Malindo Air, Malaysia’s first hybrid airline, has secured USD1.1 billion financing from the US Export-Import Bank to buy 27 Boeing 737-900ER aircraft and will buy the aircraft in stages till 2014.
The Boeing 737-900ER has a capacity of 180 seats each (12 seats in business class and 168 seats for economy) and capable of serving destinations within a five and a half hour range. As a start, in the first year of operations, Malindo has plans to buy 12 of these aircraft. It was also confirmed that Malindo Air will launch its first flight on 22nd March following its success in obtaining the air operator certificate (AOC) from the Department of Civil Aviation last month.
Said to be AirAsia’s competitor, Malindo will kick off its services by offering an all-inclusive fare to Kuching starting from as low as RM38, while a trip to Kota Kinabalu begins at RM68. Its maiden flight to Kota Kinabalu on 22nd March will be follow by another to Kuching a day later. And as stated on their website, business class flights from Kuala Lumpur to Kuching starts from RM388 (all inclusive fare) whereas business class flights from Kuala Lumpur to Kota Kinabalu starts from RM588 (all inclusive fare).
This promo price will last until September or October and Malindo Air will have four flights daily to Kuching and thrice daily to Kota Kinabalu. All flights will take off from KL International Airport.
More domestic routes e.g. Miri, Sandakan, Bintulu, Sibu will be announced soon! For more information on fares & destinations, check out the Malindo Air website.
