The Group will be receiving 20 of the aircraft type up to 2028
Malaysia Aviation Group (MAG), the parent company of national carrier Malaysia Airlines, welcomed the arrival of its first Airbus 330-900 (A330neo) aircraft on 29th November.
Powered by Rolls-Royce Trent 7000 engines, the A330neo is part of the Group’s fleet modernisation strategy and MAG is set to receive 20 such aircraft up to 2028.
MAG’s A330neo aircraft comprises 297 seats (28 in Business Class and 269 in Economy Class, of which 24 seats come with extra legroom) and will be deployed on long-haul routes across Asia and Australasia.
In August 2022, MAG signed Memorandums of Understanding (MOU) with Airbus, Rolls-Royce, and Avolon for the acquisition of 20 A330neo aircraft which are scheduled to be delivered through to 2028.
A ceremonial arrival
The aircraft, bearing registration number 9M-MNG, departed from the Airbus Delivery Centre in Toulouse, France on 28 November 2024 at 8:52pm local time and safely arrived at its home base at KL International Airport (KUL) on 29 November 2024 at 4:52 pm local time.
Prior to its arrival, the aircraft was escorted by a Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) Sukhoi Su-30MKM fighter jet and performed a spectacular flypast, offering plane spotters an extraordinary sight. Upon arrival, the aircraft was greeted with a water salute.
The journey of flight MH5039 took a total flight time of 13 hours and was flown by Captain Khairul Syukri Khalid, Captain Azim Sham Che Din, Captain Zainuddin Hussein and Captain Najwan Reshan Nahdan Rengganathan.