Andrzej Jeziorski/SINGAPORE
Malaysia Airlines (MAS)plans to sell three Boeing 747 Combis, one 737-300F freighter and five 737-500s under its fleet consolidation programme.
According to MAS vice-president of asset management Razali Harun, the company wants to base passenger operations on 737-400s, 777-200s and Pratt & Whitney PW4000-powered Boeing 747-400s, alongside its Airbus A330-300s and Fokker 50 turboprops. The A330 fleet may also be reduced over the next few years, says Razali, but he denies reports that MAS is preparing to sell all 10 of its A330s.
Razali says two General Electric CF6-powered 747-400 Combis are to be sold, and one P& W-powered 747-300. The sales will take place as new Boeing 747-400s that are on order enter service. The airline flies 15 Boeing 747-400s and has a six on order. It also operates two 747-200F freighters.
Razali says MAS still owns five Boeing 737-500s - one of which has been leased out to another operator - which it wants to phase out of service. Two of these are being leased by MAS, under a sale and leaseback arrangement.
"By next year we will have three [737-500s] left, and after that we will sell these," he says. Buyers have been found for the two that are to be sold this year, but no contract has been signed and Razali declines to name the buyers.
The airline operates 33 737-400s, of which four are leased, and owns a further six, which have been leased out. "There may be an increase in the 737-400 fleet if short-term demand climbs," says the MAS vice president.
Stressing that the A330 will remain in the MAS fleet flying regional routes for the long term, Razali says that one or two of the current fleet could be sold in the next few years. "If the [regional economic] downturn is prolonged, we may have to shrink the A330 fleet and operate 737s on those routes," he says.
The airline lost 436 million ringgit ($115 million) in the six months ending 30 September, and its debt increased to 11.8 billion ringgit. The airline is preparing a restructuring plan, but "will not disclose [it] at this stage", says Razali.
MAS was hit by a management upheaval earlier this year, with the resignation of two board members and the airline's managing director within one week.
Source: Flight International
