Restructuring Malaysia Airlines to sell long-haul jets: Flightglobal

[KUALA LUMPUR] Malaysia's national carrier Malaysia Airlines is planning to sell off some of its aircraft as part of its restructuring efforts, aviation news website Flightglobal reported.

After two air disasters and years of losses, the national carrier was taken private last year by Malaysian sovereign wealth fund Khazanah Nasional Bhd under a government bailout.

The airline has started marketing some Boeing 777-200ERs and Airbus A330-200 freighters, Flightglobal said, citing industry sources familiar with the matter.

Malaysia Airlines reiterated that it was reviewing its fleet as part of its restructuring programme.

"Exploring fleet options to enhance viability of long haul sectors is one area being looked into," it said in a tweet, adding that its new business plan had not yet been finalised.

Sources familiar with matter have previously told Reuters that the airline could sell or lease out its Airbus A380 jumbos. They declined to be identified as they were not authorised to speak on the matter.

The carrier is seeking to emerge as a new company by July 1, hoping to put behind it the hit to both brand and bottom-line from last year's disappearance of Flight MH370 and the shooting down of Flight MH17 over war-torn Ukraine.

REUTERS