Malaysia Airlines Plans expansion into Indian Market

Malaysia Airlines, which is part of the Malaysia Aviation Group (MAG), sees India as an essential market for expansion. The airline currently offers flights to a total of nine cities in India, such as Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Amritsar, Chennai, Hyderabad, and Kochi. It also operates four flights per week to Ahmedabad and Trivandrum.

The airline is eager to increase its presence in India, aiming to boost the number of flights to Trivandrum and Ahmedabad. Furthermore, Malaysia Airlines is looking into new locations within the country. The Group Managing Director, Datuk Captain Izham Ismail, highlighted the significance of the Indian market, linking the airline's eagerness to India's strong economic growth.

At present, Malaysia Airlines runs 71 flights to India every week. The number of flights to Amritsar was recently raised from four to seven per week. In spite of these intentions, the airline has encountered operational difficulties, such as problems with the supply chain and limitations on manpower. Therefore, it has scaled back its network operations temporarily until December.

Malaysia Airlines has formed a codeshare alliance with IndiGo and interline accords with Air India and Vistara. These collaborations make it easier for passengers to travel and increase the airline's access to locations not currently serviced by Malaysia Airlines.

India's aviation sector is experiencing rapid growth on a global scale. The aviation agreements between India and Malaysia mainly focus on city routes, but there is potential for expanded flights to non-city destinations with less limitations.

Ismail showed confidence in overcoming current operational challenges and reiterated the airline's dedication to expanding its presence in India by 2025. MAG's various business divisions, such as airlines, loyalty programs, and aviation services, help advance its strategic growth objectives.