The National Union of Flight Attendants Malaysia (Nufam) has criticised Malaysia Airlines (MAS) over its plan to have designer Farah Khan revamp its uniform at a time when the carrier is in the process of recovering.

The airline returned to profitability last quarter after a restructuring under chief executive officer Christoph Mueller, but not before letting go of some 6,000 employees.

Nufam, in a statement today, pointed out the airline appeared more willing to spend on a new uniform design instead of sufficiently compensating those who were axed.

"MAS' management should first prioritise the paying of aid to 6,000 workers who were sacked.

"Compensation to sacked workers was low but expenditure for items running into the millions went up. This is unfair and irrational," it said.

Nufam said the planned uniform revamp was yet another example of wastage by the airline which had been struggling to keep afloat following two air disasters in 2014.

"Why spend millions on kebaya uniforms for flight attendants and MAS’ workers when the current uniform is already a globally well-known symbol and image for MAS?

"Having uniforms under the Farah Khan brand does not necessarily mean MAS will improve," it added.

Therefore, Nufam urged the government to intervene in the matter.

"It has not even been a year (since MAS' restructuring) and it already wants to change uniforms and other things; it doesn't make sense.

"Stop the wastage and keep the funds for a rainy day and to improve the management and workers' performance in MAS," it said.

The planned uniform revamp came less than a month after Mueller announced he was quitting MAS ahead of his three-year contract.

Mueller is set to leave the company in September due to personal reasons.