MH has placed an order for 15 A330-300s with deliveries between 2011 and 2016 for use on medium haul markets, replacing their leased A332s and A333s. By moving from leasing to ownership of their A330 fleet, MH expects to save close to $100 million a year by the time the last plane is delivered in 2016.

They also noted that their A380-800s will be used on KUL-LHR and KUL-SYD.

Any word on engines? I'd imagine this is RR's to lose...

This order for 15 A330-300 was firmed up 31-Mar-2010, and 2 A330-200F added:

http://www.airbus.com/en/presscentre/press...a_airlines.html



Dave

Yet another carrier adding the Big Beast on the 'Roo Route (as I predicted 5 years ago ). Yields are probably horrible as it is. One can by round-trip 'Roo tickets for $1,100!!

I doubt very much that .. "yields are probably terrible". Why ?

1. MH has a virtual monopoly on the Australia-Malaysia market right now, given that historically, both Australian Airlines and Jetstar have had (for various reasons) to abandon the route. Malaysia remains a popular desitination for Australian travellers and the Malaysian (business and VFR) market to Australia is strong.

2. While AirAsia / AirAsiaX is serving the Australian market, it only does so out of the Gold Coast (OOL - Coolangatta), a regional airport .. that ignores the larger SYD-MEL-ADL markets. Note that they are also a dedicated LCC operation against MH's legacy offering (which, for long haul, is preferred by most Australian passengers). Until AirAsia can begin service from SYD / MEL, their future is fairly limited. However, as of yesterday, they have lodged an application for SYD rights.)

3. Further, MH has benefitted greatly from it's partner OS (Austrian Airlines) 2008 withdrawal from the (SYD-)KUL-VIE route .. and MH now picks up all this traffic.

4. Finally, with it's recent fleet upgrade of its B747 fleet and revamp of its First and Business Class products, the Malaysian carrier is enjoying an enhanced reputation for quality and service.

5. It is also offering good discount fares to LON for Economy / Coach passengers. Obviously following a 'fill the back' strategy at slightly lower prices than the competition and working hard to attract the 'premium' flyers.

I might add that many of the Asian economies have been relatively unaffected by the GFC and that travel patterns remain relatively strong and are in a growth phase. Given that MH's premium load factors have been regularly touted as fairly high, I'd doubt that yields are suffering too much at all.

Maybe, a few months ago !

However, we are moving into European Summer and that generates peak prices from Australia. Ex SYD right now, about the lowest Economy fare to London / Paris / Frankfurt you can get starts at AUD $ 1,800.00 and if you look at the likes of the major carriers ie: EK/SQ/QF/BA/CX/TG/EY/QR the results are probably closer to AUD $2,300.00. And there is a complete lack of '2 for 1' specials and discount stopovers in all classes.

Actually, AirAsiaX has been serving Melbourne and Perth for at least a year already. (I know, it's incomprehensible that yet another airline services MEL but not SYD, right? )

Well it's going to be about five years* before MH gets an A380 to put on the route as Airbus informed them today that their plane is being delayed again - now to 1H 2012 from August 2011.



* - The original delivery date was 1H 2007, so 1H 2012 is five years.

As if the route isn't getting crowded enough.......