MALAYSIA Airlines Bhd’s parent company, Malaysia Aviation Group (Mag), has selected the A330neo for the carrier’s widebody fleet renewal programme.

At a memorandum of understanding signing ceremony to officially order the craft from Airbus, Mag said 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.

Mag chief executive officer Izham Ismail said the A330neo acquisition 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,” he said in a statement.

“This is a significant milestone as Mag moves towards the execution of our Long-Term Business Plan 2.0 to position itself as a leading aviation services group within the region,” he said.

The statement said the A330neo, powered by Rolls-Royce Trent 7000 engines, will join the carrier’s fleet of six long range A350-900s and gradually replace its 21 A330ceo aircraft. The agreements with engine manufacturer Rolls-Royce and Avolon were also signed at the ceremony.

The carrier will operate the A330neo on its network covering Asia, the Pacific and the Middle East, it said.

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 13,300kms non-stop, the statement said.

Malaysia Airlines will configure its A330neo fleet with a premium layout seating 300 passengers in two classes.

Besides the widebody fleet renewal, Airbus and Mag also signed a letter of intent to study a wider collaboration in the areas of sustainability, training, maintenance and airspace management.

Airbus chief commercial officer and head of International Christian Scherer said Malaysia Airlines is one of the great Asian carriers and Airbus is proud to be its preferred supplier of widebody aircraft.

He said this 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,” he said. – Bernama, August 15, 2022.