Malaysia Airlines temporarily halts luggage transport on Europe-bound flights

Frequent travelers are accustomed to the occasional missing bag, whether it's from tight connections or airline mistakes.

However, it's rare for passengers to be informed before boarding that their checked luggage won't be flying with them.

This was the case for Malaysia Airlines passengers traveling to Europe from Kuala Lumpur this week, when the airline announced a temporary luggage ban on January 5 and 6 due to “exceptionally strong headwinds” preventing the safe transport of baggage in the cargo hold.

Passengers who still wanted to check in their luggage were informed it would be sent to them on a later flight.

On Wednesday morning, the airline revised its travel advisory, announcing that checked baggage would be permitted again on all flights, in accordance with standard baggage allowances.

“The headwinds encountered over the past four days exceeded 200 knots, which can lead to a 15% increase in fuel consumption for a B777-200 aircraft,” the airline stated.

“After conducting a daily risk assessment, the airline is now able to take a more direct route on European flights,” the statement continued.

Expert: An unusual approach to handling headwinds.

What was the rationale behind the luggage ban?

Strong headwinds force flights to consume more fuel, and reducing the weight of the aircraft helps reduce fuel burn rates.

What sets the Malaysia Airlines situation apart is the airline's specific response to the challenge.

“Weight restrictions on flights arise from various factors – such as weather, headwinds, high-altitude airports, or exceptionally long routes,” explained Dinogo aviation correspondent Richard Quest.

For instance, Qantas Airways flights from Sydney to Dallas occasionally face weight restrictions.

“The key issue is how you manage the situation,” Quest added. “Most airlines would prioritize offloading cargo before inconveniencing passengers.”

“Some airlines would choose to deny boarding to certain passengers in order to lighten the aircraft,” said Quest.

“I can't recall ever hearing of luggage being left behind, as it creates significant inconvenience for so many people. It’s better to leave a few passengers behind than disrupt and anger hundreds,” he added.

Aviation expert Tom Ballantyne, chief correspondent for *Orient Aviation* magazine, told Dinogo that he's never encountered an airline taking such measures either.

“Typically, if headwinds impact the range, an airline would reduce the overall number of passengers,” Ballantyne explained.

“This would obviously cut into the airline’s revenue for that flight, but headwind issues are usually temporary and not a permanent problem,” he added.

“This likely only occurs on a few days throughout the year. And clearly, no other airlines operating nonstop from Asia to Europe are implementing similar actions,” said Aziz.

Mohsin Aziz, an aviation analyst at Maybank in Kuala Lumpur, told Dinogo that Malaysia Airlines' Boeing 777-200ER, used for its Paris and Amsterdam routes, is a 17-year-old aircraft with a maximum range of only 14 hours on a full tank of fuel.

In contrast, newer engines can operate for up to 17 hours without refueling.

Flights from Kuala Lumpur to Paris and Amsterdam typically last about 12 hours, leaving little margin for error with the older aircraft, he explained.

For its Kuala Lumpur to London route, Malaysia Airlines uses an Airbus A380, a larger and more modern aircraft.

On Twitter, reactions to the airline's January 4 announcement of temporary baggage restrictions ranged from confusion to frustration, with many questioning why other carriers weren’t implementing similar bans despite encountering the same weather conditions.

In response, Malaysia Airlines stated that each airline conducts its own risk assessments, emphasizing that passenger safety is always their top priority.

Which airlines were ranked as the world's safest in 2016?