The aircraft, equipped with Rolls-Royce’s latest engine technology, encountered technical issues shortly after its debut, linked to factory production quality and delivery concerns.

“We are supporting the airline directly to resolve these issues, alongside Rolls-Royce,” an Airbus spokesman told Bernama today.

On Dec 19, Malaysia Aviation Group (MAG), the parent company of Malaysia Airlines, unveiled the new Airbus A330neo at Hangar Six of the MAB Engineering Complex at KLIA.

On Dec 21, Malaysia Airlines cancelled flight MH149 to Melbourne due to technical issues and poor factory workmanship, leading to the grounding of the aircraft for repairs.

The A330neo is the newest aircraft in MAG’s fleet, with 20 units set for delivery by 2028 after a memorandum of understanding with Airbus, Rolls-Royce, and Avolon in August 2022.

Powered by Rolls-Royce Trent 7000 engines, the A330neo features cutting-edge aerodynamics and advanced materials, delivering a 14% reduction in fuel consumption and carbon emissions compared to previous generation aircraft.

MAG currently operates a fleet of 107 aircraft across its subsidiaries, including Malaysia Airlines, Firefly, MASwings, and MASkargo.

In addition to the Airbus delays, MAG has been affected by the postponed delivery of its Boeing 737-8 aircraft this year.