Malaysia Airlines mulls A380 fleet options post-A350 arrival

Malaysia Airlines (MH, Kuala Lumpur Int'l) is planning to use its incoming fleet of four A350-900s to replace its A380-800s on the Kuala Lumpur Int'l-London Heathrow route once the twinjets begin arriving during the last quarter of 2017.

Last month, Malaysia Airlines signed longterm lease agreements with Air Lease Corporation (ALC) for four new A350-900s with options for two additional jets of the same type as well as two A330-900neo aircraft. The A350s are slated to arrive between the fourth quarter of 2017 and the second quarter of 2018.

An airline official who spoke to AIN Online on condition of anonymity said the Malaysian national carrier has struggled to attract sufficient loads for the double-decker quadjet. The A380s were used on Malaysia Airlines' flagship European routes to London Heathrow as well as Paris CDG though the latter has since been replaced with a B777-200(ER).

Concerning the future of the B777-200(ER), Malaysia Airlines is reconsidering plans to phase out its eleven remaining B777-200(ER)s and scrap its Amsterdam and Paris routes by March 2016.

While flights Amsterdam appear set for the axe, flights to Paris CDG may be retained following Air France's announcement that it would end its own 4x weekly Paris CDG-Kuala Lumpur Int'l service on October 25. Should that occur, Malaysia Airlines would retain the route as well as two B777s, the official added.

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