Malaysia Airlines has grounded its new Airbus A330neo jet for at least 48 hours, just days after its maiden flight on Thursday (19 Dec).
Source: Malaysia Airlines on Facebook
According to the New Straits Times (NST), the aircraft, registered 9M-MNG, encountered a series of technical issues following its inaugural flight to Melbourne, Australia.
On Friday (20 Dec), the issues resurfaced, prompting the airline to ground the jet for repairs upon its return to Kuala Lumpur.
The next day, Malaysia Airlines had to cancel flight MH149 to Melbourne as the technical problems persisted.
Malaysia Airlines CEO Izham Ismail stated that the airline has identified three technical issues originating from the quality of the aircraft’s factory production and delivery.
“Malaysia Airlines has suffered a series of technical issues arising from poor quality work,” the CEO told NST.
He added that the issues have not only affected the aircraft’s inaugural flight but have also impacted the airline’s brand and reputation.
“We need Airbus and Rolls-Royce to investigate the root cause of these issues on the brand-new aircraft,” he said.
Source: Malaysia Airlines on Facebook
Mr Izham also emphasised that the original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) must be held accountable, saying:
This happening to a brand-new aircraft is not acceptable. To me, it’s embarrassing.
“Safety is paramount. I will not risk anything on safety,” he added.
In response to the incident, an Airbus spokesperson told NST that the company is ready to support Malaysia Airlines with the technical issues surrounding their new aircraft.
Meanwhile, a Rolls-Royce spokesperson confirmed that initial troubleshooting on the A330neo has identified a faulty component.
The replacement process is underway.
In 2022, Malaysia Airlines decided to acquire 20 Airbus A330neo jets, powered by the more fuel-efficient Rolls-Royce Trent 7000 engines, as part of its fleet modernisation plan.
Have news you must share? Get in touch with us via email at news@mustsharenews.com.
Featured image adapted from Malaysia Airlines on Facebook.
The coroner said this was the first case of its kind he had encountered in…
The Paradise Tree Snake may have misjudged its landing and ended up on the car.
The 69-year-old was reportedly upset over his neighbour's refusal to apologise.
False claims include that GCB transactions occur without government checks on beneficial owners' identities.
The suspect casually watched as the woman became consumed by flames.
The thief left the wallet and more than RM200 behind, presumably to mislead the 72-year-old…