Trying time for MAS employees

An air stewardess met at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) here before starting her duty in an international flight said she had put up a bold front at work undeterred by her uncertain future.

"I am leaving it to God, will take it one day at a time," she said and declined to be identified.

According to her, many of her flight crew colleagues were disenchanted over the uncertain future following a retrenchment exercise by MAS under a restructuring of the national airlines.

"Letters will be sent to the house by post, so for us at work today, we do not know if the letter has arrived. For the time being, we leave it to the decision of the management," she told Bernama here Wednesday.

An observation by Bernama also found MAS's operation proceeding as normal.

An MAS air steward said he and his friends were unsure of the compensation involved under the retrenchment.

"We are nervous over so many things that have not been confirmed," he said when met before leaving for duty on an international flight and declined to be identified.

It was reported the services of 20,000 Malaysia Airlines employees will be terminated but two thirds would be reemployed by the new airline company in a move to launch the migration of existing MAS operation to a new company, MAS Bhd starting Sept 1.

A MAS employee at the check-in counter said she was confused with the procedure of the termination.

"Some said there will be two letters (termination and reemployment) but some said the offer letters will be distributed in stages until September. We are worried," said the employee who has been working for MAS for six years and declined to be identified.

For loyal MAS passenger, Dr. Hassan Abu Bakar, the retrenchment exercise especially the frontline staff and critical operation employees such as flight crew need not be carried out.

"I feel the operation section is not a problem in MAS. I can see the crew members are working as usual and for me, MAS service is still among the best. I will support MAS 100 per cent," he said.

Nonetheless, he hoped the restructuring implemented by MAS would bring back the glory of the airlines which is a pride of the nation.

Another passenger, Peter Bray, 76, of New Zealand said he had patronised MAS service more than 20 times and was always satisfied with the service provided.

"I have been reading the newspaper about the restructuring and a lot of people (MAS employees) don't know whether they got to keep their job. If I have been in that position I will be very very worried.

"I hope the restructuring exercise would work out very well because I fly with MAS quite often and it will be a shame to see them go under," he said.

Meanwhile in Kuala Lumpur, a taxi company Wednesday offered employment opportunities as executive taxi drivers for Malaysia Airlines (MAS) employees who had been retrenched.

Premium Big Blue founder, Datuk Shamsubahrin Ismail said the service which operates at Kuala Lumpur City Centre (KLCC) was prepared to recruit between 500 to 800 MAS employees regardless of their ranks to assist them find a living.