Malaysia Airlines goes for a new Airbus A380

By 2007, Malaysia Airlines will become a New Airbus A380 operator.

The airline’s parent company Penerbangan Malaysia Berhard (PMB) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Airbus to acquire six Airbus A380-800 passenger aircraft which will be leased to the Malaysian flag carrier.

Deliveries to Malaysia Airlines are scheduled to start in 2007. Current planning will see the airline operate the A380s on key trunk routes.

With Malaysia Airlines’

selection, Airbus has now 103 orders and commitments from 10 customers for the A380 program.

Built to the latest and most stringent certification requirements, the 555-seater A380 embodies the most advanced technologies, providing 15 to 20 percent lower operating costs than the largest aircraft flying today and 10 to 15 percent more range.

“This is a major transaction which we believe will

bring long-term benefits to PMB, Malaysia Airlines and our customers. This purchase meets our requirements for the future and we expect the A380s to become a key part of our fleet,” said Dato’ Gumuri Hussan, PMB managing director and CEO.

At the same time, Malaysia Airlines’ managing director Dato’ Md Nor Yusof said, “With this acquisition, we believe Malaysia Airlines would be even better eq

uipped to sustain and improve on our position as a premier carrier with the latest product offering.”

He added, “We are very well-positioned in the region and combined with the encouraging traffic growth on our flagship long-haul routes, slot constraints in our key destinations and the A380s expected cost advantages, we believe there is a strong economic rationale for this addition to the fle

et, even more so by the time we take delivery in 2007.”

Noel Forgeard, Airbus CEO said, “We are indeed delighted that Malaysia Airlines, one of the world’s most dynamic carriers, will join the club of renowned airlines having gone the A380 way. I am confident that the aircraft will play a pivotal role in Malaysia Airlines’ long-term growth.”

Airbus’ presence in Malaysia dates back to 1978

when Malaysia Airlines placed its first order for the A300B4, becoming one of the early Airbus customers. The carrier currently operates nine Airbus A330 aircraft.

In October 2002, Airbus reinforced its ties with Malaysia through an agreement with Composites Technology Research Malaysia (CTRM) as a key supplier for A380 wing components, adding to earlier agreements covering composites work for

A300 and A320 family of aircraft.

The A380 will offer all the advantages of a completely new design, while retaining maximum commonality with the existing Airbus’ aircraft family.

Airbus is a global company with design and manufacturing facilities in France, Germany, the UK, and Spain as well as subsidiaries in the US, China and Japan.