After months of delays, Malaysia Airlines
has finally received its first out of 20 Airbus A330-900 aircraft, with the airline previously expecting the delivery to happen in Q3 2024.
Malaysia Airlines’ new era
In a statement on Facebook, Malaysia Airlines said that it has welcomed its new flagship aircraft, the A330neo, the new pride of the airline and Malaysia. The aircraft symbolized its commitment to progress, excellence, and Malaysia’s spirit.
“With the A330neo, we embark on a bold new journey towards growth and innovation. Its state-of-the-art design, modern technology, and unparalleled comfort mark the beginning of a new chapter for our fleet and our national carrier.”
Photo: Malaysia Airlines
The airline invited everyone to celebrate this monumental occasion, which will usher in a new era of growth, connection, and national pride, with 19 A330-900s
being set to join Malaysia Airlines’ fleet later.
Avolon
, the aircraft lessor from whom Malaysia Airlines, or formally, its parent company, Malaysia Aviation Group (MAG), took delivery of the A330-900, stated that the remaining 19 aircraft of the type will be delivered by 2028.
“The A330neo’s range and efficiency, combined with its attractive per-seat economics, made it the compelling choice to meet MAG’s A330ceo fleet replacement needs and develop new markets. MAG is the 20th airline to operate the A330neo.”
Related
Malaysia Airlines’ Incoming Airbus A330-900 Fleet: What Do We Know So Far?
With 20 new aircraft joining its fleet over the next few years, the airline has upgraded its product and is expanding its network.
Complex transaction
Andy Cronin, the chief executive officer of Avolon, highlighted that this was a complex and unique transaction. Out of the 20 A330-900s that Airbus
will deliver to Malaysia Airlines, ten will be handed over from the lessor’s backlog, while the remaining aircraft will be delivered from MAG’s order book and then sold to Avolon in sale-and-leaseback (SLB) transactions.
“It was made possible due to the deep and long-standing relationships Avolon has with Airbus and Rolls-Royce, all collaborating to provide the optimal solution for MAG with the A330neo.”
Cronin added that with a limited supply of widebody aircraft, the A330neo was a key pillar of MAG’s fleet renewal strategy, which will enable the group to capitalize on the continuing recovery of the aviation market in Asia.
Malaysia Airlines’ A330-900s will be configured in a two-class layout, welcoming 28 business and 269 economy class passengers. According to Airbus, the airline plans to deploy its newest widebody jets on routes to Asia and the Pacific, as well as select routes in the Middle East.
Previously, the Kuala Lumpur International Airport
(KUL)-based carrier scheduled A330neo flights to four destinations: Auckland Airport (AKL), Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport (CAN), Melbourne Airport (MEL), and Tokyo Narita International Airport (NRT).
Flights to Melbourne, Australia, were scheduled to start on November 25, followed by flights to Auckland on December 30. However, AeroRoutes reported on October 17 that the airline had removed the A330-900’s schedules.
In January, Malaysia Airlines detailed that in 2024, it was set to welcome 12 new aircraft, four A330-900 and eight Boeing 737 MAX 8s, with the former being scheduled to arrive at Kuala Lumpur in Q3.
Photo: Malaysia Airlines
The A330-900, registered as 9H-MNG, took off on its first flight on November 6, ch-aviation data showed. The aircraft departed Toulouse Blagnac Airport (TLS), where it was assembled, at 19:00 local time (UTC +1) on November 28, arriving at Kuala Lumpur International at 16:52 local time (UTC +8) on November 29, Flightradar24 records indicated.
Before Airbus delivered the aircraft, the manufacturer operated five test flights, according to the flight tracking website’s records. The A330-900 was temporarily registered as F-WWCZ before it joined the Malaysian carrier’s fleet.
Related
Malaysia Airlines 1st Airbus A330neo Takes 1st Flight
The Airbus A330-900 was previously scheduled to be delivered to Malaysia Airlines in September.
Delivery delays
Ch-aviation estimated that in 2025, Malaysia Airlines should take delivery of another five A330-900s, including one each in January and February.
The A330-900 was the airline’s third new aircraft in 2024, with Boeing delivering the other two, a pair of 737 MAX 8s, in January and June. According to Aviation Flights Group, a Malaysia Airlines 737 MAX 8
operated its first flight on November 26, flying a two-hour and 12-minute test flight from Renton Municipal Airport (RNT) to King County International Airport (BFI).
Photo: Airbus
On October 15, Malaysia Airlines said that Airbus had delayed the delivery of its A330-900 “due to findings identified” during the flight line stage. As a result, it canceled the inaugural flight to Melbourne that was scheduled to take off on November 25, reverting to using the A330-300 on the route.
“MAG is working closely with Airbus and its lessor, Avolon, to secure a new delivery timeline and expedite the aircraft’s entry into service. The airline expects to receive five (5) A330neo by Q1 2025.”
However, the airline only said that it was communicating with 
Boeing
and the lessor, Air Lease Corporation (ALC), on the delivery timeline of its remaining 737 MAX 8 backlog, which, following the four deliveries in 2023 and 2024, should be 21 aircraft.
Related
Why Doesn’t Malaysia Airlines Fly To The US?
The last time the airline flew to the US was a decade ago.