At an event held alongside the MATTA Fair 2024 (the Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents), Malaysia Airlines made several announcements, including a multi-year deal to be the Official Commercial Airline of Manchester United football club, and the launch of flights to three new destinations (Malé, Maldives (MLE); Da Nang, Vietnam (DAD); and Chiang Mai, Thailand (CNX)).
The airline also unveiled new business class and economy class seats for its fleet of 12 Airbus 330-900 (A330neo) aircraft, scheduled for delivery from Q3 2024 as part of its fleet modernisation plan. The A330neos will be fitted with 297 seats (28 in business class and 269 in economy class, of which 24 seats will have extra legroom).
The cabins will feature many ‘firsts’ for the airline, including the introduction of Collins Aerospace Elevation business-class seats. The Elevation seats will bring an all-suite cabin with individual privacy doors, as well as wireless charging pods available at all 28 of the seats.
For the economy-class cabin, Malaysia Airlines has selected the Recaro CL3810 seat, with amenities including coat hooks, cup holders and ample stowage. The seat covers will feature the airline’s signature songket motif, paying homage to Malaysia’s cultural heritage by blending tradition with contemporary style.
Datuk Captain Izham Ismail, group managing director of Malaysia Aviation Group (MAG), said of the announcements: “Malaysia Airlines has undergone a chequered journey over the last decade, however through it all, our resilience has remained steadfast. Having stabilised our balance sheet and recording our strongest-ever financial year performance since the past decade, we are now in a stronger position to steer our focus towards accelerating investments into our product and service delivery to elevate the customer experience.
“With our Manchester United collaboration, the expansion of our network to three new routes, and the unveiling of the new cabin seats on our new A330neo; this sets the benchmark of exciting things to come as we redefine what it means to travel onboard Malaysian Hospitality. These milestones not only set a new standard in the airline’s transformation journey but also promise a future filled with unparalleled experiences beyond the confines of the aircraft. As we move forward, our focus remains unwavering on delivering excellence and fostering continued growth, ensuring that every aspect of our service exceeds expectations and leaves a lasting impression for our valued passengers.”
