Malaysia Airlines to grow India operations, while IndiGo expands international network

Malaysia Airlines is to expand its operations in India with the addition of three new cities, as part of wider network ramp-up to “key markets” in Asia and Australia. The Kuala Lumpur-based carrier will from early November launch twice weekly flights each to Amritsar, Thiruvananthapuram and Ahmedabad, bringing the total number of Indian cities served to nine. The flights will be operated with Boeing 737-800s, the airline adds. Malaysia Airlines currently flies to New Delhi, Bengaluru, Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad and Kochi. Pointing out that India is a “key market” for Malaysia Airlines, Izham Ismail, group managing director of airline parent Malaysia Aviation Group, says: “We are looking at restoring our pre-Covid-19 capacity back in the Indian market by the end of this year and will also look to increase flight frequencies to other destinations as we support seamless travels in Malaysia and beyond.” The airline is also ramping up operations to Australia, with Melbourne and Sydney seeing one and two additional weekly flights respectively, from December. In China, Malaysia Airlines will increase flights to Guangzhou (five to seven weekly flights), Beijing Daxing (three to seven weekly flights), as well as Shanghai Pudong (nine to 10 weekly flights). Elsewhere in Asia, Hong Kong, Bangkok, Jakarta and Ho Chi Minh city will see increased frequencies in December. Compatriot Batik Air Malaysia, meanwhile, is launching thrice-weekly flights from Kuala Lumpur to Karachi in Pakistan. The flights, which will be operated using 737-800s, will launch on 31 October. It is Batik Air Malaysia’s second Pakistani city after Lahore, which it launched in 2016. Indian low-cost operator IndiGo also announced the roll-out of several routes to the Middle East and Asia.<br/>