Malaysia Airlines is set to welcome its new Airbus A330neo soon as the first aircraft has just rolled out from the Airbus paint shop in Toulouse, France. The national flag carrier has placed orders for 20 A330neo aircraft and the first plane is still scheduled to join the fleet in Q3 2024.
As shared by Airbus and Malaysia Airlines, the A330neo will feature the airlines’ signature “Jalur Gemilang” livery that’s painted on its current A330 fleet. Unlike the 737-8, the tail of the A330neo still features the slanted Wau logo without the songket motif.
According to Airbus, the completion of the painting phase marks a significant milestone in the aircraft’s production journey. The next phase will involve the installation of the A330neo’s Rolls-Royce Trent 7000 engines followed by performance tests in preparation for its first flight.
During the testing phase, all cabin systems will be meticulously tested including comprehensive checks of airflow and air conditioning, lighting, galleys, lavatories, seating and in-flight entertainment systems. Simultaneously, Airbus will conduct advanced general performance tests to ensure the new A330neo meets all specifications and is ready for its delivery flight.
As shared by Malaysia Aviation Group (MAG), they have acquired 20 A330neo as part of their fleet modernisation exercise. A total of 3 aircraft are expected to arrive this year which will gradually replace its existing A330-200 and A300-300 fleet.
The inaugural A330neo flight for Malaysia Airlines is scheduled for Melbourne and the new aircraft will be deployed gradually to operate on its existing network throughout Asia, Oceania and the Middle East.
Malaysia Airlines’ A330neo will also feature brand-new seats for both business and economy passengers. The aircraft will get a total of 28 business class seats which feature Collins Aerospace Elevation Seats with individual privacy doors, wireless charging pods and 17.3″ 4K screen. Meanwhile, the economy class cabin will feature 269 Recaro CL3810 seats which offer ergonomic design and enhanced support, along with coat hooks, cup holders, ample stowage and 13.3″ 4K screen.
The new A330-900 are Airbus’ next-generation widebody aircraft which boasts a reduction of fuel consumption and emission by up to 25%. The A330neo is also the first aircraft family to be certified by EASA to ICAO’s new CO2 standards and it is ready to operate with up to 50% Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF).
In case you missed it, we recently checked out the airline’s first A330neo in Toulouse during its final assembly process.
