Malaysia Airlines fleet

This article's lead section may be too short to adequately summarize the key points. Please consider expanding the lead to provide an accessible overview of all important aspects of the article. (June 2023)

Malaysia Airlines operates a fleet of Airbus A330 and A350 as well as Boeing 737NG and Boeing 737 MAX aircraft.^{[citation needed]}

As of September 2024^[update], Malaysia Airlines operates the following aircraft:^[1][2]

• 
  Airbus A330-200
• 
  Airbus A330-200F
• 
  Airbus A330-300
• 
  Airbus A350-900
• 
  Boeing 737-800
• 
  Boeing 737 MAX 8

Malaysia Airlines has leased six Airbus A330-200s in 2017.^[20] Due to insufficient widebody aircraft and increasing demand these aircraft are used for several high-demand medium-haul routes.^[21] The aircraft are secondhand and have kept the configuration of their previous operator (Air Berlin), this being 19 Business Class seats and 268 Economy Class seats. The airline previously operated five 'older generation' A330-200s between 2003 and 2013. The aircraft are set to be retired and replaced by the Airbus A330-900.^{[citation needed][5]}

In 2010, Malaysia Airlines has placed orders for 2 Airbus A330-200F for its cargo subsidiary MASKargo.^[22] An addition of 2 more frames were ordered 6 months after.^[23] Previously MASKargo operated a few dedicated B747 freighters and also briefly wet leased an Airbus A300-600F.

Malaysia Airlines' Airbus A330-300 fleet is used to fly medium-to-long-haul routes. They are painted in the new livery and equipped with enhanced in-flight features, as part of the airline's fleet renewal programme. In 2009, the airline ordered 15 Airbus A330-300 with 10 additional purchasing options.^[24] The aircraft has an improved max take-off weight, range and fuel efficiency over the previous older generation aircraft that the airline operated since 1995. The first of these new A330s arrived in 2011 with a total of 15 delivered by the end of 2013^[25] In 2016, the airline refurbished the Business Class cabin of the aircraft with lie-flat seats. The aircraft previously only featured recliner seats.^[26] The fleet is set to be retired and replaced by the Airbus A330-900.^[27]

In July 2022, Malaysia Airlines was reportedly in talks for a $10 billion order of 30 either Airbus A330neo or Boeing 787 Dreamliner planes.^[28] As of August 2022, it was reported that Malaysia Airlines is poised to announce a deal to acquire 20 Airbus A330neo wide-body jets.^[29] In August 2022, Malaysia Airlines confirmed it would take delivery of an initial order of 20 Airbus A330neo aircraft, with purchase options for an additional 20, to gradually replace its A330-200 and A330-300 aircraft between Q3 2024 and 2028 for flights across Asia, the Pacific and the Middle East.^[30][31] The deliveries are set to be split between 10 direct purchases and 10 leases from Ireland's Avolon. On 21 March 2024, Malaysia Airlines revealed the cabin of the A330neo.^{[citation needed]}

Malaysia Airlines began taking delivery of six Airbus A350-900 aircraft, leased from Air Lease Corporation in 2017 to replace the ageing Boeing 777-200ER fleet, and was the first A350-900 operator to offer First Class.^[32] They are configured to accommodate 4 seats in First Class, 35 seats in Business Class and 247 seats in Economy Class (286 seats in total) after MAB CEO, Peter Bellew said premium economy seats "would erode our business product and revenues".^{[33][32][34][35]} On 12 December 2018, First Class was rebranded as Business Suite Class.^[36] In 2023, Malaysia Airlines is seeking aircraft lessor to add 4 extra A350s into the fleet due to high demand and increasing capacity.^[37] The airline plans to reconfigure all of its A350s Business Class and remove Business Suites in late 2025, with the seating type to match with the upcoming A330neo.^[38]

The first order for the Boeing 737-800 was first announced at the Farnborough Air Show on 16 July 2008.^[39] In February 2009, Malaysia Airlines received two leased 737-800s in advance of its aircraft.^{[citation needed]} Boeing 737-800s currently account for the majority of aircraft under Malaysia Airlines and are primarily assigned to flights to regional Southeast Asian and domestic destinations. As of 2022, the airline has begun transferring some of its Boeing 737-800 aircraft to its subsidiary Firefly.^[40]

Malaysia Airlines originally ordered the Boeing 737 MAX 8 to replace its Boeing 737-800 fleet. An order of 50 frames was made in July 2016.^[41] In September 2016 the airline modified part of the order which consist of 25 Boeing 737 MAX in 2017 which now includes a Memorandum of understanding signing of 8 Boeing 787-9 in 2017 with both aircraft expected to enter in 2021. The deal lapsed a year later as nothing firm was signed past the MOU dateline. The airline then opted switch back to its original deal which now includes the ability to convert some of its orders to the Boeing 737 MAX 10^[42][43] In 2019, as a result of the ongoing Boeing 737 MAX groundings, the airline has opted to suspend its orders for the aircraft temporarily.^[44]

In 2022, Malaysia Airlines has reiterated that it has resumed its order for 25 Boeing 737 MAXs with 25 options with Boeing at a cost of slightly over US$2 billion. The deal retains the airlines' ability to convert some frames to Boeing 737 MAX 10.^[45] In November 2023, the airline has taken delivery of the first aircraft.^[46] The Boeing 737 MAX 8 would be the main workhorse for the airlines domestic and regional network for flights less than 5 hours.^[47]

The airline has hinted that it plans to order an addition of 45 new aircraft that would be delivered in 2028 onward based on its long term planning. The order consists of 35 narrowbody and 10 widebody aircraft.^[48][49]

Malaysia Airlines and its predecessor companies have flown the following aircraft types in the past:^{[citation needed]}

Media related to Malaysia Airlines fleet at Wikimedia Commons