The decision has been made: Malaysia’s national airline has ordered 20 Airbus A330-900s. The Boeing 787 was also in the running for Malaysia Airlines.
The division at Malaysia Airlines is currently clear. Malaysia’s national airline uses Boeing jets for short and medium-haul routes. Currently it is 737-800, from 2023 there will be 737 max. On the other hand, the national airline of the state in Southeast Asia relies entirely on Airbus aircraft on long-haul routes.
Her Malaysia Airlines has sorted out six Airbus A380s. Six A350-900 and 21 A330 are currently in service. However, the airline used to fly Boeing 777s and 747s, and orders for Boeing 787s were in the pipeline in the past. In 2018 she failed.
Half leased, half bought
However, it has so far been unclear how Malaysia Airlines will approach the successor to its A330 fleet. It currently consists of six A330-200 and 15 A330-300. There are also three A330 Fs. Although the A330 Neo was considered the favourite, the Boeing 787 was once again in the running as an outsider. Now the airline has made its decision.
The parent company Malaysia Aviation Group is ordering 20 A330 Neo for its subsidiary, as Airbus announced on Monday (August 15). It buys ten of the A330-900 variant aircraft directly from the manufacturer and leases ten from leasing giant Avolon. However, the group first signed a letter of intent for the purchase. In mid-June there had been speculation that it could even be up to 30 A330 Neo.
300 seats announced in two classes
The A330-900s, powered by Rolls-Royce Trent 7000 engines, will gradually replace the older A330 passenger jets. According to Malaysia Airlines, they will be used on routes in Asia, the Pacific region and the Middle East.
The airline announces a “premium layout” for the new aircraft, “which offers space for 300 passengers in two classes”. Malaysia Airlines did not reveal an exact breakdown. This roughly corresponds to the seating of Tap. It offers 298 seats in two classes in its A330-900, but in Economy some rows have more seat pitch.
27 business class seats in the A330-300
It currently has 19 business class seats and 268 economy seats in its A330-200. Malaysia Airlines’ A330-300 seats 27 passengers in business class and 263 in economy class. The A350-900 offers a mini first class with only four seats, a business class with 35 seats and an economy class for 247 passengers.
The total order backlog for the A330-900 thus rises to more than 270 aircraft on order, of which 73 had already been delivered by the end of July. For the smaller A330-Neo variant, the A330-800, there are only eleven aircraft on order and four deliveries.