Malaysia Airlines is further expanding capacity to India as the country closes in on becoming the carrier’s second-largest international market.
Three new routes using Boeing 737-800s are being launched by the Oneworld alliance member during the northern winter season, including flights to Thiruvananthapuram and Ahmedabad. The airline has also confirmed service to Amritsar, as reported by Aviation Week on Aug. 25.
Flights connecting Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KUL) with Amritsar's Sri Guru Ram Das Ji International Airport will be the first of the three to commence, starting on Nov. 8. This will be followed by operations to Thiruvananthapuram International Airport the next day. Both routes will be offered twice a week.
The third new route starts on Dec. 1, linking Malaysia Airlines’ KUL base with Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. Flights will be four times per week. The expansion takes the carrier’s Indian network to nine destinations alongside Bengaluru, Chennai, Cochin, Hyderabad, Mumbai and New Delhi.
In the Kuala Lumpur-Amritsar market, Malaysia Airlines will compete with Batik Air Malaysia and AirAsia X. However, it will be the sole operator of nonstop flights linking Malaysia’s capital with Thiruvananthapuram and Ahmedabad, data provided by OAG Schedules Analyser shows.
By early December, the airline will be offering 67 weekly flights from Malaysia to destinations in India, with around 24,900 two-way seats available. This compares with 55 weekly flights and 21,000 seats at present, and 60 weekly flights and 22,600 seats before the pandemic.
Analysis of schedules for December 2023 reveals that India will account for about 11% of Malaysia Airlines’ international capacity, behind Australia on 11.5% and Indonesia on 15.3%. At the same time in 2019, India accounted for 9.1% of capacity, with Australia on 11.8% and Indonesia on 15.3%.
Malaysia Aviation Group Managing Director Izham Ismail says the average load factor between Malaysia and India is 81%, which signifies “the growth and confidence for travel between the two markets.”
Separately, Malaysia Airlines is increasing frequencies to Australia in December. Service from KUL to Melbourne and Sydney will rise from 14 flights per week to 15 and 16 flights per week, respectively.
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