2 minute read - 16th August 2022
Airbus to supply Malaysia Airlines with 20 new A330neo aircraft
Malaysia Aviation Group (MAG), the parent company of Malaysia Airlines, has selected the Airbus A330neo for the carrier’s widebody fleet renewal programme. The initial agreements cover the acquisition of 20 A330-900 aircraft, with 10 to be purchased from Airbus and 10 to be leased from Dublin-based Avolon.
The announcement was made at an event in Kuala Lumpur, during which the official agreements with Airbus, engine manufacturer Rolls-Royce and Avolon were signed.
Airbus is the largest commercial aerospace company in the UK, as well as its biggest civil aerospace exporter. The majority of the wings on Airbus commercial aircraft are designed and built at Broughton in Wales. Each year, Airbus spends in excess of £5bn with UK suppliers, supporting a supply chain comprising more than 2,500 companies.
Powered by the latest Rolls-Royce Trent 7000 engines, the A330neo will join the carrier’s fleet of six long range A350-900s and gradually replace its 21 A330ceo aircraft. The carrier will operate the A330neo on its network covering Asia, the Pacific and the Middle East.
Airbus will supply Malaysia Airlines with 20 A330neo for its widebody fleet renewal programme – wings for the A330neo are built in Wales / Picture: Airbus
Izham Ismail, MAG CEO, said: “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. This is a significant milestone as MAG moves towards the successful execution of our long-term business plan 2.0 to position itself as a leading aviation services Group within the region.”
Christian Scherer, Airbus chief commercial officer and head of international, added: “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.”
The A330neo is the new generation version of the popular A330 widebody aircraft. Incorporating the latest generation engines, a new wing and a range of aerodynamic innovations, the aircraft offers a 25% reduction in fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. The A330-900 is capable of flying 7,200nm / 13,300km non-stop. As of the end of July 2022, the A330neo has received more than 270 firm orders from over 20 customers worldwide.