Eugene Koh

Malindo Air yesterday opened reservation for its planned Kuala Lumpur – Denpasar – Sydney service, with additional revision on launch date. The new 737-800 service is now scheduled from 14AUG19, operating on daily basis. OD171 KUL1825 – 2135DPS2235 – 0640+1SYD 738 D OD172 SYD1200 – 1650DPS1800 – 2110KUL 738 D I wish Malindo would operate the Airbus 330 for this route!

Replaced it with all existing A330s

Lufthansa orders 20 Boeing 787-9 and 20 additional Airbus A350-900 planes. Some say the additional A350 is due to trade in of 6x A380s. http://newsinflight.com/2019/03/13/lufthansa-to-purchase-40-airbus-and-boeing-airplanes-valued-at-usd-12-billion/?fbclid=IwAR3yzC4i-qk40XlqwbEGxDBbh_k_LW8k_xRug5mgvyeO2iNt8JF2NtCsOV4

Courtesy of Aeronews:

What do you all think? Shut down or sell off national carrier' Malaysia Airlines Bhd’s (MAS) planes on the tarmac at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport. - NSTP/EIZAIRI SHAMSUDIN By BILQIS BAHARI - March 7, 2019 @ 8:14am KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia Airlines Bhd’s (MAS) days as a national carrier may be numbered as it has failed to meet its three-year target to be profitable, but is instead bleeding since it was taken private in 2014, say aviation analysts. They said that the best deal for the airline is to completely shut down its operations or sell it to interested parties or spin off its business divisions. Shukor Yusof, the founder of Malaysian-based aviation consultancy firm Endau Analytics, said there would be no capacity issue if MAS were to close shop as its void would be filled by other airlines. “MAS ought to shut down. There is no economic or financial rationale in maintaining it in its current condition. A loss-making business can’t continue indefinitely,” he told the New Straits Times. If the national airline was shut down, its assets, such as aircraft and properties, could be used to repay debts while some of its workers could be redirected to other airlines, such as Malindo Airways or AirAsia. “What’s more important, in my view, is to take to task the people who have been responsible for ruining MAS. There must be accountability.” Shukor said the question that remains to be answered is does MAS really bring a multiplier effect to Malaysia’s economy via tourism revenue. In a recent interview, Khazanah Nasional Bhd managing director Datuk Shahril Ridza Ridzuan said MAS brings a multiplier effect of eight to 10 times from tourists for each dollar that the airline brings to Malaysia. Khazanah is the sole shareholder of MAS after taking the airline private in 2014. The sovereign wealth fund injected RM6 billion into the airline to keep it afloat. Maybank Investment Bank Bhd aviation analyst Mohshin Aziz agreed that the best way was for MAS to discontinue operations given that its turnaround plans over the years have failed. “Should Malaysia have a national airline? That argument is becoming weaker because we have been bailing it out many times. “Nowadays, the attachment and sentiment to the national airline is not as strong as before. “Previously, there was a sense of pride attached to the brand. But today, the emotional attachment is not as strong, particularly among the younger generation.” However, Mohshin said, MAS could be sold to an interested party or enter into a joint venture with other airlines, or its parent company Malaysia Aviation Group Bhd could sell off one of its subsidiaries, such as MAB Engineering. The volume for MAS’ maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) was low, he said, and it was facing intense competition from other MRO service providers in the region, such as Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines. “I think they should test the market to sell their MRO. It makes financial sense because it’s too expensive to maintain that business. The saving grace is to sell the MRO to a world-recognised MRO facility. “MAS’ idea for an MRO unit in the past was because they had many aircraft, so they might as well maintain the planes themselves and with the spare capacity, offer third-party service to other airlines,” he said, adding that MAS’ current fleet size was smaller. MAG’s other subsidiaries include Firefly, MASwings, MAB Kargo, AeroDarat Services, MAB Leasing, MAB Pesawat and MAB Academy. From its delisting from Bursa Malaysia from 2015 to 2017, MAS had registered a loss of RM2.3 billion due to the ringgit’s weakness and higher jet fuel costs. Khazanah on Tuesday announced that half of its total impairment cost of RM7.3 billion in 2018 was due to the carrier. The sovereign wealth fund has asked MAB to produce a new strategic plan.

http://www.boeing.com/commercial/customers/british-airways/british-airways-777x-order-announcement.page

Sorry, slightly off topic but can anyone advise when is Malindo changing it's name to Batik. It's confusing seeing two names under one airline brand. Also is Malindo/Batik getting any of the B737MAX in the near future? Thank you.

An interesting read: https://www.thestar.com.my/business/business-news/2018/02/08/airasia-seen-sticking-with-airbus-a330neo/

Reminds me of the old UTA livery

On a separate note, saw MAS A380 (9M-MNC) operated to Sydney

https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/lion-air-group-moves-all-737-max-jet-to-indonesian-u-441507/

"Bellew said Malaysia Airlines may need to order more widebody aircraft in six months." Q: More A332 or A333? And I hope MAB will standardise their fleet livery. He added that the airline would lease six widebody aircraft from Air Berlin in 2018 http://www.thestar.com.my/business/business-news/2017/09/27/peter-bellew-to-stay-on-at-malaysia-airlines/

When is MAB rolling out the A330 Negaraku?

Do we know where these A330s coming from?

That's indeed awesome and something to look forward to Mr Flee. How many A330-300s Malindo/Batik ordered? Hope they will consider Sydney sector.

If they stick to their B787 orders, Malindo would be first on Malaysia soil

I was told by a pilot within AAX that this is not a one off livery instead new livery! Shall remain to see...

AirAsia X newest member 9M-XXT, special scheme or new livery? http://www.flickr.com/photos/openskyphotographer/14689488342/in/photostream/

MH planes presently looks like colors of Benelton, should streamline it's livery. Also lately I've seen lots of airline having their B738 installed with scimitar, is MH planning to do the same?

So sad to this ex-MH B777 bird... http://www.planepictures.net/netshow.php?id=1291508

Hi MIR, into which new livery may I ask, thanks

Sharklet model

@ Flee - I meant why the rest of the A330 fleet is red/blue and two is blue. I know they're following the A380 models, can't MAS standardize it? Similarly for their B737. As for being darker it could be due to lighting.

Another OneWorld painted on MH - A333 9M-MTO, with 'Malaysia Airlines' in line with MH's A380s. The many colours of MH, confusing!!! http://www.planepictures.net/netshow.php?id=1268098 http://www.planepictures.net/netshow.php?id=1268017

Why all leased A333 have incomplete painting to it's tail!