Malaysia Airlines Orders 20 Airbus A330neo

Malaysia Airlines (MH) has ordered 20 Airbus A330-900 aircraft as part of its fleet renewal program.

DALLAS - Malaysia Airlines (MH) has announced an order for 20 Airbus A330-900 aircraft as part of its widebody fleet renewal program. 

The new aircraft are set to replace the airline’s aging fleet of 21 A330-200 and A330-300  aircraft, which are deployed on short to medium haul routes to cities in Asia, the Pacific, and the Middle East. 

According to a press release detailing the order, the new aircraft will be fitted with a two-class layout with 300 seats, compared to the 290 offered by the airline’s A330-300 aircraft.

As part of the deal, 10 of the aircraft will be directly purchased from Airbus, while the remaining 10 will be leased from Avolon. 

The Airbus A330neo has become a popular option among airlines in Asia. MH will be joining A330neo operators Starlux Airlines (JX), Lion Air (JT), Garuda Indonesia (GA), Cebu Pacific (5J), and Thai AirAsia X (XJ).

Listen to this article:

Malaysia Airlines 9M-MRA Boeing 777-2H6(ER). Photo: Lorenzo Giacobbo/Airways

Boeing to Airbus

As MH has continued to evolve, the airline has moved away from operating Boeing widebody aircraft to Airbus. 

Although the airline had previously operated large fleets of Boeing 747 and 777 aircraft, the airline has moved to Airbus A330 and A350 aircraft for their medium to long-haul flights.

Now, the A330-900s will complement the airline’s small fleet of A350-900s that operate MH’s flagship routes. While the A350-900 aircraft are fitted with three-class seating, the A330-900s will not include a first-class product.

Malaysia Airlines MAS Cargo 9M-MUB A330-200F SYD. Photo: Christian Winter/Airways

Executive’s Comments

Izham Ismail, Chief Executive Officer of Malaysia Airlines said, “The acquisition of the A330neo is a natural transition from our current A330ceo fleet. 

He continued, “The A330neo will not only provide fleet modernisation and enhanced operational efficiency, but will also meet environmental targets through reduced fuel-burn per seat, while keeping passenger safety and comfort at its core.”

Featured image: Airbus

Exploring Airline History Volume I

David H. Stringer, the History Editor for AIRWAYS Magazine, has chronicled the story of the commercial aviation industry with his airline history articles that have appeared in AIRWAYS over two decades. Here, for the first time, is a compilation of those articles.

Subjects A through C are presented in this first of three volumes. Covering topics such as the airlines of Alaska at the time of statehood and Canada's regional airlines of the 1960s, the individual histories of such carriers as Allegheny, American, Braniff, and Continental are also included in Volume One. Get your copy today!

Google News Follow Button