Malaysia Airlines new 737-800
#46
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 1,132
Seems the plan is to run them fully ragged and then replace them with the new 737Ms?
[EDIT]Then again, as all of MH's 738s are <9 years old, seems it'd be a waste to retire them so early?
Last edited by crackjack; Feb 16, 2019 at 6:53 am
#47
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Denmark
Programs: TK Elite
Posts: 11,837
There is no way B738 will be retired soon. If MH want's to get rid of them (unlikely) there will be several other operators/carriers ready to pick these birds up. They are the workhorse of short-haul flights all over the world (in the same way as A320 and A321)
#48
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 1,132
https://www.malaysiaairlines.com/hk/...airplanes.html
If Malaysia doesn't retire their 'old' / non-VOD 738s, they do need to refit them... recurring story for all their 'older' planes, it seems. (As you noted, MH can always sell the aircraft after pulling it out of their rotation [Edit] or they will just return them to the lessor given Zawnet's clarification below.)
Last edited by crackjack; Feb 21, 2019 at 4:08 am
#49
I'm honestly confused with MH's 'old' 738s. They don't appear to be that old, but the conditions inside the cabin are just so bad. In addition to the classic 737 overhead bins and windows, the J seats are falling apart (though comfy when not), and the Y seats just look bizarre. Among those, I frequently chance upon 9M-MLK, which is apparently 9 years old(?!).
#50
Join Date: Jan 2017
Posts: 305
I'm honestly confused with MH's 'old' 738s. They don't appear to be that old, but the conditions inside the cabin are just so bad. In addition to the classic 737 overhead bins and windows, the J seats are falling apart (though comfy when not), and the Y seats just look bizarre. Among those, I frequently chance upon 9M-MLK, which is apparently 9 years old(?!).
Yeah, the old-interior 738s are not that old but they are all leased and it seems that the interior was decided and chosen by the lessor with zero inputs from MH. The lessor appeared to have selected the most no-frills interior available - and MH probably picked up those planes because it needed some 738s fast and the lease rates are probably attractive enough that these planes remain in the fleet whilst a few MH new-interior 738s have been returned recently to their leasors
#51
Yeah, the old-interior 738s are not that old but they are all leased and it seems that the interior was decided and chosen by the lessor with zero inputs from MH. The lessor appeared to have selected the most no-frills interior available - and MH probably picked up those planes because it needed some 738s fast and the lease rates are probably attractive enough that these planes remain in the fleet whilst a few MH new-interior 738s have been returned recently to their leasors
But those planes are definitely really bad, especially in Y, with the Firefly-esque leather seats.
#52
Join Date: Nov 2018
Programs: Enrich
Posts: 449
Yup, if you check on planespotter, you could find that there an early batch of B738 were supposedly lease to Hong Kong Airlines and Delta, but they either return or never take it. I believe MH management does found there is a huge number of complaint on those 'old' B738. Especially when you fly for 3 to 5 hours in Biz class but you get only a portable PTV in biz.... I had this experience when fly to Kathmandu, and it is not a good experience. I would not mind if they only use it between KUL and SIN since the route is too short for anything to become boring.