Malaysia Airlines (MH, Kuala Lumpur International) is gearing up for the next round of its fleet renewal program and planning to order further narrowbody aircraft by the end of 2024, CEO Izham Ismail told media at the recent IATA AGM in Istanbul.
Ismail said the airline aims to issue a Request For Proposal (RFP) in the fourth quarter, which may include some regional jets, and place an order within 12 months. The CEO said he would like to see deliveries start in 2025 but acknowledges backlogs at the manufacturers may delay this.
Malaysia Airlines' current narrowbody fleet comprises forty-two B737-800s (with a further five placed at subsidiary carrier Firefly (FY, Penang)). In early 2022, in the first stage of the narrowbody fleet renewal program, Malaysia Airlines announced an agreement with Air Lease Corporation to lease twenty-five B737-8s, with deliveries then set to begin in May 2023.
However, ALC is also experiencing some difficulties sticking to its original delivery timelines and has pushed delivery of the first back to August 2023, with a further three expected over the remainder of the year.
At the time of the ALC order, Ismail said not placing a second order to replace the remaining narrowbody fleet was "not an option," although he did state that the second order would not necessarily be B737 MAX aircraft. Meanwhile, the delays in the delivery of the first B737-8s means Malaysia Airlines is extending the leases on some of its B737-800s to maintain capacity and schedules. The ch-aviation fleets module reveals seven B737-800s are due back to their lessors between August and December this year, with a further eight due back in 2024.
Separately, Malaysia Airlines is looking to renew and grow its widebody fleet. The airline operates six A330-200s, fifteen A330-300s, six A350-900s, and three A330-200Fs. In August 2022, the airline signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to take twenty A330-900Ns (with ten to be purchased directly from Airbus and ten leased from Avolon). At IATA, Ismail indicated the first would arrive in the third quarter of this year. Current Airbus order book data shows Malaysia Airlines still needs to firm up the MoU with the manufacturer, suggesting that the first A330-900Ns would come from Avolon.
The CEO also said he wanted to lease another four A350-900s as soon as possible to complement the six it currently operates. However, he did not comment on the progress of negotiations with possible lessors.
