Airlines

Malaysia Airlines to return A380s to Airbus by 2023

Malaysia Airlines, to return its six inactive A380-800s to Airbus.

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According to reports, an agreement was recently reached during recent discussions to buy twenty A330-900Ns by Malaysia Aviation Group, the parent company of Malaysia Airlines, to return its six inactive A380-800s to Airbus. The airline only received the first A380, 9M-MNA, in 2012. They were all deployed on specific routes to Europe, Australia, and Asia.

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At the commencement of the epidemic in 2020, Malaysia Airlines grounded their A380 aircraft. The airline issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) in July 2021 to obtain offers for the sale of the six aircraft, but it received no significant response.

Twenty A330neo aircraft were ordered by MAG for Malaysia Airlines in the middle of August 2022. Ten aircraft will be leased directly from Avolon, and the remaining ten will be immediately purchased from Airbus through a back-to-back sale/lease-back agreement. There was no mention of the small print let the A380s return when the transaction was first announced. Each of the six Malaysia Airlines A380s is idle and being stored at Kuala Lumpur International Airport, according to the ch-aviation fleets advanced module.

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By the end of the year, Airbus is supposed to take all the planes back. Their use of the aircraft is entirely up to them. An airline source told Malaysia’s New Straits Times that conversations about specific return dates and the destination of the A380s are still ongoing.

Malaysia Airlines intends to retire and leave the A380 by the end of 2022. However, the terms of the agreement with Airbus remain confidential.” Airbus also declined to disclose any information, citing confidentiality concerns.

Airlines

PIA Reinstates Manchester and Paris Routes After EU Ban Lift

Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has announced plans to resume flights to Europe starting in January, beginning with Paris as its first destination.

The decision follows the European Union Aviation Safety Agency’s (EASA) removal of a long-standing ban on the airline. PIA’s inaugural flight to Paris is scheduled for January 10, with bookings opening on December 9.

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In an official statement, PIA spokesperson Abdullah Hafeez Khan confirmed that the first flight schedule has been approved, marking a significant milestone in the airline’s recovery efforts. The EU ban had previously cost PIA approximately Rs40 billion ($144 million) annually in lost revenue, compounding its financial struggles.

With European operations restarting, PIA is now setting its sights on the United Kingdom. The airline plans to seek approval from the UK Department for Transport (DfT) to resume flights to major British cities such as London, Manchester, and Birmingham.

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These routes are anticipated to see high demand once necessary clearances are obtained. The lifting of the EU ban represents a key achievement for PIA as it works to rebuild its international network and regain its standing in the global aviation market.

By restoring flights to Europe and aiming for UK destinations, PIA is taking critical steps toward recovering lost ground and improving its financial outlook.