Airbus: Airline to buy 20 planes?

Airbus may place a large order. Malaysia Airlines is looking to replace its 15 A330-300s and 6 A330-200s. The airline has set its sights on 20 A330neo aircraft, According to Boursier.com. As of now, no official announcement has been made, sources familiar with the matter said. The company is expected to confirm the order on Monday, August 15. Not all equipment will be purchased outright, as half will have to be sold through leasing.

The Malaysian company’s aim is to replace its aging aircraft with more fuel-efficient aircraft. Malaysia Airlines’ chief executive said: “We are in the final stages of replacing the A330 fleet.” The company’s fleet already consists of Airbus aircraft such as A350-900s or A330s. But that’s not all, as Malaysia Airlines also owns planes from American company Boeing.

An order was placed with Boeing in 2017

Before choosing the Airbus-branded A330neo models, the Malaysian company had placed an order for eight 787 Dreamliners from US giant Boeing. However, the contract between the airline and the manufacturer expired.

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Malaysia Airlines-Boeing 787 deal expires

With this new order from Airbus, the company wants to save time and money as it does not have to hire pilots with specific Boeing skills. Also, Airbus aircraft can deliver faster than major US carriers.

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Airbus and Boeing load orders at Farnborough Airshow