MAS seeks help from Qantas officials

Agence France-Presse, Kuala Lumpur

Loss-making national carrier Malaysia Airlines (MAS) has appointed two Australians from Qantas to top positions as it aims to meet financial targets, a report said Wednesday.

The Star newspaper, citing industry sources, said Dave Condit would take up the post of general manager of sales while Kim J. Kelly would be assisting in the area of inventory and yield management.

Both would report to Ahmad Fuaad Dahalan, MAS senior general manager of sales, distribution and marketing.

A MAS spokeswoman told AFP the airline had no immediate comment on the report.

The appointments, on a two year contract basis, are effective from Thursday, The Star said.

Condit and Kelly are the latest Qantas imports to join MAS after Paul Mooney was appointed as senior general manager of the network and revenue management division in June.

It said Bashir Ahmad had resigned from his post as executive vice-president of the airline effective Tuesday and would take up a position as advisor to the transport ministry.

Two other officials who have reportedly resigned are Rodzlan Akib Abu Bakar, the airline's executive vice-president for information technology and Abdullah Mohamad Zaid, who heads corporate affairs.

Sources said the changes indicated that the MAS board had given wide powers to managing director Mohamad Nor Mohamad Yusoff, a close ally of Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, who is attempting to turn the ailing carrier around.

A report recently said MAS may ground at least 10 aircraft and slash its workforce by 3,000 as part of a plan to remain afloat.