Malaysia Airlines (MH, Kuala Lumpur International) Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Peter Bellew says the carrier is in talks with unspecified carriers in China and the ASEAN bloc over the possible sale of its unwanted A380-800 fleet.
Speaking to Bloomberg, Bellew said talks were also underway with Airbus (AIB, Toulouse Blagnac) to add ninety more seats to the 494-seater aircraft. The move, if successful, will allow the A380 to continue to operate in a two- or three-class configuration while increasing its appeal to the second-hand/charter market.
Malaysia Airlines' fleet of six A380s is currently used exclusively on its flagship Kuala Lumpur International-London Heathrow route. Between November 10, 2016 and July 6, 2017, they will be deployed on a total of fifty-three charter flights from Malaysia to Madinah and Jeddah International in Saudi Arabia. Contracts with two local travel agencies, Andalusia Travel & Tours Sdn Bhd and Rayhar Travels Sdn Bhd, were signed earlier this year.
Under previous CEO Christoph Mueller, Malaysia Airlines had intended to retain the double-decker quadjets until the middle of 2018 when its first A350-900s arrive. The carrier is in the midst of a restructuring plan which will see it shy away from longhaul services in favour of a greater presence in the regional Asian market.
