By IANS
New Delhi : Malaysia Airlines will operate two additional flights a week between Delhi and Kuala Lumpur from next month to take to 32 the number of flights it operates from India.
The new flights are effective Jan 7 and will raise to nine the number of flights the airline operates from the Indian capital.
The new flights will be operational every Monday and Saturday at 12.15 pm, a Malaysia Airline release said.
With this addition, the total seat capacity from New Delhi will be 2,549 from the earlier 2,030, comprising 378 seats in business class and 2,171 in economy class.
The additional flights will be serviced by Airbus A-330-300 and A-330-200 aircraft.
“Malaysia Airlines is steadily augmenting its India market operations,” Christopher Yek, its regional manager for South Asia, said.
“Delhi is the third successive gateway from where the airline has scaled its operation in immediate progression. This flight enhancement is in sync with the growing passenger demands, with Delhi being the main gateway catering to the other feeder markets of north India.
“Strategically, the airline is enhancing its presence in India market under its business turnaround plan. The year 2008 will foresee more positive developments with new tactical campaigns and on-line initiatives,” Yek added.
Malaysia Airlines has already increased its flight frequency from the south Indian gateways of Chennai and Bangalore.
The airline has also launched its travel arm Golden Holidays. Targeting the India leisure travel segment, Golden Holidays is being promoted and marketed by Kuoni Holidays.
Apart from the enhanced flights from New Delhi, the airline also offers nine flights a week from Chennai, seven from Mumbai, four from Bangalore and three from Hyderabad.
Boosted by strong passenger demand and sustained yield improvement, Malaysia Airlines, under its business turnaround plan, reported a record net profit of 364 million ringits ($110 million or Rs.4.3 billion) for the third quarter of the current fiscal, up by 52 percent over the previous year.
This marks the airline’s fifth successive quarter of net profit since the launch of the plan in February 2006.
Malaysia Airlines’ net profit from January to September 2007 has soared to 610 million ringits, the highest in its 60-year history. Its previous best was 460 million ringits in 2004.