Malaysia’s national carrier is set to acquire 30 new aircraft to replace its ageing fleet, with an option to purchase 30 more in the coming years, said Malaysia Aviation Group (MAG) managing director Datuk Captain Izham Ismail.
Speaking to reporters on Friday (March 22), Captain Izham emphasised that the fleet renewal is essential to prevent the operational challenges Malaysia Airlines faced last year.
Meanwhile, Boeing Global President Brendan Nelson highlighted the company’s partnership with Malaysia in driving the development of the nation's aviation sector.
Read more at https://tinyurl.com/kmv5b29a
WATCH MORE: https://thestartv.com/c/news
SUBSCRIBE: https://cutt.ly/TheStar
LIKE: https://fb.com/TheStarOnline
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00We just welcome a very significant milestone of Malaysia AirVision Group and Malaysia Airline
00:17with our commitment for growth and replacement of our H737-800.
00:25So in this contractual document of exchange, Malaysia Airline has secured a firm order
00:31of H18737-8 and H12737-10.
00:37Over and above the 25 which we are taking delivery now, we have received 11 already
00:42and another 14 to come in the next one and a half years.
00:46So this new airplane of H18737-8 and H12737-10 is expected delivery commencing 2029 onwards.
00:54However, Malaysia AirVision Group also have an option of 30 more aeroplanes from Boeing.
01:01It will be a combination of H737-8 or H737-10.
01:06Time will tell us depending on the environment at the marketplace in the next few years that
01:12evolve.
01:13So it is a very good milestone, a very fantastic milestone for all of us and we are hoping
01:19with this new additional fleet, H737-8 and H737-10, we will be able to compete at the
01:26marketplace, at the premium marketplace.
01:29And while we continue to run a campaign on the wide-body campaign growth which is currently
01:38ongoing and if it happens, we expect the growth of this fleet from the current wide-body orders
01:47to grow in the Asia-Pacific region circa 2029 onwards.
01:53A few questions only, 2029, no, no.
02:01So we have the current 25, 11 is already here, that delivery will complete by 2026, 2027.
02:10This new order, 18 and 10 will commence in 2029, in two years only, 2029-2030, we will
02:17get all the remaining 30 aeroplanes.
02:20We have an option for 30 more if you want to exercise this.
02:25Captain, is the 18 aircraft that you ordered part of the 25 option that you had previously?
02:33No, it's a totally fresh contract.
02:36But the option, when will it be delivered if you want to check it out?
02:39So the option, to decide on the option will be determined in circa 2027-2028, not so soon.
02:47So the objective, the quick one, the objective is replacement first, the remaining 30 is growth.
02:52What Captain Ismar is speaking to and the Malaysia Aviation Group is focused upon is
02:57the future.
02:59Malaysia Airlines today is one of the world's leading airlines by any standard.
03:05The historic announcement today builds on that and is focused on Malaysia Airlines future
03:12and further, the group will be considering bigger, wider body planes to expand the network
03:20into other parts of the world, as Captain Ismar said in his remarks at the event today.
03:26Over the next 20 years, our commercial market outlook for the Asia Pacific region is, for
03:34Southeast Asia I should say, is 4,700 planes.
03:39The growth is enormous and please keep in mind that 80% of people have yet to get on
03:47a plane.
03:4880% of humanity has not yet flown.
03:51The Boeing company is partnered with Malaysia.
03:56This is a partnership, much more than a commercial relationship.
04:00We have more than 1,000 Malaysians employed in Malaysia now and we will grow that by another
04:0820% over the next two years.
04:12At Kedah in our Boeing composite manufacturing plant, Malaysians are making a little bit
04:18of Malaysia that is going to every Boeing aeroplane in the world.
04:23We are proud of this partnership and we will do the very best that we can to grow our supply
04:30chain, grow our manufacturing presence and in particular, make sure that we deliver on
04:36the confidence and trust shown in us by Malaysian airlines.
04:41Everything that we are doing supports and helps the Prime Minister's vision and ambition
04:47for the country, which as I said, draws from the national anthem, the people living united
04:54and progressing.