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Bellew still keen on A330neo and A330ceo leases
September 22nd 2017
Malaysia Airlines Berhad (MAB) CEO, Peter Bellew, this week told Bloomberg the airline is actively pursuing an A330neo order with Airbus. Read More »
Bellew said he had met with Airbus representatives this week to continue discussions about the potential order. Until now, the MAB boss said he was dissatisfied with the offer received from the Toulouse-based manufacturer. “The price was not right,” he recently told Orient Aviation.
In the long term, MAB plans to acquire 25-30 A330s, with 15 aircraft replacing its current A330ceo fleet and the rest put to work to expand the airline’s network and capacity.
Meanwhile, Bellew said he has received “very attractive offers from bankrupt European airlines” and will be “meeting with lessors this week”. Both airberlin and Alitalia are returning A330s to lessors.
MAB last week ordered eight B787-9s, prompting many to think the A330neo deal had fallen through. Bellew rejected such suggestions and said a potential A330neo fleet could be operated alongside the B787s as part of the oneworld carrier’s fleet renewal programme.
MAB operates 15 A330-300s, six A380s and approximately 55 B737-800s. It also has signed agreements for six leased A350-900s, with the first XWB to be delivered to the airline in December.
The airline is on track to return to profitability in 2018, despite suffering a challenging three months, ended 30 June, as its domestic and international network performance diverged.
