Revival of Kuala Lumpur to Paris Route
Malaysia Airlines is set to reestablish its direct flight service to Paris, marking a significant return to the French capital after a hiatus of nearly a decade. The airline has announced that it will operate daily flights on this route, utilizing its fleet of Airbus A350 aircraft. The inaugural flight is scheduled for March 22, 2025, covering a distance of 6,492 miles (10,387 km) with an approximate flight duration of 14 hours. Prospective passengers can look forward to purchasing tickets starting September 6, 2024.
Detailed flight schedules have been planned meticulously. Initially, from the launch until March 29, 2025, flights from Kuala Lumpur will depart on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays. Following this period, the service will expand to a daily schedule. The outbound flight, designated as MH41, will take off from Kuala Lumpur at 23:45 and arrive at Paris Charles De Gaulle Airport at 06:40 the next morning. The return flight, MH20, will leave Paris at 11:25 and land in Kuala Lumpur at approximately 07:00 the next day.
Strategic Expansion into European Markets
Izham Ismail, CEO of Malaysia Aviation Group, highlighted the strategic importance of reintroducing the Paris route during a recent press event. He noted that Paris had been a high-performing destination in the past and fits well into the airline’s growth strategy. He emphasized the competitive nature of the European market but expressed confidence in the potential success of the route, attracting not only travelers from Malaysia but also from neighboring regions.
As part of the broader strategy to enhance its presence in Europe, Malaysia Airlines is considering expanding its network to include other major European cities such as Milan, Madrid, and Amsterdam. These destinations are currently under review, and while no immediate decisions have been made, they represent potential areas for growth as the airline continues to expand its fleet.
Fleet Enhancements and Competitive Edge
Malaysia Airlines currently operates seven Airbus A350-900s, each configured to accommodate 286 passengers across four classes. However, a significant upgrade is on the horizon. The airline plans to revamp its business class by introducing suites with privacy doors, similar to those being installed on the new A330neos set to enter service later in 2024. Additionally, the existing first class will be phased out to make way for the new business class configuration. A fleet retrofitting program is scheduled to begin in early 2026.
The reintroduction of the Kuala Lumpur to Paris flights will give Malaysia Airlines a competitive advantage as it will be the sole operator of direct flights on this route, since Air France currently does not serve this connection. The majority of traffic between these two cities has been routed through Middle Eastern hubs like Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha, or via Singapore with Singapore Airlines.