Malaysia Airlines confirmed on Monday that it has selected the A300-900neo to replace its A330ceo in the long-range fleet. The option for the Airbus widebody was already expected, but the Malaysian carrier decided to lease the aircraft instead of purchasing them.
The Irish group Avolon will supply 10 A330-900neo from its order book with Airbus while Malaysia Airlines will close an order for another 10 aircraft, but which will be sold and leased back.
According to Avolon, the first A330neo, equipped with Rolls-Royce Trent engines, will be delivered in 2024. Under the agreement, the lessor has only two other A330-900neos on its backlog that do not yet have customers.
The acquisition of the 10 A330-900neo with Airbus is yet to be confirmed soon as the companies initially signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).
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“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,” said Christian Scherer, Airbus Chief Commercial Officer.
“The acquisition of the A330neo is a natural transition from our current A330ceo fleet. The A330neo will not only provide fleet modernization 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,” said MAG CEO Izham Ismail.
Malaysia’s largest airline, Malaysia Airlines is controlled by the country’s government. The company was a major Boeing customer, having operated an extensive fleet of 747 and 777 jets, but today only has the 737-800 as its only single-aisle aircraft.
In addition to the A330, Malaysia has six A350s and another six A380s.
