MAS A380 - Fleet to be Retained

[JimboJ 0]

Anybody know what happened to MH2 yet? I see that MH3 is delayed today as a result...

[Johan Z 0]

WTM 2012: Malaysia Airlines to add second daily A380 flight to KL

By Chloe Berman | Nov 07, 2012 11:07AM GMT

Malaysia Airlines will add a second daily Airbus A380 service between Heathrow and Kuala Lumpur from late November, taking the rise in capacity from London this year to 200 seats a day.

The Malaysian flag carrier launched its first A380 flights from Heathrow at the beginning of July and goes double daily from November 24.

The new service will take Malaysia Airlines’ capacity increase from the UK this year to 30%. The carrier is relying on travel agents to fill the seats, having already increased passenger numbers by 14% so far this year.

Huib Gorter, senior commercial vice-president for the UK,said: “The largest share of our revenue is through agents and we’re looking to enhance that relationship. You will see more of a focus on the trade. That is our strategy to get more traffic to Malaysia.”

UK area manager Yuzrizal Mohd Yousif said: “Our load factors from the UK have been 90%. Our flights are full even in business class. But the market hasn’t grown. We are pulling people off other carriers.”

Senior marketing vice-president Dean Dacko insisted: “The second A380 should have a dramatic effect. We have put a lot of offers into the market and will embrace our trade partners. We want agents to get the message that we are easy to do business with.”

He promised a dedicated “agent travel portal before the end of the year” to provide “messaging, education, product knowledge and incentives”.

Malaysia’s A380 services will depart Heathrow at 10:15 and 22:00, with the latter moving to midnight for the summer schedule.

Gorter said: “By the end of 2013 we’ll have one of the youngest fleets in southeast Asia. We are re-engineering the network and looking at making Kuala Lumpur a major hub for Asia.”

Malaysia Airlines will become a full member of the Oneworld alliance with British Airways from February 1 next year.

http://www.travelweekly.co.uk/Articles/2012/11/07/42211/wtm+2012+malaysia+airlines+to+add+second+daily+a380+flight+to+kl.html

Wow 90% load factor. If they upgrade 777 cabin up to A380 standard, they will pull customers back from other airlines.

[Craig 0]

Wow 90% load factor. If they upgrade 777 cabin up to A380 standard, they will pull customers back from other airlines.

 

Great....but:

 

The carrier is relying on travel agents to fill the seats, having already increased passenger numbers by 14% so far this year.

 

That's not the most lucrative market. But good that they are filling up C cabin as well.

[KK Lee 5]

Thought MH trade unions were saying A380 is too big for MH?

 

With double daily to LHR, MH is left with one A380 for other route, and one A380 is unable to cater for daily KUL-CDG. With hindsight, the sixth A380 is likely to deploy to either SYD or MEL.

[flee 5]

Congratulations to MH on the success of their KUL-LHR A380 services. I have always maintained that the A380 was a pax magnet when there were many doubters amongst us in here as well as the MH unions/staff.

 

Why should MH be special? All the other A380 operators have reported good loads on their A380 services. MH just needed to do the necessary marketing so that everyone knows that their A380 services are in town!

 

With the aircraft full, MH should capitalise on that to market its network - they should offer connections to Asia for those pax arriving on the A380 services. They should look at marketing and operating schedules. Try to make their A380 pax fly more MH sectors, once they have arrived in KUL.

[Izanee 0]

Well said flee, fully agree with u

[nrazmoor 0]

 

With the aircraft full, MH should capitalise on that to market its network - they should offer connections to Asia for those pax arriving on the A380 services. They should look at marketing and operating schedules. Try to make their A380 pax fly more MH sectors, once they have arrived in KUL.

 

Totally agree with this.. the priority for A380 should be to EU and Australia. This will help to feed MH asian sectors. I think its a good move to send their A380 to CDG. MH definately need to order more A380 for destination like SYD/MEL/NRT.

 

Btw, Its kinda of weird for MH not to fly daily to FRA.. i mean the business between Germany and Malaysia is big.. if im not mistaken even bigger than with France. If the curfew thingy one of the reason than they shld thinking to start fly to BER then codeshare with Air Berlin for the rest destination in Germany. It will be more awesome if they fly A380 to BER

[flee 5]

I think the MH is finally operating smarter.

 

They have dedicated their A380s to the LHR route by going double daily. Afterall, the spend to create the marketing buzz will be the same if you have daily or double daily flights. So marketing costs are fixed, whatever the frequency. Might as well make full use of this buzz and send the whatejets over all the time.

 

With the CDG route also in the EU market, it would be a good way to tap that market while the buzz in London is going on. Also some people might actually find MH's flexi return (e.g. fly into LHR and fly out of CDG) a rather attractive itinerary and one way of avoiding UK's exhorbitant APDs.

 

Well done, MH!

[Guest Michael]

And I read the paper the other day, they want to go from 2 to 4 daily eventually between KUL and LHR so MH1 to MH4 all on the 388 is going to be amazing.

[Mohd Azizul Ramli 2]

I don't think they have the slots to do even 3 daily flights anymore.

[Mr.Bandit 0]

if another 2 extra flights using B777-200ER, it makes sense.

Edited November 11, 2012 by qudienputra

[JimboJ 0]

Anybody willing to reveal what happened to MH2 on 5th November? I can find no mention anywhere!

[BC Tam 2]

from other thread

I say give MH the extra slots it is the best way to use the spares up. O/T means over time so I will be patient then.

I'm guessing SV meant 'off topic' rather than ......

Which doesn't sound too way off, since you appear to be responding in this thread to a discussion on another thread http://www.malaysian...ic=7280&st=2560

 

Incidentally, slots at LHR are pretty hard to come by nowadays due to physical constraints at said airport

I understand not something that is easily given away, even when giver wants to give

 

Perhaps we go discuss this at the more appropriate thread ?

[Waiping 12]

I thought MH gave up 1 slot a long tim ago.

 

If not flying to LHR, can they fly to other London airport like Stansted and Gatwick?

[BC Tam 2]

I believe (desirable) slots at LGW are also hard to come by and command a hefty premium when and if available nowadays

Stansted is perceived as some outcast, of last resort airport, favored by airlines catering to the budget conscious flyer - hardly befitting a premium 5* rated carrier that MH prides itself as

(heck, even D7 forsook STN for LGW before calling it a day on EU)

[H Azmal 0]

While we're on the subject of the seats...is it just me, or is their economy seat on the A380 the most uncomfy ever? Had the chance to travel onboard one of the dugongs from LHR in September and all I remember about it was that it was backbreaking! I mean, I know economy seats are supposed to have only a basic level of comfort, but I don't remember 12 hour flights on economy killing my back that much...

[KK Lee 5]

And I read the paper the other day, they want to go from 2 to 4 daily eventually between KUL and LHR so MH1 to MH4 all on the 388 is going to be amazing.

 

Syok sendiri

[szesyn 0]

Quick question anyone: Is 9M-MNC already in service?

[jahur 0]

Quick question anyone: Is 9M-MNC already in service?

Nope. The 3rd and 4th aircraft are suppose to arrive year end but somehow im not sure if that can be made

[flee 5]

Quick question anyone: Is 9M-MNC already in service?

It should be delivered very soon, together with 9M-MND as MH's second daily LHR service is due to commence on 25 November.

Edited November 13, 2012 by flee

[Mohd Suhaimi Fariz 2]

Nope. The 3rd and 4th aircraft are suppose to arrive year end but somehow im not sure if that can be made

 

Actually ownership transfer's already done. Probably flying back to KUL anytime this week or the next. As flee rightly pointed out - double daily service to LHR starts Nov. 25.

[Josh T 0]

North even, south odd I think.

Correct. All southbound flights are odd numbers and northbound flights are even.

 

I thought MH gave up 1 slot a long tim ago.

 

If not flying to LHR, can they fly to other London airport like Stansted and Gatwick?

Yes. MH used to have 3 daily slots at LHR but they sold 1 off and I think Air India bought it. Very poor decision on MH's part. Very very short-sighted decision from the management at that time. They'd kill for a 3rd slot nowadays...

[JuliusWong 0]

Correct. All southbound flights are odd numbers and northbound flights are even.

 

Yes. MH used to have 3 daily slots at LHR but they sold 1 off and I think Air India bought it. Very poor decision on MH's part. Very very short-sighted decision from the management at that time. They'd kill for a 3rd slot nowadays...

O.O.......What in the world makes them sold off the much coveted LHR slots? Getting slot into LHR is one of the toughest among the many airports in the world. Perhaps they can pick up NZ slot (or has it been transferred to CX?), IT, or HU slots? What a short sighted decision......

[Mohd Suhaimi Fariz 2]

O.O.......What in the world makes them sold off the much coveted LHR slots? Getting slot into LHR is one of the toughest among the many airports in the world. Perhaps they can pick up NZ slot (or has it been transferred to CX?), IT, or HU slots? What a short sighted decision......

 

Now that MH's chummy with BA - perhaps they can wangle a slot from big daddy.

[BC Tam 2]

O.O.......What in the world makes them sold off the much coveted LHR slots?

If you bear in mind it's our beloved golden bumbling national carrier we're talking about, it does help to attenuate the sense of bewilderment ......