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Malaysia Airlines signs up for AATC A350 training
March 24th 2017
Malaysia Airlines Berhad (MAB) on Tuesday signed an agreement with the Airbus Asia Training Centre (AATC) in Singapore to provide A350 XWB training to the carrier’s flight crew. Read More » The AATC now has 29 airline customers.
The deal, which was signed by MAB executive counsel, Nik Azli Abu Zahar, and Airbus’ executive vice-president for Asia, Jean Francois Laval, covers complete courses for flight crew transition from the A330 to the A350, as well as regular recurrent training services.
“This will be an efficient and cost-effective solution for Malaysia Airlines, with crews being trained close to home,” MAB COO, Capt Izham Ismail, said. “This latest agreement underscores the close partnership between Airbus and Malaysia Airlines,” said Laval.
MAB will receive six A350-900s on lease from ALC with the first aircraft to be delivered in December, approximately two months later than the airline originally scheduled. MAB CEO, Peter Bellew, said was “a shame”, given December was one of the carrier’s busiest months. The MAB A350 will feature a three-class layout, including a new premium economy cabin.
Bellew this week reiterated that MAB is close to placing an order for 25-30 widebodies to replace its older A330s. He said he was ready to sign a purchase agreement for either A330neo or B787 jets by July, but the pricing was “not yet right”.
The MAB CEO said leasing surplus aircraft from carriers in Turkey and the Middle East affected by Trump’s travel and electronics bans could be an option if negotiations with Airbus and Boeing do not pan out as MAB hoped.
