Malaysia Aviation Group doubles A330neo commitment with order for 20 more aircraft
MAG group managing director, Datuk Captain Izham Ismail said the new order, which was a direct order with Airbus, builds on the group's initial purchase of 20 A330neo aircraft in 2022, comprising 10 aircraft directly purchased and 10 leased from aircraft lessor, Avolon.
"The A330neo continues to deliver the right balance of operational efficiency, range, and cabin comfort to support our network and growth strategy.
"This additional order reinforces our long-term vision of building a future-ready fleet that supports sustainable growth, delivers consistent value to our passengers, and strengthens our competitiveness in key markets," he announced in a statement today.
The announcement was made during Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's official visit to France.
MAG said deliveries of the new batch of A330neos are scheduled between 2029 and 2031. The aircraft will be powered by the latest generation Rolls-Royce Trent 7000 engines.
The aircraft will be used to enhance the group's connectivity and expand its network across key markets in Asean, China, India and Australasia with the aim of strengthening Malaysia Airlines' position as a leading premium carrier in Asia Pacific.
So far, the group has taken delivery of four A330neos, which are operating on selected services to Auckland, Melbourne and Bali.
MAG is expecting to receive another six aircraft by end-2025. The remaining order from the 2022 order is set to arrive progressively through to 2028.
Airbus welcomed the repeat order from MAG, viewing it as a strong endorsement of the A330neo's performance and appeal among full-service carriers.
"We are proud to further strengthen our relationship with MAG as it expands its A330neo fleet. This repeat order is a strong endorsement of the A330neo's exceptional performance, fuel efficiency, versatility, and passenger comfort, as well as a testament to the aircraft's popularity among the world's premium airlines," Airbus EVP Sales of the commercial business Benoît de Saint-Exupéry said.
The order for 20 additional A330neo is the first part of MAG's three major widebody aircraft campaigns as the group charts its next phase of twin-aisle fleet growth.
Izham told Business Times in an interview in April that the second campaign will see the group evaluating new long-range widebody aircraft such as the A350, Boeing B787 Dreamliner and B777-9.
The third campaign involves renewing the cargo fleet operated by MAG's freighter arm, MASKargo.
Izham said the group is exploring whether to convert its A330ceo (current engine option) passenger aircraft into freighters or to acquire brand new cargo aircraft
MAG is expected to issue a request for proposal for its long-range widebody campaign in the third or fourth quarter this year.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Express
2 days ago
- Daily Express
RTD seizes 270 luxury cars in nationwide crackdown
Published on: Saturday, August 16, 2025 Published on: Sat, Aug 16, 2025 By: Malay Mail Text Size: Some of the seized cars. - Bernama KUALA LUMPUR: The Road Transport Department's (RTD) 'Ops Luxury 3.0' has hit the streets hard, seizing 270 high-end rides nationwide over the past two weeks. According to The Star, Ferraris, Lamborghinis and Rolls-Royces were among the flashy machines caught being driven without valid road tax or insurance. JPJ director-general, Datuk Aedy Fadly Ramli, said the sweep snared celebrities, influencers and entrepreneurs, with some owing up to RM29,000 in back taxes. 'The seized cars include Ferrari, Lamborghini and Rolls-Royce, with some of them still driven without road tax for about three years. 'In Johor alone, we detained 11 vehicles, including a car with an annual road tax of RM12,000. 'In Kuala Lumpur, the highest road tax arrears recorded was RM29,000,' he reportedly said at a press conference yesterday, as cited by The Star. Owners can only reclaim their luxury rides once all outstanding road tax, insurance, and summonses are cleared. 'Driving without a valid road tax and insurance puts not only other road users at risk, but also the driver themselves in the event of accidents,' Aedy Fadly warned. He added that the crackdown will soon expand to Sabah and Sarawak, promising more high-octane surprises in the months ahead. - Malay Mail * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
The Star
2 days ago
- The Star
Asean should harmonise skills recognition to boost region's growth, says HR Minister
KUALA LUMPUR: Asean nations should empower the Asean TVET Council to create a cross-border framework for recognising technical and vocational skills, ensuring qualifications earned in one member state are accepted across the region, says Human Resources Minister Steven Sim. Sim said the newly established Asean TVET Council should lead efforts to harmonise certification standards among member states. "Skills taught in Malaysia should be recognised in Thailand or Indonesia, and those taught in Indonesia should be recognised in Vietnam or the Philippines. "Skills are the currency of the AI economy, and mutual recognition is key," he said. He noted that Asean countries had already proven their ability to reach consensus on complex matters. Sim stressed that greater sharing of resources in training was also critical. He said Malaysia, which spends about RM10bil annually on TVET, had already opened its National Training Week to Asean participants, offering more than 72,000 free training courses worth RM400mil to 3.5 million people. He added that Asean must adopt a more collaborative approach to the 21st-century economy, moving away from zero-sum competition that drives the region into a race to the bottom. "Competition between friends and neighbours need not be about who is cheaper. "Instead, we can partner to raise the value of our economies, tackle global challenges together, build local competencies and drive green growth," he said. He cited the electric vehicle industry as an example where Asean could collaborate rather than undercut each other. "We should take what I call the 'Airbus approach'. In the 1960s and 70s, European countries joined forces to build an aircraft industry to compete with the Americans — and they succeeded. "Asean should do the same with EVs, leveraging on our core strengths instead of engaging in destructive price wars," he said. Sim noted that Asean had already achieved breakthroughs in areas such as regional standards for green financing, the Asean power grid, the Asean Digital Economy Framework Agreement and, more recently, real-time cross-border e-payments. "There is no reason we cannot extend this model to EVs, semiconductors or the green economy," he said at the Dialogue Session with the Minister on Fostering Cooperation Among Youths in Asean on Saturday (Aug 16). Looking ahead, Sim said Asean must prioritise the mobility of skilled workers — not just low-skilled labour — if it wants to position itself as one of the world's most advanced talent hubs. "Our strength is formidable when we act jointly. While China and the US account for 11% and 13% of global imports respectively, Asean already contributes 7% to 8%. "After China and India, Asean is the most populous region in the world, with nearly 10% of the global population," he said. Malaysia, he added, had already set out a RM611bil (US$145 billion) five-year development plan with heavy investments in artificial intelligence, digital technology, advanced manufacturing and the green economy. "But to succeed, we must continue to open our doors to our friends and neighbours," he said.
The Star
4 days ago
- The Star
Melosel, a uniquely S'gor gourd
(Front, from left) Wan Mohammad Zulkarnain, Kamarul, Azahar and Izham having a closer look at the fruiting melosel plants at Kampung Endah Agricultural Centre in Banting. Those who have tasted the melosel, a melon variety developed specifically for Selangor, have described it as sweet and crunchy like an apple. To connoisseurs, the delicate orange flesh is likened to maple syrup, best paired with thinly sliced cured meats and soft cheeses like brie and camembert. To promote this fruit, Selangor Agriculture Department held a two-day event called 'Kuala Langat Melon Day' for the first time at Kampung Endah Agricultural Centre in Banting, where the largest melosel farm with 10,000 plants is located. Visitors were allowed to go into the fertigation plots and pick their own fruits at a promotional price of RM10 per kg. Booths livened up the event, offering melon-based products such as ice-cream, juices, coffee, traditional kuih and pickles. The idea for pickles came about as Syed Muhammad Amirudin Syed Dawal wanted to rescue unripe fruits that did not meet quality standards. Syed Muhammad makes melon pickle from unripe fruit. He ended up winning not one but two innovation awards for his efforts. On the origins of the melon, guest-of-honour Selangor infrastructure and agriculture committee chairman Datuk Izham Hashim said: 'This is my baby.' In telling the history of melosel, Izham, who had just taken up his post as state executive councillor in 2018, recalled meeting Chua Kim Aik, a seed expert in Batu Arang. Chua is chief executive officer of Green World Genetics (GWG) Sdn Bhd, the only local company that conducts crop seed development studies in the country. 'I told him, I wanted a melon seed just for Selangor and specifically, the flesh must be orange in colour. 'This is because in the psychology of colour, orange induces hunger. Children enjoying melon ice-cream during 'Kuala Langat Melon Day'. 'I also told him that I wanted the melon to be sweet, fragrant and for its outer skin to be yellow so that it would look unique,' he said. Izham said Chua asked for two years to develop the seed, during which many plantings were carried out to ensure the seeds were stable enough to produce healthy plants. 'When Chua finally called, he had several clones ready for us to select. 'In terms of texture, there were two types – one was soft like the Yubari melon. 'Another was crunchy. We picked the latter,' said Izham. The seed was launched by Tengku Permaisuri Selangor Tengku Permaisuri Norashikin, who also gave the fruit its name. The result of the first crop of 500 seeds was successfully produced at Selangor Melon Farm in Sungai Besar, after two months from its planting in 2023. Falling within the Sabak Bernam Area Development Project, this would be the first location where the melosel was planted commercially using smart farming methods by local entrepreneurs. Sweet and crunchy melosel developed specifically for Selangor. 'At present, the melosel is categorised as a premium fruit, fetching a market price of RM15 per kg, the highest among locally grown melons,' said Izham. In answer to whether the fruit was ready for the export market, he said this market sector would have to wait until production was able to fulfil local demand, as the melosel was gazetted which meant it could only be planted in Selangor. Kamarul Iqbal Ismail, managing director of KMK Agro Global Produk which runs a melosel farm at Kampung Endah Agricultural Centre, said its production would be increased to 30,000 plants for the upcoming planting season. Also present at the event were Selangor Agriculture Department director Azahar Ibrahim and his deputy Wan Mohammad Zukarnain Baharudin.
