KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia Airlines Bhd is adding two new Airbus A350-900s with Air Lease Corporation (ALC) which will be delivered in 2018.

The national carrier said on Monday it had exercised the lease option for a 12-year lease agreement for the two new planes.

“The transaction is pursuant to the option provided under the existing Lease Agreement for the four (4) A350-900s signed by both parties in September last year,” it said.

The A350 aircraft are from ALC’s order book and they will be delivered in 2018. They will be powered by two Rolls Royce Trent XWB-84 engines. 

Malaysia Airlines’s CEO Christoph Mueller said the additional two Airbus A350-900s will complement the existing four (4) that is on order to reach a critical fleet size, allowing standby aircraft for any scheduled maintenance and enabling future network expansion. 

“Technological and innovative advancements make flying this aircraft a real pleasure and it will bring a whole new experience to our offerings, with the aircraft able to operate non-stop from Kuala Lumpur to London and throughout Asia.”

ALC chairman and CEO Steven F. Udvar-Házy said in addition to the four A350-900s placed by ALC last year, “we are confident that these two additional A350-900 aircraft will further maximize Malaysia Airlines’ business operations as well as global growth”.