Malindo Becomes Boeing 737 MAX 8 launch Operator

22nd Mar 2017

In an announcement on Tuesday, Malaysian low-fare airline Malindo Air revealed it will become the launch operator for the new Boeing 737 MAX 8 once it starts the service between Kuala Lumpur and Singapore in May this year.

Speaking about this at the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace (LIMA) Exhibition, Malindo Air Chief Executive Officer Chandran Rama Muthy said:

This new aircraft, which allows us to go to further destinations at a distance of seven hours and thirty minutes, will certainly help attract tourists to our country.

Boeing senior vice Presidents, sales for Asia Pacific and India Dinesh Keskar said the manufacturer plans to deliver 3,860 aircraft to Southeast Asia in the next 20 years. The region, Mr. Keskar said, will probably continue to grow at a rate of about 6% thanks to the increasing wealth of the middle class.

He said:

There will be even more demand if someone can come up with better on-time performance, good services and same or lower prices. That is the winning formula for Southeast Asia.

Keskar also pointed out that airports must improve air traffic management to allow more planes to land per hour. Many smaller airports, he remarked, have extended their operating hours and airlines can now use up to 20 hours per day. This not only increases yield, but also puts less pressure on the airport infrastructure.

Boeing VP also noted the pressure felt by regional currencies from the US dollar, which many carriers use to buy aircraft and parts while they collect their ticket revenues in the local currency like the ringgit.

At the same time, Keskar said, the close proximity of many cities in SE Asia could mean that consumers will seek alternatives if the fares start rising.

Malindo managed to become the Boeing 737 MAX 8 launch airline ahead of United States-based Southwest Airlines, which will not start using the narrow body plane until October.

The Malaysian airline plans to fly one of four Boeing 737 MAX 8s to Bangkok and Guangzhou this year, while its minority shareholder Lion Air, Indonesia plans to take another four of these planes next year. Lion Air served as the launch airline for Boeing’s 737-900ER in 2012.

Back to Top

SIGN UP TO OUR NEWSLETTER

Stay in touch with the recent news on schedule changes, new routes and latest promotions.

We won't pass on your details to any other company and you can unsubscribe whenever you want to.

Facebook Facebook Twitter Twitter Google Plus Google Plus RSS RSS