Malaysia Airlines has selected the A330neo for the carrier’s widebody fleet renewal programme. The initial agreement covers 20 A330s, with 10 being bough from Airbus and 10 to be leased from Avolon.
Malaysia Airlines currently operates a fleet of 97 narrowbody and widebody aircraft. The aircraft will deliver from 2024 onwards and be powered by Rolls-Royce engines.
The carrier will operate the A330neo on its network covering Asia, the Pacific and the Middle East. Malaysia Airlines will configure its A330neo fleet with a premium layout seating 300 passengers in two classes.
Group CEO of Malaysia Aviation Group, Captain Izham Ismail, commented: “The acquisition of the A330neo is a natural transition from our current A330ceo fleet. 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.”
Christian Scherer, CCO of Airbus, said: “Malaysia Airlines is one of the great Asian carriers and we are proud and humbled to be its preferred supplier of widebody aircraft. The decision is a clear endorsement of the A330neo as the most efficient option in this size category for premium operations. It’s also the clear winner in terms of in-flight comfort and we are looking forward to working with Malaysia Airlines to define an exceptional cabin experience.”
