PETALING JAYA: Malaysia Aviation Group (MAG), the parent company of Malaysia Airlines, has selected the A330neo for the carrier’s widebody fleet renewal programme.
The initial agreements cover the acquisition of 20 aircraft, with 10 to be purchased from Airbus and 10 to be leased from Dublin-based Avolon.
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.
Malaysia Airlines will configure its A330neo fleet with a premium layout seating 300 passengers in two classes.
MAG CEO Izham Ismail said the acquisition of the A330neo is a natural transition from its 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,” he said today.
In addition to the renewal of the widebody fleet, Airbus and MAG also signed a letter of intent to study a wider collaboration in the areas of sustainability, training, maintenance and airspace management.
The A330neo is the new generation version of the popular A330 widebody. Incorporating the latest generation engines, a new wing and a range of aerodynamic innovations, the aircraft offers up to 25% reduction in fuel consumption and emissions and is capable of flying 7,200nm (13,300km) non-stop.
