MALAYSIA Airlines is offering discounts on domestic air fares to students, teachers and lecturers who are going back to the classrooms as educational institutions reopen next week, said Senior Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob. 

“Malaysia Airlines will give a 20% discount to teachers and lecturers and they can make the bookings from July 9-10. The travel dates are from July 10 to November 30. 

“The discounts can be obtained by booking online and entering the promo code which will be announced by the Education and  Higher Education Ministries,” he said at a press conference in Putrajaya today. 

Students, however, would need to join the MH Explorer programme to receive the same discount. They can enrol on the Malaysia Airlines website.

“The student will get the discount until November 30, or when the term of membership expires in accordance with MH Explorer’s membership requirements

The discount follows Putrajaya’s complaint that local airlines should revert to their regular rates when now that they are allowed to operate at full capacity.

Ismail said there were complaints of airlines charging high fares for domestic flights.

He said the government had asked the Malaysian Aviation Commission to discuss the matter with the carriers.

“We have recently heard talk of high ticket prices.

“We understand that the ticket rates were higher at first because the carriers could only operate at a reduced capacity with social distancing rules. That meant each flight had only 66% of its usual capacity,” he said last week.

“Hopefully other airlines can also participate and lower the ticket prices.”

The Education Ministry had announced that schools will open on July 15. – July 8, 2020.