Malaysia Airlines halts flights to Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth

Malaysia Airlines is pulling the plug on flights to Adelaide, Brisbane and Perth from October 25 2020 through to March 27 2021 as Australia's international borders look set to remain closed until next year.

A spokesperson for Malaysia Airlines confirmed the "temporary suspension" of flights to Executive Traveller.

Services to Sydney and Melbourne will continue, but at a reduced frequency of one flight per week until 2021.

The Oneworld member's Kuala Lumpur-Sydney schedule will toggle up to twice per week from March 1 to March 27, 2021.

"Despite the restrictions on inbound arrival caps, Malaysia Airlines will continue to operate flights from Melbourne with 1 weekly flight until 31 December 2020 and gradually increasing to two flights weekly from 1 January to 28 February 2021, and three times weekly from 1 March to 27 March 2021," the spokesperson said, adding that the airline "will continually review the border restrictions, in hope of reintroducing flights earlier."

Giles Gilbert, Malaysia Airlines' Regional Manager for Australia & New Zealand, said in a statement that while the flights are "not commercially viable, Malaysia Airlines has continued to maintain flights between Australia and Malaysia since March 2020... to reunite Malaysian families across this region and provide connections for Australian overseas to return home."

David Flynn

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.