Malaysia Airlines aims to raise its global profile after “chequered” decade by becoming official commercial carrier for Manchester United.
The strategic, multi-year partnership with the Premier League football club was described by the Asian carrier as “a significant move to enhance its global reach”. Details of the agreement were not disclosed.
However, the Oneworld Alliance member airline hopes to tap into the club’s community of more than 1.1 billion fans and followers worldwide through co-branded marketing initiatives to boost brand recognition.
The carrier is also launching new routes from its hub in Kuala Lumpur to the Maldives and Da Nang in Vietnam in August and Chiang Mai in Thailand in September as well as unveiling new business and economy class seats for long-haul Airbus A330neo aircraft due to be delivered in the autumn.
The new aircraft will be configured with 297 seats – 28 in business class and 269 in economy, including 24 with extra legroom.
Izham Ismail, managing director of parent company Malaysia Aviation Group, 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.
“These milestones not only set a new standard in the airline’s transformation journey but also promise a future filled with unparalleled experiences beyond the confines of the aircraft.
“As we move forward, our focus remains unwavering on delivering excellence and fostering continued growth, ensuring that every aspect of our service exceeds expectations and leaves a lasting impression for our valued passengers.”