ORANGE Travel consultant Gai Fardell says since the tragic downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17, she’s had no clients express any interest in flying with the maligned airline.
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Shot down over the Ukraine on July 17 and killing all 298 passengers and crew on board, the downing of MH17 is the second major flying accident the Malaysia Airlines carrier has been involved with in 2014 following the mysterious disappearance of flight MH370 on March 8.
And Ms Fardell said the two-pronged crisis had impacted on people’s choice of airline.
“Since the second incident we haven’t had any booking with Malaysia Airlines,” she said.
“After the first incident we had a few boys go to Phuket with Malaysia but they’re back now. We haven’t had anyone since.”
Trevor Matheson, however, has no qualms with flying Malaysia Airlines again.
He does, however, have one gripe with the financially stricken carrier.
After booking online through a travel agent in Brisbane, Mr Matheson has been scheduled to fly with Malaysia Airlines for a number of months and until recently didn’t think there would be any complications with his travel plans.
“But after the last event I remembered I hadn’t organised travel insurance,” Mr Matheson said.
“I made some inquiries with my travel agent and there’s four insurers that cover insolvency, but they’ve removed Malaysia Airlines from the clause.”
It’s left Mr Matheson, the chief executive officer of Dudley Private Hospital in Orange, running the danger of Malaysia Airlines folding under the financial pressures of handling two lost aircrafts and his booking crumbling with it.
He says while he may be running the insolvency gauntlet in the lead-up to flying Malaysia Airlines, he’ll be happy with the service once on board.
“It is frustrating, but I was just trying to cover my bases. I have every confidence in Malaysia Airlines,” he said.
“My only concern is with the airline’s ability to remain solvent.”