KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia Airlines is expecting the delivery of five Airbus A330neo aircraft by the first quarter of 2025 (1Q 2025), following the arrival of its first A330neo next month, said Malaysia Aviation Group (MAG) group managing director Datuk Captain Izham Ismail.
He said that with the new fleet, the group will be able to deploy the A350s to Paris, besides current flagship routes, namely to London and Doha.
"The expansion into Paris next year marks the beginning of a promising new chapter, filled with potential and opportunity,” he said at a press conference at MATTA Fair 2024 here today.
Izham said that while Malaysia Airlines faces setbacks, the airline continues to demonstrate that they are not complacent.
"We remain fully committed to regaining our customers’ confidence and delivering the exceptional experiences they deserve. Transformation of an organisation does not come overnight, it has set a series of challenges that one has to take ahead of.
"We should not hide behind the curtain and this is precisely what MAG is doing. Our ambition is to be a great airline by 2025,” he said.
Izham said MAG’s recent decision to reduce capacity by 20 per cent to ensure operational sustainability and reliability was a necessary step to align with its long-term vision and navigate the short-term challenges faced.
"Malaysia Airlines is a safe airline. That is why we are doing this (to rationalise the network),” he said.
Izham explained that there are many issues (to deal with) besides manpower and resources such as engines, supply chains, ageing aeroplanes, and new aircraft delivery delays.
"Every year, we train about 80 to 200 engineers. We have been raising wages for engineers substantially and the recent pay rise for them was last month,” he said.
Izham highlighted that the focus is to prioritise customers, ensuring credible flight schedules, while providing the best possible customer experience.
"The challenges posed by global delays in aircraft parts and new deliveries due to the supply chain issues heavily impacted our ability to operate at full capacity.
"Despite the hurdles, MAG has been proactive in efforts to turn things around and has worked closely with original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to ensure timely and reliable delivery of spare parts while ensuring a comprehensive aircraft maintenance programme for its fleet,” he said.
Izham also said that MAG is collaborating with partners to augment manpower and increase its skilled engineering workforce, and at the same time, improving remuneration packages to ensure a robust talent pipeline for the group.
"MAG has implemented a comprehensive maintenance plan and is focused on its execution. Operations are showing signs of improvement, with on-time performance rising from 85 per cent to 90 per cent in recent days.
"We remain committed to reaching full stabilisation and restoring our network by the end of the year,” he said. - Bernama
