Malaysia Airlines to Put First A380s on Sydney Route

[Oliver Gigacz]

MAS currently flies twice a day to London with about 80% load factor. With the delivery of A380 next year, it is expected to utilise four A380 for KL-London route while the remaining A380s is likely to fly KL-Sydney route.

http://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/1/23/business/5522774&sec=business

[Mike W]

Purely reading the quoted text above, it is difficult to see how increasing capacity on current craft running loads @ 80% will increase ROI

From the same article The B747 is a big aircraft but we’re increasing it to an even bigger aircraft, A380 which will come in the second half of next year. We’ve bought six of them (A380) and our strategy is to fly direct from point to point and work with our partners for the hub and spoke,” says Amin Yikes! Not sure this is the way forward.

However Commenting on the configuration of its A380s, Amin says, MAS will introduce a “super-economy” class on top of its current, first, business and economy. He says the new class will have more leg room amongst others.

Amin says the A380s, which is still being configured, is expected to fly 510 passengers while its current B747 carries 359 passengers. So filling up the back of the aircraft with even cheaper seats is their solution? I suspect the solution is flawed. Maybe they should focus on their own model instead of chasing Air Asia X

[Mark B]

"Super economy" sounds more like a premium economy offering, rather than something that takes on Air-Asia X.

[David C]

Exactly ....

Dave C

[Mike W]

So, not super cheap then? We'll see. My point then is, how are they going to fill up a 3fatty with more expensive seats whan they can't fill up what they have now?

[Mark B]

A config of 510 passengers does suggest that the premium cabins will be smaller than those of other carriers, so this will mean more economy seats.

This is not 'super-economy', though.

[James Smith]

Mike, maybe Malaysia Airlines will try to fill the A380 by ceasing the MH 140/141 flight that operates via Brisbane five days per week.