MALAYSIA: Malaysia Airlines Withdraws Plans To Furnish Six Airbus A380s

Malaysia Airlines has dropped plans to furnish its six Airbus A380s to a high-density seat configuration for pilgrimage flights.

Malaysia Airlines says the decision to stick to the current configuration comes as it believes that it represents a product that is superior to other Umrah and Hajj operators.

Each of the widebody aircraft was slated to have around 700 all-economy seats, an increase of 204 from its current 496.

The decision to currently stick to the configuration follows a comprehensive cost-benefit analysis coupled with a deeper understanding of our core customer segment on Hajj and Umrah pilgrimages, that tend to be more senior and elderly, says Malaysia Airlines.

The carrier says that it will also continue to deploy the A380s during peak periods in this network. As such it says that having multiple seat configurations "may not be optimal.

Although former chief executive Peter Bellew said that the seat replacement procedures would be conducted by Airbus, Malaysia Airlines says no agreements were signed between the two parties.

"There were no signed agreements with Airbus; however, we constantly have discussions with them on the optimal solutions for the aircraft in view of changing market developments.


Tourism Observer

PORTUGAL: Wet Lease Operator Hi Fly Procures Two Airbus A380s

Portuguese wet-lease operator, Hi Fly, has announced the acquisition of two former Singapore Airlines A380s, which the Asian carrier retired after ten years of operation.

Singapore took delivery of its first A380 in 2007, becoming the world’s first operator of the type. However, shy of 11 years later, it returned the two eldest double-decker planes to its lessors in June 2017.

The Asian carrier announced that its first two Airbus A380s were “undergoing de-lease work before returning to the lessor.”

For an aircraft of such young age, it is surprising to see it phased out.

The plane’s last revenue service was from Singapore to London-Heathrow, then ferried to Tarbes Airport in France where it had been painted in a full-white livery, and its four Rolls-Royce engines had been removed.

The fate of these two planes remained uncertain. There was a strong likelihood that the A380s were to be potentially scrapped for parts.

However, increasing rumors suggested that Hi Fly wanted to purchase these two planes to substantially add capacity to its diversified fleet, and cater to airlines that need peak season capacity at the lowest possible cost.

Hi Fly operates a fleet of 15 widebody A330s and A340s.

Hi Fly president Paulo Mirpuri says the acquisition of the world’s largest airliner has been part of our company’s plans for a while.

The airline expects to take delivery of the first A380 in mid-2018.

The planes will be configured with a three-cabin layout, totaling 471 passengers in First, Business, and Economy Class.

Hi Fly says that in its upper deck, the A380 will offer 12 First Class spaces, followed by 60 Business Class seats.

On the lower deck, 399 positions will add to a total of 471 passengers.

The airline also mentioned that future high-density configurations might carry up to 868 passengers.

The Portuguese wet-lessor usually operates flights on behalf of airlines that need backup planes in case issues arise with their fleet, or a sudden spike in capacity is required.

The service it provides consists of an airplane, fuel, and crew, operating on behalf of the contracting carrier.

With the current Boeing 787 engine woes, for instance, Hi Fly has wet-leased numerous A330s and A340s to airlines around the world who desperately needed a replacement until the Dreamliners come out of maintenance.

Venezuelas Estelar recently entered into a wet-lease agreement with Hi Fly’s Maltese subsidiary to open up a new route between Caracas and Madrid.

Hi Fly provided an Airbus A340-300 for the service, but when the aircraft was scheduled for maintenance, a bigger A340-500 was provided.

However, the fact that the A380 is a niche product could be a cause for concern for Hi Fly.

Only 14 airlines around the world operate the type and not every airport in the world is A380 ready, tightening the opportunities for airlines to show real interest.

Furthermore, the fact that Emirates has been the only carrier to order more A380s, and airlines like Singapore and Malaysia Airlines are looking to get rid of the oldest units, suggests that the future of the plane, as a whole, is in trouble.

Nevertheless, having a high-density plane capable of carrying up to 868 passengers could prove lucrative during the Hajj pilgrimage season, which is the most productive season for a wet-leasing airline.

But an aircraft the size of the A380 would need to be operational year-round for it to make financial sense.

It is positive news for the A380 program. Scrapping an aircraft after ten years of service is a definite proof of failure.

Hi Fly’s endorsement of the type will give the airline great relief.


Tourism Observer

SAUDI ARABIA: Approximately 2 Million Visit The Holy City Of Makkah To Perform Hijjah

Approximately two million people from across the globe are visit the Holy City of Makkah, Saudi Arabia, making it the largest annual international gathering, and which, for many Muslims, is the highlight of their spiritual lives.

Ministry of Culture and Information, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia announced on August 26, 2017 that 1.497 million pilgrims have flocked to the country in preparation for the annual Islamic Hajj pilgrimage, which begun on August 30, 2017 and ends on the September 4, 2017

As one of the five pillars of Islam, the annual pilgrimage to Makkah, is mandatory for physically and financially capable Muslims to perform at least once in their lives.

The rituals involved are intended to cleanse the soul and demonstrate the equality and solidarity of all Muslims, in their submission to God.

The number of foreign pilgrims has multiplied exponentially over the years, from as few as 24,000 in 1941 to 1.325 million in 2016. Including local pilgrims that reside in Saudi Arabia, a total of 1.86 million Muslims performed the Hajj last year.

Saudi officials have prepared to receive the massive influx of pilgrims, many of whom also visit the second Holy City of Madinah.

The Hajj team deployed on the ground speaks over a dozen languages to ensure that the needs of pilgrims are met.

Mina is also known as the City of Tents as it hosts tens of thousands of air-conditioned tents as temporary accommodation for a significant portion of the pilgrims expected to take part in Hajj this year.

Mina is located between Mount Arafat and Makkah's Grand Mosque. The tents are neatly arranged in rows and grouped into areas labeled with numbers and colors according to nationality.

Every pilgrim is given a badge with an assigned number and color to help them find the way back to their tent if they get lost. To prevent fires, the tents are constructed of Teflon-coated fiberglass, and are fitted with sprinklers and fire extinguishers.

More than 17,000 highly trained personnel, supported by 3,000 advanced vehicles, are in position to guarantee pilgrims the highest level of safety.

Over 2,000 Saudi Red Crescent Authority personnel deployed in Makkah, Madinah and other holy sites to provide ambulance services to pilgrims during Hajj.


Tourism Observer