UK Prime Minister visits Malaysia Airlines’ Airbus A380

Malaysia Airlines’ second Airbus A380 received a VIP visit from UK Prime Minister David Cameron on Monday, as part of his attendance at the opening day of Farnborough International Airshow.

 Malaysia Airlines’ Group CEO Ahmad Jauhari Yahya and Fabrice Bregier, President & CEO Airbus, welcomed the UK Prime Minister on-board the aircraft following the official opening ceremony in the morning.

Malaysia Airlines joined the elite league of airlines to fly the world’s largest and most eco-efficient airliner on Monday 2nd July, with the launch of the first non-stop A380 service between London Heathrow and KL International Airport (KLIA), Malaysia operating three times a week as part of the double daily service on the route.

The second A380 of Malaysia’s national carrier is a star of the world-renowned Farnborough International Airshow, participating in the daily aerial show and static display for on-board visits throughout the event.

It will join commercial service from 14 August 2012 and will be used together with the first aircraft to operate daily non-stop A380 service between London Heathrow and KLIA.

“It was a great honour to welcome the UK Prime Minister on-board this latest addition to Malaysia Airlines’ fleet. Malaysia Airlines first started flying the London route in 1974 with transits enroute. Today, with this superjumbo powered by British Rolls-Royce Trent 900 engines, we are the only airline to provide non-stop A380 service between the UK and Malaysia,” said Ahmad Jauhari.

“Following the successful launch of our first Airbus A380 service last Monday, this second aircraft will create our daily A380 service to KLIA from London Heathrow from August 14th.

This will also support our plan to operate our third A380 on the KLIA to Sydney route by the end of the year. With the A380 we are further improving KLIA’s attractiveness as a hub for onward connections to Asia and Australasia.”

Malaysia Airlines has six A380 aircraft on order as part of a fleet rejuvenation programme.

The aircraft has been configured by Malaysia Airlines with 494 seats, comprising 350 economy and eight fully flat first-class seats on the main (lower) deck, together with 66 fully-flat business-class and 70 economy seats on the upper deck.

Malaysia Airlines will join oneworld by late 2012, becoming only the second carrier in the alliance to operate the A380.