Malaysia Airlines launches 494-seater superjumbo in London

The superjumbo has been deployed to make the non-stop journey between Kuala Lumpur and London, and will do so three times a week.

It made its maiden journey into Heathrow this morning as flight MH002, carrying the airline’s group CEO Ahmad Jauhari Yahya, Malaysian dignitaries and others in the travel trade.

Yahya said: “The A380 showcases our latest premium offering and it was imperative that the first of these new aircraft was inaugurated on the prestigious London route, a route we have been operating from Kuala Lumpur since 1974. The A380 is our latest flagship aircraft offering new levels of comfort, luxury and convenience for long-haul travel and we look forward to delivering our great Malaysian Hospitality to our UK guests.”

The Airbus A380 acquisition puts Malaysia Airlines among the elite ranks of carriers to deploy the world’s largest and most eco-efficient airliner, which are powered by Rolls-Royce Trent 900 engines.

However, the airline has set itself apart from other Airbus A380 carriers by widening first class seats to 40 inches, making them the roomiest in the sky.

Also, business and first class passengers will have food when they want it with a ‘Chef-On-Call’ service, which must be pre-arranged.

The A380 has 494 seats, including 350 economy and eight fully-flat first class seats on the lower deck and 66 fully-flat business-class and 70 economy seats on the upper deck.

Air France currently fits the most seats into its superjumbos, with a total of 538, while Korean Air has the fewest  at 407.

Non-stop flights between Malaysia and London will increase to a weekly service at the end of August this year when Malaysian Airlines acquires a second A380.

The superjumbo has been popular with many airlines despite numerous safety concerns.

The worst was the explosion of an engine on board a Qantas A380 on November 4, 2010.

A faulty oil pipe was the culprit, leading to millions of pounds worth of payouts when the airline had to ground all its A308s.

Airbus has also been addressing small cracks manifesting in the wings of some planes.

This is apparently down to a design that merges lightweight carbon-composite materials and traditional metal in which lowers the weight of the aircraft.


Main image: Getty