Selangor Journal
A Malaysia Airlines plane carrying the first batch of tourists arrives at the Langkawi airport as the island reopens to domestic tourists, amid the Covid-19 pandemic, on September 16, 2021. — Picture by REUTERS

Malaysia Airlines nearing decision on replacing 21 A330s

DOHA, June 20 — Malaysia Airlines plans to announce a decision on replacing its fleet of 21 Airbus A330 widebodies with more fuel-efficient new-generation planes around mid- to late July, its chief executive said on Sunday.

“We are in a late stage of the process. We are looking at one-to-one replacement on our A330 fleet,” Malaysia Airlines chief executive officer Izham Ismail told Reuters on the sidelines of airline industry body IATA’s annual meeting in Qatar.

He declined to say whether the airline would order the planes, meant to replace 15 A330-300s and six A330-200s, from a manufacturer directly or from lessors.

The Airbus A330neo, A350 and Boeing 787 are the new-technology options competing in that size range, but Izham declined to disclose which types were under consideration.

Malaysia Airlines has A350s in its fleet and had placed a provisional order for 787s in 2017 but let the deal lapse.

The fleet modernisation plan designed to help lower carbon emissions comes as the airline, which was loss-making for years even before the pandemic, has been reporting positive cashflow since October.

Izham said Malaysia Airlines, which cut its debt burden by more than half as part of a restructuring agreed with creditors last year, hoped to return to a profit in 2023.

— Reuters

Top Picks

BNM: Malaysia’s official reserve assets at US$114.28 bln as of February 2024

SC issues revised guidelines on conduct for capital market intermediaries

MIDF Research: Malaysia can become major supplier of sustainable aviation fuel in Asia Pacific

Editor Selangor Journal