MALAYSIA Airlines Bhd (MAB) has received 10 new hi-lift trucks ahead of schedule that would help reinstate hot meal services onboard routes affected by the airline’s recent catering change.

In a statement today, MAB said the arrival of another 10 hi-lift trucks in the coming months, along with proactive steps taken to enhance and fine-tune its pre-packaged meal components in the interim, will fully restore its full meal service by mid-November this year.

“Since September 11, 2023, MAB has reintroduced simplified hot meals for business class passengers on the Bangkok and Denpasar routes.

“Starting today, economy class passengers travelling to Bangkok and Denpasar, as well as passengers on all cabin class on flights from Kuala Lumpur to Kota Kinabalu, Kuching, Manila and Hong Kong, will be served hot meals,” it said.

“Passengers travelling to other South Asian, North Asian and Australian destinations will continue to receive the simplified hot meals onboard,” it said.

“In the absence of the hi-lifts, MAB temporarily suspended hot meal offerings to ensure food safety was not compromised,” it said.

On September 1, MAB introduced revised in-flight meals on routes previously served by its former catering provider.

“Services for the London, Auckland, Jeddah, Madinah, Osaka and Haneda routes remain unaffected,” it said.

MAB said it had established a temporary distribution centre in Kuala Lumpur International Airport to manage the assembly of food and beverage items by respective suppliers and the uplifting of meal boxes onboard via hi-lift trucks.

The airline said the centre’s operations followed standards set by the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia and endorsed by local health authorities for its cleanliness, hygiene and environment. – Bernama, September 15, 2023.