SEPANG: Malaysia Aviation Group (MAG) is looking to have a fleet of some 60 narrowbody aircraft as part of its fleet growth programme for the next seven years.
MAG group managing director Datuk Captain Izham Ismail said it is viewing its options to search for aircraft that would be delivered and entered into operations from 2028.
"We're agnostic of the aircraft type after what we have gone through in the last few months (with Boeing Co.). We're open to Airbus A220. To a certain extent, what's wrong with Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China Ltd (Comac)?"
"As long as the fleet meets our mission, vision and our aspiration and commercially favourable to MAG, we'll go with the aircraft type," Izham said.
He was speaking at the Airline Leader Interview session at the Centre of Aviation (CAPA) Asia Aviation Summit and Sustainability for Excellence Awards 2023 here today.
MAG also expects to have some 55 widebody aircraft by 2028 with its first Airbus A330 neo (new engine option) aircraft scheduled to arrive in September 2024.
On Aug 2022, MAG announced that it was expanding its widebody fleet by adding 20 new A330-900 neo from 2024 to 2028.
Izham said 10 of the 20 aircraft would be purchased directly from Airbus while the other 10 to be back-to-back sale and leaseback arrangements with Dublin-based Avolon.
The fleet programme is part of MAG's Long-Term Business Plan 2.0 to position itself as a leading aviation services group within the region.
On the delivery of MAG's first Boeing B737 MAX 8 aircraft, Izham said there is no final date on the delivery yet from the US aircraft manufacturer.
"I honestly don't know when. It has been delayed for the last two and a half months. I'm very disappointed with the delivery progress of our B737 MAX 8," Izham said.
He added that MAG was supposed to receive seven MAX 8 aircraft but it was revised to four.
On Aug 25, Business Times reported that MAG's first B737 MAX 8 aircraft due on Aug 28 had been postponed due to aircraft parts issues found during a series of test flights in Seattle.
Responding to Business Times' query, Boeing said it has identified fastener holes that did not conform to its specifications in the aft pressure bulkhead on certain B737 aircraft.
"This is not an immediate safety of flight issue for the 737 fleet, which can continue operating safely.
"This issue will impact near-term 737 deliveries as we conduct inspections to determine the number of airplanes affected and complete required rework on those airplanes," a Boeing spokesperson said.
Speaking on MAG's airline unit, Malaysia Airlines Bhd's in-flight meals, Izham said the national carrier's F&B service will return to normal by Nov 15 as MAG receives more high-lift trucks needed to load the food containers into its aircraft.
Izham also said Malaysia Airlines will launch a new Asean menu as part of its aspiration to become a premium airline in Asia Pacific.
"When you run a business, you need to really be focused on what your objective is. Catering is not our core business but customer experience is.
"We have to find ways for us to reset our product onboard the aeroplane and that entails going through a very painful journey," he added.
Malaysia Airlines is working with eight of its F&B service providers to provide in-flight meals onboard its flights.
The national carrier had ended its 26-year partnership with its previous in-flight caterer, Brahim's Food Services Sdn Bhd on Aug 31.