Dropping early on a Saturday morning, Malaysia Aviation Group has ordered 20 more Airbus A330neo widebodies.
Malaysia Aviation Group (MAG), the parent company of national carrier Malaysia Airlines, has placed a firm order with Airbus for 20 more A330-900 aircraft. This new order will double Malaysia Airlines’ future A330neo fleet to 40 aircraft.
Malaysia Airlines Group first selected the A330neo in 2022 under its widebody fleet renewal programme, with a commitment for 20 aircraft, of which four have now been delivered and have entered service. The aircraft are already operating on services from Kuala Lumpur to Melbourne, Auckland and Bali.
The first one was delivered in November 2024, with other deliveries following afterwards.
The order announcement was made during the official visit to France of the Prime Minister of Malaysia, H.E. Anwar Ibrahim.
Like all Airbus A330-900neos, it will be fitted with the Airspace cabin, with the aircraft being able to fly up to 7,200nm/13,300km.
In Quotes
Datuk Captain Izham Ismail, Group Managing Director of MAG, said
“The A330neo continues to deliver the right balance of operational efficiency, range, and cabin comfort to support our network and growth strategy,”
“With its enhanced fuel efficiency and flexibility across both regional and long-haul routes, the aircraft is a strong fit for our evolving market needs. It also allows us to offer a product that aligns with our premium positioning – streamlined, modern, and designed around passenger comfort and expectations. This additional order reinforces our long-term vision of building a future-ready fleet that supports sustainable growth, delivers consistent value to our passengers, and strengthens our competitiveness in key markets.”
Benoît de Saint-Exupéry, Airbus EVP Sales of the Commercial Aircraft Business, added:
“We are proud to further strengthen our relationship with Malaysia Aviation Group as it expands its A330neo fleet,”
“This repeat order is a strong endorsement of the A330neo’s exceptional performance, fuel efficiency, versatility and passenger comfort, as well as a testament to the aircraft’s popularity among the world’s premium airlines.”
That’s a big expansion
Malaysia Airlines’ widebody fleet is currently made up of classic Airbus widebodies, as well as modern ones. They include the Airbus A330-200, Airbus A330-300, Airbus A330-900neo and Airbus A350-900.
The first order that the airline made would just about cover the fleet replacement of the existing Airbus A330-200 and A330-300 (with a shortfall of one aircraft). With another 20 aircraft on the way, Malaysia Airlines Group will be able to expand its long-haul operation massively.
It’ll be interesting to see what the airline does with this extra capacity, given that the airline is also refreshing its single-aisle operation with Boeing 737 MAXs at the same time.
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