Malaysia Airlines 'technically bankrupt', to cut 6,000 jobs

The newly appointed chief executive of loss-making Malaysia Airlines said on Monday that the carrier is 'technically bankrupt,' as he announced a restructuring programme and plans that will cut about 6,000 jobs.

The newly appointed chief executive of loss-making Malaysia Airlines said on Monday that the carrier is 'technically bankrupt'.

“We are technically bankrupt...the decline of performance started long before the tragic events of 2014,” Christoph Mueller said, speaking at a news conference. 

Already squeezed into years of losses by stiff regional competition, the carrier was seriously affected last year by the loss of two jets in separate disasters.

Mueller was making his first public appearance as CEO since being hired last month by the carrier's owner, Malaysian state fund Khazanah, to lead the restructuring.

The airline on Monday The airline said it had "offered jobs" to 14,000 of its 20,000 workforce.

The airline is operating as normal and no flights are currently affected.

In March last year, Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 disappeared with 239 passengers and crew aboard. The plane is still missing.

Four months later, flight MH17 was shot down by a suspected ground-to-air missile while in Ukrainian airspace, with the loss of 298 passengers and crew.

The two disasters proved to be the final straw for the already struggling business, which had reported losses for several years as a result of strong regional competition.