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Malaysia Airlines had its humble beginning in the golden age of travel. A joint initiative of the Ocean Steamship Company of Liverpool, the Straits Steamship of Singapore and Imperial Airways led to a proposal to the government of the Colonial Straits Settlement to run an air service between Penang and Singapore. The result was the incorporation of Malayan Airways Limited (MAL) on 12 October 1937. On 2 April 1947, MAL took to the skies with its first commercial flight as the national airline. Fuelled by a young and dynamic team of visionaries, the domestic carrier turned into an international airline in less than a decade.
With the formation of Malaysia in 1963, the airline changed its name to Malaysian Airlines Limited and soon after, Borneo Airways was incorporated into MAL. Within 20 years, MAL grew from a single aircraft operator into a company with 2,400 employees and a fleet operator using the then latest Comet IV jet aircraft, 6 F27s, 8 DCs and 2 Pioneers. In 1965, with the separation of Singapore from Malaysia, MAL became a bi-national airline and was renamed Malaysia-Singapore Airlines (MSA). A new logo was introduced and the airline grew exponentially with new services to Perth, Taipei, Rome and London. However, in 1973, the partners went separate ways; Malaysia introduced Malaysian Airline Limited, which was subsequently renamed Malaysian Airline System, or simply known as Malaysia Airlines. Today, Malaysia Airlines flies nearly 50,000 passengers daily to some 100 destinations worldwide.
The airline holds a lengthy record of service and best practices excellence, having received more than 100 awards in the last 10 years. The most notable ones include being the first airline with the "Worlds Best Cabin Crew" by Skytrax UK consecutively from 2001 until 2004, "5-star Airline" in 2005 and 2006, as well as No.1 for "Economy Class Onboard Excellence 2006" – also by Skytrax UK.
Medical assistance on-board
Most airlines that operate international flights have a policy for dealing with medical incidents on board. Cabin crew are trained to recognise and manage a range of in-flight medical emergencies. Airlines usually carry the following emergency equipment and supplies:
- First-aid kits, carried on all aircraft, to be used by the crew;
- A medical kit for the use of doctors or other qualified trained persons in treating in-flight medical emergencies; and
- An automatic external defibrillator, for use by the crew in case of cardiac emergencies.
Cabin crew are trained in the use of first-aid materials and in carrying out first-aid and resuscitation procedures. They are usually also trained to recognise a range of medical conditions which may cause emergencies on board and the appropriate measures to be taken during the flight.
Medical restrictions by airlines
Airlines require medical clearance by the medical department/adviser of the airline if there is an indication that a passenger may be suffering from any disease, physical or mental condition which may:
- Become aggravated by the flight environment;
- Adversely affect the welfare and comfort of the other passengers and/or crew members;
- Be considered a potential hazard to the safety of the aircraft; or
- Require medical attention and/or special equipment during the flight.
Airlines reserve the right to refuse to carry passengers with conditions where adverse effects or hazard may result during the flight. When cabin crew suspect that a passenger may be ill, the Commander will be informed and a decision taken on whether the passenger is fit to travel or presents a danger for other passengers or the safety of the aircraft.
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