Malaysia Airlines’ First Airbus A330neo Enters Final Assembly Phase

The first of Malaysia Airlines’ Airbus A330neos has entered final assembly at Airbus’ manufacturing facility in Toulouse. Once final checks and the cabin installation have been completed, the aircraft will undergo rigorous testing before being flown to its new home at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KUL).

Malaysia Airlines took to X (formerly known as Twitter) to share its excitement and explain what happens next. In the photos below, the aircraft’s tail is clearly visible, adorned with the iconic Malaysia Airlines logo:

First flight planned for Q3 2024

Each of Malaysia Airlines’ Airbus A330neos will be able to carry a total of 297 passengers in a two-class configuration – 28 in business class and 269 in economy class (including 24 extra legroom seats). The aircraft is due to enter service with the airline in Q3, with Melbourne (MEL) already announced as the launch destination.

As more A330neos join the fleet, other routes across Asia and Oceania will follow shortly after. It remains to be seen if the aircraft will also be used to restore some of the airline’s somewhat depleted European route network, which now consists solely of London Heathrow (LHR).

Photo: alphonsusjimos | Shutterstock

Data from ch-aviation shows that Malaysia Airlines has 20 Airbus A330neos on order. These aircraft will replace the older A330-200s and A330-300s as part of the carrier’s ongoing fleet renewal program. These aircraft have an average age of 16.6 and 12, respectively. The rest of the airline’s long-haul fleet is made up of seven A350-900s.

A refreshed cabin interior

Earlier this year, the carrier unveiled its updated cabin interior for the upcoming Airbus A330neo, featuring business class suites with closing doors for increased privacy and wireless charging pods. The economy class cabin has also undergone a revamp, with more modern seating and Malay-inspired fabrics.

Find out more here:

Malaysia Airlines Unveils New Airbus A330neo Seats And Announces Melbourne As 1st Destination

The airline expects to receive three of the type in 2024.

The past decade has presented its fair share of challenges for Malaysia Airlines, so the carrier will likely be happy to celebrate the exciting news of a new aircraft type and cabin interior. It has also embarked on a fleet renewal and growth plan for its short-haul fleet.

Photo: Malaysia Airlines

Malaysia Airlines is due to take delivery of a further 22 Boeing 737 MAX 8s over the coming years. These will join the three already in the fleet, which, according to data from Flightradar24, have recently been deployed to a host of regional destinations, including Colombo (CMB), Kota Kinabalu (BKI), and Phuket (HKT).

What do you think of Malaysia Airlines’ first Airbus A330neo and its updated interior? Do you plan to fly on the aircraft when it enters service later this year? Let us know by commenting below.