Most delayed passengers do the same two things: complain loudly at the counter, then complain online to nobody in particular. Neither starts a clock. Malaysia has a formal process with deadlines attached, and it only works in the right order.
Two things changed recently. The consumer code was strengthened in 2024, and the regulator enforcing it changed hands in 2025. If you last looked this up before then, your mental model is out of date.
Who handles airline complaints in Malaysia now
From 1 August 2025, the regulatory functions previously held by the Malaysian Aviation Commission (MAVCOM) were assumed by the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM), under the MAVCOM (Dissolution) Act 2024.
What did not change is more important than what did. The Malaysian Aviation Consumer Protection Code (MACPC) remains in force. The complaint process, the 30-day resolution timeline and the consumer platforms all continue as before — CAAM simply took over the file.
Complaints lodged with MAVCOM before 1 August 2025 were transferred across, existing case numbers remain valid, and nothing needs resubmitting.
Step 1: Complain to the airline first, in writing
The regulator will not take your case until the airline has had its turn. This is the step people skip, and it is the step that starts the clock.
Contact the airline through an official channel — its website form, customer service line, or the airport counter — and put the following in one place:
- Your booking reference, flight number and date.
- What happened, in sequence, with times.
- What you are asking for: a refund, reimbursement of a specific cost, or compensation.
- Supporting documents: boarding passes, receipts, screenshots of delay notifications, hotel and transport bills.
Keep a copy of the submission and any acknowledgement number. That record makes the next step possible.
Step 2: Give them 30 days
Under the MACPC, airlines are expected to resolve consumer complaints within 30 days of the date the complaint is lodged. The clock runs from your submission date, not from any later internal reassignment — file on 3 September and the airline is working to 3 October.
If the airline resolves it, you are done. If it does not respond, or the response does not resolve the issue, you escalate.
Step 3: Escalate to CAAM through FlySmart
FlySmart is the consumer platform for aviation complaints in Malaysia and it remained fully operational through the CAAM transition.
Your channels:
- Website: www.flysmart.my
- Complaint webform: www.flysmart.my/make-a-complaint/
- Mobile app: FlySmart, on the Apple App Store and Google Play
- Hotline within Malaysia: 1800-18-6966
- From outside Malaysia: +603-7651 2777
- Hotline hours: Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 5.30pm, excluding public holidays
Upload the same documents you sent the airline, plus the airline's response — or evidence that there wasn't one. The regulator has previously stated that complainants receive an initial response within seven days of submission, and may be asked for additional documents while the case is assessed.
Personal data submitted through these channels is handled under the Personal Data Protection Act 2010.
What the 2024 rules actually entitle you to
The MACPC amendments took effect mostly from 1 September 2024, and they moved several things in the passenger's favour.
A refund option for delays of five hours or more. Where the airline's obligation previously centred on accommodation and transport, it must now also offer a full refund, payable within 30 days of the refund claim. That refund covers the base fare plus a broad range of fees, including fuel surcharge and charges for optional services, and must be returned in the same form as the original payment.
That refund applies even in extraordinary circumstances. Airlines can no longer decline outright because the disruption was unavoidable — weather, security risk, strikes. They must offer the refund in the original payment method first, and may additionally offer vouchers or credits you are free to decline.
Hotel and transport where an overnight stay becomes necessary, including transport between the airport and the accommodation.
All-in pricing at the point of advertising. Airlines must publish all-inclusive prices covering base fare, government taxes and fees, statutory charges and fuel surcharge, and advertisements must not be misleading.
Cancelled flights must come off the booking system immediately. No continuing to sell seats on a flight that no longer exists.
Denied boarding only before you board, at the check-in counter or the departure gate — not once you are in your seat.
Two weeks' notice for schedule changes. From 1 January 2025, airlines must notify you of changes to the scheduled departure time at least two weeks ahead, unless a further change is caused by extraordinary circumstances or unavoidable technical reasons.
Two years to complain, up from one year previously.
For non-compliance, the code provides for a financial penalty of up to RM200,000, rising to ten times that for a repeat breach of the same provision.
What the code does not do
It does not make the regulator your lawyer. CAAM assesses complaints against the code; it does not litigate your consequential losses — the missed wedding, the forfeited hotel night, the day of leave burned.
It also does not replace travel insurance, which is where delay allowances and trip curtailment typically sit. Check the policy wording before assuming an overlap.
And it does not cover disputes that are really about a third party — an online travel agency that never passed on your refund. Those may be better routed as a consumer claim; we have covered how to file a claim at TTPM separately.
Two habits before your next flight
Screenshot every delay notification the moment it arrives, timestamp included. And keep your booking confirmation and boarding passes until you are home and unpacked — a boarding pass you deleted is a claim you cannot document.
While you are checking documents, confirm your passport renewal status, and if you are flying a route that only recently opened, check which carrier actually operates it in our list of new direct flights out of Malaysia in 2026.
FAQ
How long do I have to complain about a flight in Malaysia?
Two years. The MACPC amendments extended the window for submitting a complaint to the regulator from one year to two.
Do I get compensation for any delay?
No. The refund entitlement under the amended code is triggered at a delay of five hours or more. Shorter delays may still involve airline obligations such as meals or rebooking, depending on the circumstances and the airline's own conditions of carriage.
Can the airline refuse a refund because of bad weather?
Not entirely. Under the 2024 amendments, the refund option must be offered even where the disruption was caused by extraordinary circumstances, and it must be offered in the original payment method.
Do I still complain to MAVCOM?
No. CAAM assumed MAVCOM's regulatory functions on 1 August 2025. Complaints go through FlySmart, which continues to operate as the consumer platform.
Is my old MAVCOM case still valid?
Yes. Unresolved cases were transferred to CAAM, existing case numbers remain valid, and you can track status through the FlySmart website or app without resubmitting.
Sources: CAAM on the continuation of MAVCOM's regulatory functions, the FlySmart consumer FAQ on the transition, and Clyde & Co's summary of the MACPC (Amendment) Code 2024.
