KUALA LUMPUR (March 20): The Malaysian Aviation Commission (Mavcom) has received a total of 821 complaints, representing an 11.7% year-on-year increase in complaints lodged with the commission throughout the six-month period of July to December 2018, compared to 735 complaints recorded in the same period in 2017.

The increase was mainly due to higher complaints against airlines — which made up the lion's share or 810 of total complaints, up 12.3% from 721 previously, while complaints against airports had dropped 21.4% y-o-y to 11 from 14.

The statistics were contained in Mavcom's latest Consumer Report released today, which highlighted Malaysia Airlines as having the most number of complaints received by the commission, followed by AirAsia and Malindo Air.

Of the total complaints, Malaysia Airlines recorded 413 complaints, up 41.9% compared with last year, while AirAsia had 230 complaints, marking a 36.1% rise.

Meanwhile, cases filed against Malindo Air dropped by 58.9%, with 69 complaints compared with the corresponding period in the previous year.

Notably, mishandled baggage, processing of refunds, as well as flight delays made up the top three complaint categories. These three categories together contributed to 51.6% of total complaints received.

Of the complaints received during the six-month period, Mavcom said it has resolved and closed 99.6% of them, continuing its high complaint resolution success rate, adding 55% of the resolved complaints involving airlines reversing their initial decisions for a resolution in favour of consumers.

Mavcom executive chairman Dr Nungsari Ahmad Radhi said the rise in complaints from July to December indicates improved awareness levels among consumers of their rights.

"The commission will continue to drive awareness while educating and empowering travellers through our consumer-centric initiative, FlySmart," he said in a statement accompanying the release of the report.

The report also detailed Mavcom's latest consumer-centric initiative, FlySmart, in line with its efforts to educate the level of awareness among consumers of their air travel rights. During the reporting period, the Commission launched the FlySmart Facebook as well as Instagram pages, which allow consumers to learn more about their rights in an interactive manner.

During the reporting period, the commission had also launched FlySmart's Facebook as well as Instagram pages, which allow consumers to learn more about their rights in an interactive manner.