Malaysia Airlines pushes back A330neo debut

Malaysia Airlines will use its fleet of factory-fresh Airbus A330neo jets as the launchpad for an all-new international business class offering.

So when will passengers be able to enjoy these spacious, well-appointed suites – and on what routes will they appear?

Executive Traveller sat down with Captain Izham Ismail, CEO of the Malaysia Aviation Group, for this update on the KL-based carrier’s plans for the A330neo. 

Malaysia Airlines’ A330neo delivery

The A330neo is an updated version of Airbus’ best-selling A330, a stalwart of scores of airlines for both domestic and short- to medium-range international flights.

And while the neo suffix denotes a fuel-efficient ‘new engine option’, the jet also incorporates a range of passenger-friendly updates such as a quieter cabin, ambient LED lighting schemes and larger overhead bins which increase capacity by some 66%.

Although Malaysia Airlines was expecting its first A330neo to arrive in late October 2024, Airbus has pushed the delivery back to November.

However, this is not expected to impact Malaysia Airlines’ goal of having “five in our fleet by the end of Q1 2025,” as Ismail previously told Executive Traveller.

Malaysia Airlines' A330neo.

The remaining 15 jets from Malaysia Airlines’ initial 20-strong A330neo order will then stream through until 2028.

However, Malaysia Airlines has also inked an ‘options’ agreement with Airbus for the purchase of up to 20 more A330neo jets.

Ismail said any second batch of A330neos would fuel “growth” of the network to new destinations, along with the possibility of adding more flights to current routes – although some of this might even be achievable with the first batch of A330neos.

“The strategy of the company is to grow, but we do not want to grow blindly,” Ismail said.

“I need to grow Australia… with the current demand, our load factor is sitting in the 90s, so I need to increase Sydney to three times a day.”

Ismail also earmarked Melbourne for three MH flights per day, and double-daily to Auckland, to help support the new daily A350 flights to Paris.

Malaysia Airlines A330neo routes

The A330neo will steadily take over routes flown by the ageing A330s, which Ismail said would begin exiting the MH fleet from early 2025 on a “one in, one out” basis.

But which destinations would be first to see the A330neo and its modern business class suites?

Malaysia Airlines' A330neo.

Melbourne was planned to take honours as the inaugural A330neo route from Monday November 25, 2024, on flights MH149/MH148; this is now likely to be rescheduled into December or even January 2025 owing to the A330neo’s delayed arrival.

Auckland will follow soon after Melbourne, with Tokyo and Doha both seeing their first A330neo services in March 2025 – and it’s the current Malaysia Airlines A350 running between Kuala Lumpur and Doha which will be transferred across to bootstrap KL-Paris on March 22.

“Doha is a signature route for us,” Ismail said, as it’s the cornerstone of a codeshare partnership with Qatar Airways.

“We need to put on a product which is equivalent to Qatar’s, (especially for) connecting flights beyond Doha… we do not want customers to feel the difference (in business class), so they will see the consistency in the new product of the A330neo.”

Beyond those first four cities, Ismail described the early A330neo network as also including “India (and) a bit of Southeast Asia.”

Malaysia Airlines A330neo business class

Malaysia Airlines’ A330neo marks the debut of a new ‘signature’ business class suite which will also find its way onto the Airbus A350s as part of a retrofit program beginning in early 2026.

Malaysia Airlines' A330neo business class.

These business class suites will also replace the A350’s four first class suites, which have since rebranded as Business Suites.

Malaysia Airlines' A350 Business Suites (previously First Class).

And they’ll immediately be familiar to globetrotting Executive Traveller readers, as Malaysia Airlines has chosen Collins Aerospace’s Elevation platform – also used for British Airways Club Suites business class and Etihad Airways’ A350 Business Studio suites.

Etihad Airways' A350 Business Studio suite.

An earlier iteration of this same design, known as the Super Diamond, populates the pointy end of long-range jets flown by Air Canada, Qatar Airways and Taiwan’s China Airlines, among others.

Business class passengers on Malaysia Airlines’ A330neo will find 28 suites, each with individual privacy doors, arranged in a 1-2-1 layout with direct aisle access.

Malaysia Airlines' A330neo business class.

The window seats are angled towards the window and away from the aisle, for added privacy even when the door is open.

The paired middle seats are also angled away from the aisle and thus towards one another, with a sliding screen which can be opened if you’re flying with a partner.

Malaysia Airlines' A330neo business class.

Each Malaysia Airlines A330neo business class suite delivers increased personal space.

Malaysia Airlines' A330neo business class.

A panel on the side shelf opens up to reveal a conveniently located stowage nook, which should also be fitted with AC and USB-C sockets (which ar e not present in this mockup version shown below).

Malaysia Airlines' A330neo business class.

Just ahead of that nook is a concealed wireless charging spot for smartphones, earbuds and tablets.

Malaysia Airlines' A330neo business class.

Passengers will also be treated to generous video screens, although it’s not yet known if these will come with Bluetooth audio streaming.

Malaysia Airlines' A330neo business class.

Happily, we can confirm that Malaysia Airlines’ amazing business class satay will remain on the menu.

Malaysia Airlines’ business class satay.

Back behind the curtain on the Malaysia Airlines A330neo will be 263 new-design economy class seats laid out in rows of 2-4-2, with ‘enhanced in-flight entertainment screens’ and USB-C charging outlets.

Malaysia Airlines' A330neo economy class.

And from tip to tail, the Malaysia Airlines A330neo jets will continue to offer fast and free WiFi to every passenger.

David Flynn travelled to Kuala Lumpur as a guest of Malaysia Airlines.