MALAYSIA AIRLINES PURSUES STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS WITH OTHER CARRIERS

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 4 (Bernama) -- Malaysia Airlines (MAS) Thursday clarified
that it is pursuing strategic partnerships with a number of airlines, but
stopped short of saying it was merging with any of them.

Australian newspapers have been playing up reports of Qantas in merger
talks
with British Airways, which included additional news that the Australian airline
had merger talks with MAS, Malaysia's national carrier, earlier this
year.

Responding to the reports, MAS managing director/chief executive officer,
Datuk Seri Idris Jala said: "We are in talks with a number of airlines on
collaborating and creating synergies for growth, ranging from joint ventures and
code shares to interlining partnerships."

For example, he said, the national carrier has signed a memorandum of
understanding with Qantas on joint venture on maintainance repair and
overhaul.

"In our Business Transformation Plan, we have said we will pursue strategic
partnerships to create additional value for MAS.

"This is in line with our vision to transform into The World's Five-Star
Value Carrier," he said.

According to the Sydney Morning Herald, MAS and Qantas earlier this year
started talks but were suspended because they could not agree on the merger
ratio and governance issues.

Qantas was now in merger talks with British Airways and is said to have
committed itself to forging a tie-up with a foreign carrier even if the planned
merger falters.
-- BERNAMA