13 ATB incidents involving the airline for the whole of last year, Bernama reported.
Similarly, it said the airline recorded a total of 181 Return to Chock (RTC) incidents so far this year. RTC refers to situations where the aircraft is directed to return to the parking position due to issues before takeoff.
The transport ministry added that there were 248 RTC cases last year.
“These incidents are usually caused by emergencies or abnormal situations, such as engine failure, technical issues, or medical emergencies,” the ministry said in its written reply.
The clarification was made in response to a question from Shaharizukirnain Abd Kadir (PN-Setiu) regarding the transport ministry’s strategy to ensure proper maintenance of Malaysia Airlines aircraft and an explanation of the factors contributing to technical issues.
The ministry revealed that the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM) conducted a surprise investigation into Malaysia Airlines Berhad (MAB), including MAB Engineering Services, which is responsible for aircraft maintenance, from June 24 to 28.
The investigation found that possible mechanical component issues and a shortage of skilled labour were significant contributors to MAB’s technical incidents.
“MAB’s corrective actions include implementing a mitigation plan to enhance aircraft safety to a heightened level of vigilance, and ensuring a focus on aircraft reliability.
“In addition, MAB is in the process of procuring new aircraft and ensuring sufficient availability of planes to meet scheduled flight demands,” it said.
To strengthen aircraft maintenance, the transport ministry said MAB had taken proactive measures, such as temporarily cancelling certain domestic and international flight routes to ensure the long-term durability of aircraft and operational robustness.
MAB had also conducted a thorough investigation into ongoing technical issues, identifying and rectifying root causes, and enhancing maintenance protocols to ensure compliance with safety standards.
Furthermore, MAB is focusing on improving training and hiring to address the increasing demand and complexity of modern aircraft.
Meanwhile, the ministry said that based on the latest audit by CAAM, the renewal period for the Air Operator’s Certificate (AOC) for MAB had been shortened from three years to one.
“This will ensure that MAB remains alert and takes the necessary improvement actions as outlined in CAAM’s mitigation plan,” it said.