Malaysia Airlines May Double Its Boeing 737 MAX Order

Malaysia Airlines is considering placing a second, larger order for Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft. Upon confirmation, the airline may add up to 50 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft to its fleet.

This was revealed by Malaysia Airlines’ CEO Izham Ismail on the 10th of November 2022, in Bangkok, during the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines annual meeting. According to Ismail, “our future network requires 50 narrowbody aeroplanes,” which leaves room for another 25.

The CEO of Malaysia Airlines stated that the airline would make a final decision on order growth by the year 2023. The estimated cost to purchase additional aircraft at today’s prices is $1.2 billion.

In 2016, the airline placed its first order for 25 MAX 8 planes. Yet, due to the pandemic of COVID-19 and the worldwide grounding of the MAX, supplies of the planes were delayed.

Malaysia Airlines had initially cancelled the order in January 2021, but in February 2022, they worked out a new agreement with Air Lease Corporation and the purchase was reinstated.

Malaysia Airlines now expects to receive the first aircraft from its existing order in 2024, thanks to the terms of a long-term lease arrangement with the US-based company. The airline will receive the remaining jets by 2026.

Malaysia Airlines presently operates 73 planes, including 24 Airbus A330s, six A350 XWBs, and 43 Boeing 737 family planes, according to Planespotters.com data.