KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 19 — AirAsia received the most number of complaints against airlines in the country during the first half of the year, the Malaysian Aviation Commission (Mavcom) revealed today.

The low-cost carrier accounted for 42.1 per cent of all aviation-related complaints in the period, ahead of Malaysia Airlines (40.7 per cent) and Batik Air (7.9 per cent) according to Mavcom’s 12th issue of its bi-annual Consumer Report for the first half of 2022 (1H22).

"Throughout 1H22, a total of 1,251 complaints were registered with Mavcom, with 99.1 per cent (1,240) complaints received on airlines while 0.9 per cent (11) complaints were related to airports,” the commission said in a statement.

Mavcom said about a quarter of the complaints received led to airlines providing equitable or satisfactory resolutions to customers as a result of its review, which resulted in 87.9 per cent (1,100) of the complaints being resolved and closed.

"Flight rescheduling, flight cancellations, and online booking collectively contributed to 46.1 per cent (577) of total complaints filed,” Mavcom said.

Mavcom executive chairman Datuk Seri Saripuddin Kasim said Malaysian aviation service providers should take note of the breakdown in the report as guidance for further improvement.

"As a proactive measure by Mavcom, we have also been actively engaging aviation service providers to ensure that these issues are being addressed,” he added.

He also recommended that air travellers use the Travel Advisory feature within the FlySmart mobile app for up-to-date information on global air travel requirements.

"Additionally, Mavcom is working towards the enhancement of the Malaysian Aviation Consumer Protection Code (MACPC) to further protect air travellers and in continuing to empower them to exercise their rights,” he said.

The Consumer Report for 1H22 also provides updates on other consumer-related initiatives and covers Mavcom’s efforts to educate and empower consumers through its FlySmart website, social pages, and mobile app.

"The report provides a clear and comprehensive summary of the state of the aviation industry during the course of the post-pandemic air travel recovery period as well as its impact on consumers,” said Mavcom.