page_title: Malaysia–Singapore Airlines
section_title: Breakup
hierarchical_section_title: Malaysia–Singapore Airlines / History / Breakup
caption_attribution_description: A Malaysia-Singapore Airlines Boeing 707 at Zurich 1972.
context_page_description: Malaysia–Singapore Airlines was the flag carrier of Malaysia and Singapore. It came into being in 1966 as a result of a joint ownership of the airline by the governments of the two countries. The airline ceased operations after six years in 1972 when both governments decided to set up their own national airlines, Malaysian Airline System and Singapore Airlines.
context_section_description: The different needs of the two shareholders, however, led to the break-up of the airline just six years later. The Singapore government preferred to develop the airline's international routes, while the Malaysian government preferred to develop a domestic network first before going regional and eventually, long-haul. MSA ceased operations in 1972, with its assets split between two new airlines; Malaysian Airline System Berhad (now Malaysia Airlines), and Singapore Airlines.
  With Singapore Airlines determined to develop its international routes, it took the entire fleet of seven Boeing 707s and five Boeing 737s which would allow it to continue servicing the regional and long-haul international routes. Since most of MSA's international routes were flown out of Singapore, the vast majority of international routes were in the hands of Singapore Airlines. In addition, MSA's headquarters, which was located in Singapore, became the headquarters of Singapore Airlines.
  Malaysian Airline System, on the other hand, took all domestic routes within Malaysia and international routes out of the country, as well as the remaining fleet of Fokker F27 Friendships and Britten-Norman BN-2 Islanders. It began flights on 1 October 1972.
  The initials MSA were well regarded as an airline icon and both carriers tried to emulate them. Malaysian went for MAS by just transposing the last two letters and choosing the name Malaysian Airline System, whereas Singapore originally used the name Mercury Singapore Airlines to keep the MSA initials, but that was blocked following widespread protests in Malaysia. Eventually, the new entity was named SIA instead.
caption: An MSA Boeing 707 at Zürich-Kloten Airport (1972).
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