Tag Archives: Malaysia Airlines

Malaysia Airlines and IndiGo announce codeshare pact

 

Malaysia Airlines has entered into an initial agreement with IndiGo, a domestic no-frills carrier, to establish a codeshare partnership aimed at enhancing connectivity between Malaysia and India.

In addition, a collaborative accord between the two airlines will empower them to offer customers enhanced options and flexibility for smooth travel between the two countries, as stated by IndiGo in a press release.

Through this collaboration, Malaysia Airlines will bolster its connectivity with India by serving as the marketing carrier for flights operated by IndiGo. Simultaneously, customers of IndiGo will gain access to a wider array of Southeast Asian destinations through Malaysia Airlines’ extensive network.

This reciprocal arrangement will facilitate seamless connections for passengers of both airlines, providing them with integrated travel itineraries and additional amenities, according to IndiGo.

Malaysia Airlines currently operates 71 weekly flights to nine key Indian cities, including New Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kochi, Ahmedabad, Amritsar, and Trivandrum.

“We are thrilled to establish this Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with IndiGo to expand our presence beyond the nine Indian hubs we presently serve, given that India represents our largest international market,” commented Izham Ismail, Group Managing Director of Malaysia Aviation Group.

Malaysia Airlines Forges Strategic Alliance with Manchester United; Introduces Three New Destinations

Malaysia Airlines has taken a significant step to broaden its global footprint by forging a strategic, multi-year partnership with Manchester United football club as its Official Commercial Airline. This collaboration aims to extend Malaysia Airlines’ renowned Malaysian Hospitality to Manchester United’s extensive community of over 1.1 billion fans worldwide. Through co-branded marketing initiatives, both brands seek to enhance brand visibility across diverse global audiences while delivering top-notch service and immersive experiences.

Simultaneously, at the MATTA Fair 2024, Malaysia Airlines unveiled plans to introduce flights to three new destinations: Malé, Maldives (MLE); Da Nang, Vietnam (DAD); and Chiang Mai, Thailand (CNX). These new routes will offer improved connectivity from Kuala Lumpur, with ticket sales commencing on 22 March 2024. Daily flights to MLE will commence on 1 August 2024, daily flights to DAD will begin on 24 September 2024, and five-times-weekly flights to CNX will launch on 15 August 2024.

This will mark the airline’s 13th destination in South Asia and 16th in ASEAN as it seeks to boost its presence within key markets, strengthening its position as the gateway to Asia and beyond in line with its commercial elevation journey. As a member of the oneworld® alliance, Malaysia Airlines currently offers superior connectivity to more than 900 destinations in 170 territories across the globe.

In the same event, the airline also unveiled its new A330neo Business Class and Economy Class seats as part of its fleet modernisation plan, ahead of the first aircraft’s scheduled delivery in Q3 2024. The new A330neo cabin will feature many ‘firsts’ for the airline and historically in its fleet.

Datuk Captain Izham Ismail, Group Managing Director of Malaysia Aviation Group (MAG), said, “Malaysia Airlines has undergone a chequered journey over the last decade, however through it all, our resilience has remained steadfast. Having stabilised our balance sheet and recording our strongest-ever financial year performance since the past decade, we are now in a stronger position to steer our focus towards accelerating investments into our product and service delivery to elevate the customer experience.

With our Manchester United collaboration, the expansion of our network to three new routes, and the unveiling of the new cabin seats on our new A330neo; this sets the benchmark of exciting things to come as we redefine what it means to travel onboard Malaysian Hospitality. ”

Malaysia Airlines keen to increase frequency on India routes by 25%

Malaysia Airlines is gearing up for a substantial boost in its flight frequencies to India, anticipating a surge in international travel from the country.

With plans to increase capacity by over 25% in 2024 compared to the previous year, the airline’s Group MD, Captain Iham Ismail, revealed that load factors on India routes have consistently surpassed 80%.

In a recent interview, Captain Ismail disclosed that Malaysia Airlines aims to cater to around 2 million passengers from India in FY24. The airline strengthened its ties with the Indian market in Q4 2023 by introducing three new routes – Amritsar, Trivandrum, and Ahmedabad.

Presently operating 69 weekly flights from nine Indian cities, including Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kochi, Amritsar, Trivandrum, and Ahmedabad, Malaysia Airlines is set to further expand its offerings. The frequency from Trivandrum will see a notable increase from two to four times weekly starting April 2024, bringing the total weekly flights to 71.

Captain Ismail outlined the airline’s future plans, indicating a gradual addition of new routes to meet rising travel demands. Prospective destinations include the northeast region with a focus on Guwahati and Kolkata, as well as potential routes to southern locations such as Trichy, Vizag, and Goa.

The airline has set ambitious targets for market share growth, aiming to double its 2023 performance by achieving a 40% improvement by 2025. Notably, Malaysia Airlines is actively working on establishing a deep codeshare with an Indian carrier, building on its existing interline agreement with Vistara. These strategic partnerships aim to enhance connectivity and provide travellers with more options.

 

Malaysia Airlines, Tourism Malaysia Host Successful Hospitality Event at Lulu Mall, Trivandrum

Malaysia Airlines and Tourism Malaysia successfully concluded a two-day immersive event at Lulu Mall, Trivandrum, from March 2 to 3, 2024. This joint effort event aimed at promoting Malaysia as a top-tier tourist destination, artfully conveyed the essence of Malaysian Hospitality while highlighting the country’s rich cultural heritage.

Hosted by RJ Anwin from Radio Mirchi, the event offered an array of engaging activities for customers, ranging from quizzes and giveaways to traditional Malaysian board games, Lion Dance, and a 360-degree photo booth. Committed to serving as the gateway to Asia and beyond, Malaysia Airlines showcased a multitude of direct connectivity options for Indian travellers, urging them to plan a trip to experience the wonders of Malaysia.

Dersenish Aresandiran, Chief Commercial Officer of Airlines from Malaysia Aviation Group, expressed his satisfaction with the event’s outcome, stating, “As we reflect on our recent successful collaboration with Tourism Malaysia, Malaysia Airlines reaffirms its commitment to showcasing Malaysian Hospitality in every experience. Our presence at Trivandrum’s Lulu Mall wasn’t just about showcasing our services, but also about inviting travellers to immerse themselves in Malaysia’s rich culture, diversity, and cuisine. Furthermore, our goal is to bridge cultures and connect people with Malaysian Hospitality as our guiding principle, ensuring that every encounter with Malaysia Airlines is an unforgettable experience.”

Razaidi Abdul Rahim, Director-Tourism Malaysia Chennai (South India & Sri Lanka) said, “We are delighted to share the resounding success of our recent Mall Activation Event at Lulu Mall, Trivandrum, a testament to Malaysia’s vibrant tourism and warm hospitality. The event not only showcased the immense opportunities in Malaysia but also created an immersive and unforgettable experience for the visitors. As the Director of Tourism Malaysia Chennai, I extend my gratitude to Malaysia Airlines, and to all participants who made this a grand success. Together, we have not only promoted tourism in Malaysia, but have also crafted lasting memories that will inspire travellers to explore our culturally rich and picturesque country!”

In light of the Malaysian government’s announcement regarding the 30-day visa-free entry for Indian visitors until 31 December 2024, Malaysia Airlines has recently extended its Holiday Special Sale for passengers flying from its newly launched routes – Amritsar (ATQ), Ahmedabad (AMD) and Trivandrum (TRV). Valid until 22 March 2024, the sale offers enticing all-in return fares, starting at INR 12,999 for Economy Class and INR 37,999 for Business Class, for immediate travel up to 30 November 2024.

Furthermore, the event showcased Malaysia Airline’s innovative “Bonus Side Trip” programme, which allows passengers to enjoy a complimentary side trip to any of Malaysia Airlines’ domestic (peninsular) destinations during their transit journey, significantly enhancing the travel experience.

Malaysia Airlines eyes code-share with Indian carrier; to expand network in North East & South India

In a bid to strengthen its foothold in the lucrative Indian aviation market, Malaysia Airlines is set to enter into a code-share partnership with an Indian carrier. Captain Izham Ismail, the Group Managing Director of Malaysia Aviation Group, expressed the airline’s enthusiasm for participating in India’s success story.

Currently operating 69 weekly flights to nine Indian cities, including Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru, Malaysia Airlines is eyeing further expansion in both the North East and South India. The airline recently increased its weekly flights on the Amritsar-Kuala Lumpur route and is actively engaged in negotiations for a comprehensive codeshare agreement with an undisclosed Indian airline.

The forthcoming collaboration aims to enhance connectivity and provide seamless travel experiences for passengers. The airline, having successfully undergone financial restructuring, is now on a path to revival and growth.

Captain Ismail shared insights into the airline’s future plans, indicating a keen interest in North East destinations like Guwahati and Kolkata, along with potential flights to Trichy, Visakhapatnam, and Goa in South India. The expansion will be facilitated by the introduction of new Boeing 737-8s and Airbus 330 neos to the airline’s existing fleet of 100 planes, with projections to reach 170 by 2030.

Acknowledging the rapid growth of India’s aviation market, Captain Ismail emphasised the importance of strategic partnerships in the face of competition from domestic carriers like IndiGo and Air India. Malaysia Airlines has a history of successful partnerships with airlines such as Japan Airlines, Cathay Pacific, and Qatar Airways.

The overarching goal for Malaysia Airlines is to be among the top 10 global airlines and the top 5 in the Asia Pacific region. Captain Ismail emphasized the airline’s commitment to providing an enhanced Customer Value Proposition (CVP), focusing on upgrading services, cabin comfort, and in-flight dining to cater to India’s diverse population.

With India’s annual domestic air passenger traffic projected to double to around 300 million by 2030, Malaysia Airlines is positioning itself to tap into the immense potential of this dynamic market. The strategic moves underscore the airline’s ambition to play a significant role in shaping the future of air travel in the region.

 

Sabre and Malaysia Airlines enhance long-standing relationship with launch of NDC content    

Sabre Corporation has announced that Malaysia Airlines’ NDC content is now available through the its travel marketplace.   

The new agreement builds on Sabre’s valued relationship with Malaysia Airlines, enabling the carrier to expand its offer-and-order based retailing to travel sellers. By activating NDC through Sabre, travel agencies and other sellers can gain a competitive edge by maximizing access to Malaysia Airlines’ real-time offers and rich content.

“We’re thrilled to take the next step in our retailing evolution with Sabre,” said Dersenish Aresandiran, Chief Commercial Officer, Airlines from Malaysia Aviation Group (MAG). “We are already successfully using a broad suite of technology solutions from Sabre, and we’re excited to be adding our NDC content to Sabre’s extensive marketplace. It’s essential to us that we can provide travel sellers with the best omni-channel purchase experience when shopping for, and booking, our fares and offers. Joining Sabre’s growing family of NDC airlines will enable us to effectively provide our enhanced offers and rich content to travel sellers so they can make the best decisions for travellers.”

Sabre-connected travel sellers in key markets can now shop, book, and service Malaysia Airlines’ NDC offers, alongside traditional content options, through Sabre’s Offer & Order APIs, agency point-of-sale solution, Sabre Red 360, and Sabre’s corporate booking tool, GetThere. The carrier’s NDC offers are now available through Sabre’s marketplace in Australia, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and the United Kingdom, with additional markets to follow.    

“Sabre is at the forefront of the NDC evolution, and we’re delighted to launch Malaysia Airlines’ NDC content as we continue to drive collaboration, shape the ecosystem, and pave the way forward for the offer and order-powered retailing of the future,” said Kathy Morgan, Vice President, Product Management, Distribution Experiences, Sabre. “It’s essential that Malaysia Airlines has the capabilities it needs to get its content in front of the right travel sellers, as the carrier continues to ramp up services and introduce new products.”   

Malaysia Airlines and Sabre have worked together for more than 20 years, with the carrier already using an extensive suite of Sabre technology, including Sabre’s GDS and a suite of network planning and optimization solutions. Sabre’s NDC capabilities integrate and normalize multiple types of content, putting NDC offers at agents’ fingertips alongside traditional options in Sabre points of sale. Thousands of Sabre-connected agencies in more than 150 countries around the world are already shopping, booking, and servicing NDC content through the Sabre GDS.