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Malindo Air has joined AirAsia X and Malaysia Airlines on the Perth-Kuala Lumpur route after its inaugural flight touched down in the West Australian capital on Thursday.
The Boeing 737-800 operating flight OD151 received an ARFF monitor cross salute after landing at Perth Airport at 1440 local time on Thursday. The aircraft, registration 9M-LNW, was on the ground for about an hour before taking off as the reciprocal OD152.
The airline, which launched in March 2013, is a joint-venture between Indonesia’s Lion Air group and Malaysia’s National Aerospace and Defence Industries (NADI). Perth is Malindo’s first destination in Australia and will be served daily before increasing to 11 flights a week in early December.
Perth Airport noted Malaysia was its fifth largest international market with more than 300,000 passengers on the route in the past year.
“Malaysia is a popular holiday destination and, combined with a large number of passengers also visiting friends and relatives, will continue as one of Perth’s core markets for many years to come,” Perth Airport chief executive Brad Geatches said in a statement.
Malindo chief executive Chandran Rama Muthy said recently the the addition of Perth to the airline’s route network would “expand our coverage and strengthen our customer proposition in the strategically important markets of Asia”.
“We are very confident that this new service, our first to Australia, will boost travel and trade between Australia and Malaysia,” he said.
While Malindo is using narrowbody aircraft to serve Perth, both Malaysia Airlines and AirAsia X operate Airbus A330-300 widebodies on the route.
Dave
says:That’s a long time to be stuck on a 737
jack
says:Im glad that you guys said that the aircraft was a Boeing 737-800 and not a Boeing 737-900 like 7news, even though it said -800 on the side of the plane in their video.
Marc
says:@Dave.
The seat pitch will be at it’s near minimum regardless which discount airline you fly or type of plane.
I’d take a smaller jet over a bigger one any time. Faster load/unload and less time waiting for bags.
Geoff
says:Perth airport is on track to see strong International passenger growth over the next few years as the Asian and Gulf airlines take advantage of more favourable conditions. Some reasons are as follows:
Our weaker dollar.
More economically active Chinese, Vietnamese and other Asian visitors
Low fuel prices
More efficient aircraft procurement (A350 and 787)
Renewed QANTAS international services with 787’s
Double daily Emirates A380 services (2016)
Upsized aircraft services by Etihad, Qatar and other current airlines
New and broader bilateral agreements
New services by Air New Zealand and others such as China Eastern and Vietnam Airlines
More…..
HW
says:@Marc
Malindo Air offers very generous legroom for a Boeing 737, which is far better than legroom on most other airlines.
Geoff
says:Congratulations Malindo. Air. Best wishes for the future.
Marc
says:@HW
You missed my point, big planes v small planes
Sacha
says:@Jack:
Officially they are using a mix of 737-800 and 737-900s.