Malaysia Airlines to take in Boeing 737 MAX deliveries in 2024, dispose of A380s
Aviation Updates Philippines – Malaysia Airlines' parent company announced it will start taking deliveries of the Boeing 737 MAX jets from 2024. It will also retire its Airbus A380 fleet "in the coming months"
In a virtual press briefing, Malaysia Aviation Group (MAG) Chief Executive Captain Izham Ismail said the company reached an agreement with Boeing to take in the jets during a three to four year period.
"We're committed to take the MAX's delivery in 2024, but we are also exploring the possibility of taking it earlier," Izham said, adding that he hopes issues regarding the 737 MAX would be resolved by then and consumer confidence gets restored soon.
MAG originally placed an order for up to 50 – 25 firm and 25 options – Boeing 737 MAX jets in 2016. Initially scheduled to be delivered in 2019, the deliveries have been delayed due to the global groundings of the MAX following the fatal crashes of Lion Air JT 610 and Ethiopian Air ET 302.
While taking in the Boeing 737 MAX from 2024, the airline group is exploring ways to dispose its Airbus A380 superjumbos.
“We are cognizant of the challenges to sell this aeroplane, but we are still looking at ways and means to dispose of our 380 fleet. At the moment, the management is convinced that the 380 doesn’t fit the future plan,” Ismail said, referring to the Airbus A380.
Malaysia Airlines currently has 6 Airbus A380s which have not been used on regularly scheduled passenger flights. It has been used on Hajj pilgrimage flights and charter operations including repatriation flights after the demise of Thomas Cook Airlines in 2019.
The moves are part of the airline group's efforts to restructure its business.
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