Malaysia Aviation Group (MAG) has celebrated the arrival of Malaysia Airlines’ first Airbus A330-900 (A330neo) which marks a new milestone in MAG’s fleet modernisation exercise. The new widebody aircraft arrived from Toulouse, France on 29th November, and it will commence its first commercial flight service this evening from Kuala Lumpur to Melbourne on flight MH149.
The new A330neo with the registration number 9M-MNG was officiated today by Transport Minister Loke Siew Fook together with Khazanah Nasional Berhad Managing Director Dato Amirul Feisal Wan Zahir and MAG Group Managing Director Datuk Captain Izham Ismail.
Commenting on the launch of the new aircraft, Datuk Captain Izham Ismail said, “The debut of our first A330neo marks a transformative moment for MAG as we modernise our fleet and set a new era of air travel where innovation, comfort, and sustainability come together seamlessly. This commitment underscores our dedication to placing our passengers at the heart of everything we do, delivering an exceptional and unforgettable journey that embodies the warmth and care of Malaysian Hospitality.”
Meanwhile, Transport Minister YB Loke Siew Fook said, “The launch of MAG’s first Airbus A330neo is not simply the introduction of a new aircraft; it is the culmination of resilience, determination, and an unwavering belief in the power of progress. It reflects MAG’s determination to lead in a competitive industry, our nation’s commitment to sustainability, and the extraordinary potential of Malaysian talent.”
The A330neo is the latest aircraft to join the national flag carrier’s fleet and a total of 20 units are expected to be delivered by 2028. It will gradually replace its existing A330-200 and A330-300 aircraft, and will be deployed on long-haul routes across Australasia among others.
For now, the A330neo will be deployed on the Kuala Lumpur to Melbourne route, 6x weekly on MH148 and MH149.
The new Airbus widebody boasts greater efficiency with new aerodynamic wing design and improved Rolls-Royce Trent 7000 engines. According to Malaysia Airlines, the new A330neo can deliver 14% reduction in fuel consumption and carbon emissions compared to the previous generation aircraft.
Besides a brand new plane, the A330neo also introduces Malaysia Airlines’ all-new business and economy class cabins. It has a total of 297 seats with 28 in Business Class and 269 in Economy, which includes 24 seats with extra legroom.
New Business Class on Malaysia Airlines’ A330neo
The new business cabin features 28 Collins Aerospace Elevation Business Class seats in a 1-2-1 herringbone configuration. The new premium cabin now offers individual sliding doors for greater privacy and a wireless charging pad to charge your phone. The seats lie flat and you also get a couple of storage compartments and an international power socket outlet.
Another major upgrade is the in-flight entertainment (IFE) screen which is now larger at 17.3″ with 4K resolution. As a comparison, the current business class on the airline’s A350-900 fleet is still using 16″ 1080p screens. The new IFE comes with a wired remote that has a tiny screen and a trackpad, along with some dedicated buttons.
In addition, Malaysia Airlines also offers SkySnacks on the A330neo, which is a self-service concept featuring a curated selection of light snacks for business class passengers.
New Economy Class on Malaysia Airlines’ A330neo
Over in Economy, Malaysia Airlines has opted for Recaro CL3810 seats which are configured in a 2-4-2 layout. They offer ample legroom and the IFE screens have been upgraded to a larger 13.3″ 4K display.
Another nice addition is the support for Bluetooth headset. This is great for passengers who prefer to connect to their wireless earbuds and headphones instead of using the provided wired headsets. The bottom of the IFE screen also offers USB-A and USB-C charging points, as well as a headphone jack.
The airline added that the new aircraft is also equipped with a FlightPatch3D moving map system. It is said to be the most interactive across MAG fleet with real-time tracking and detailed journey insights which will enhance the way passengers explore the skies.
The newly refreshed MHStudio for its IFE system also introduces Kids Mode which enables parents to keep their children entertained in a kid-friendly interface. In addition, Malaysia Airlines is also providing complementary unlimited WiFi connectivity onboard for all passengers regardless of cabin class and loyalty tier.
At the moment, MAG operates a fleet of 107 aircraft across its airline subsidiaries including Malaysia Airlines, Firefly, MASWings and MASKargo. The airline group aims to expand its fleet to have 62 narrowbody and 52 widebody aircraft by 2033.
Just recently, it receives its fifth Boeing 737-8 aircraft and the remaining 20 are now expected between 2025 to 2026. Malaysia Airlines also recently announced that it will also enable free unlimited WiFi on its Boeing 737-8 fleet by the end of this year.
