Loke said this is part of a larger vision for the country next year, adding that Putrajaya wants Malaysia to achieve better global connectivity.

“I am confident that all Malaysians hope to see our national airline, Malaysia Airlines, flying to all major airports around the world one day.

“So, we hope that in the near future, we can resume flights to Europe. I believe this is part of the plan for next year and hope it can be realised soon.

“We want to improve our tourism sector and get more tourists to visit Malaysia. Malaysia Airlines plays an important role in this,” Loke said during the launch of the airline’s first A330neo aircraft here today.

Except for London, Malaysia Airlines stopped flights to European destinations following a restructuring exercise in 2016.

Loke said Malaysia Airlines is the 20th global operator of the A330neo, with plans to introduce 20 of these aircraft into its fleet by 2028.

The A330neo’s inaugural flight, MH149, is set to depart Kuala Lumpur at 10.30pm and is expected to reach Melbourne, Australia, at 9.25am tomorrow.

The new aircraft model consumes 11% less fuel and emits significantly lower carbon emissions compared to its predecessor, the A330ceo.

Malaysia Airlines’s A330neo has 297 seats – 28 in business class and 269 in economy class.