Malaysia Aviation Group (MAG), the parent company of national carrier Malaysia Airlines, commemorated the arrival of its first Boeing 737-8 aircraft.
The induction of the aircraft type marks the beginning of the gradual expansion plan of MAG’s narrowbody fleet. MAG has an orderbook of 25 737-8 aircraft through its operating lease with Air Lease Corporation (ALC), which will be delivered progressively through to 2026.
The aircraft will embark on its first commercial flight to Kota Kinabalu via Malaysia Airlines flight MH2640 departing Kuala Lumpur at 3:40pm local time. The aircraft will service destinations across domestic Malaysia, before expanding to other networks across ASEAN and Asia as more of the aircraft type enters into service.
Similar to its refreshed Boeing 737-800 NG aircraft, the 737-8 will offer similar seating configurations comprising 12 seats in Business Class and 162 seats in Economy Class. In the pipeline, as part of its broader connectivity strategy, Malaysia Airlines will introduce high-quality internet connectivity, which will mark the first time MAG incorporates this feature into its narrowbody fleet; allowing customers to stay connected throughout their journey.
As part of its fleet modernisation plans, MAG is currently undergoing a refurbishment on 39 of its 47 B737-800 NG aircraft, which is targeted to be completed in early 2024. In addition, the Group recently acquired one A350-900 aircraft to support its growth requirements, and will be receiving 20 Airbus 330neo aircraft, with the first delivery scheduled in September 2024. MAG currently owns a fleet size of 102 through its subsidiaries Malaysia Airlines, Firefly, MASwings and MASkargo.