Malaysia Aviation Group (MAG) has been hit by fresh delays in the delivery of its first Airbus A330neo, the latest setback in the airline group’s fleet renewal plans. The parent company of Malaysia Airlines on 15 October said its first A330neo will now be delivered by late November – two months later than previously expected – due to “findings identified by Airbus during the flight line stage”. The airline group did not elaborate further, but says it is “working closely” with Airbus and lessor Avolon to “secure a new delivery timeline and expedite the aircraft’s entry into service”. It now expects to take delivery of five A330-900s by end-March 2025, instead of four by the end of the year. It is the second time the airline has faced delays on the delivery of its A330neo. The first aircraft was to have been delivered in mid-2024, but that timeline slipped to late September. The current delay in A330neo delivery means Malaysia Airlines will not be able to deploy the type on flights to Melbourne in November, which it originally announced in March this year. “The airline will revert to operating the A330-300 for these services, with no changes to the flight schedule,” states MAG, which did not disclose when the new inaugural flight will take place. The airline is also facing well-known delays in receiving new 737 Max 8s, having only taken delivery of four so far this year – less than one-third of the 17 originally targeted. <br/>
oneworld
Sri Lanka’s national airline grounded a captain who allegedly locked his copilot out of the cockpit after she took a mid-air toilet break. The incident happened on a 10-hour Sri Lankan Airlines flight from Sydney to Colombo on Monday during which the woman copilot decided to take a toilet break, according to reports. The pilot reportedly became enraged as she did not arrange for her substitute in the cockpit in line with standard operating procedures, leading to a tense standoff between the two mid-flight. The pilot allegedly locked her out when she left to use the restroom, becoming the only person to be in the cockpit in violation of safety protocols. The situation escalated to the point that a senior crew member on the flight had to intervene to break the standoff and have the copilot back in her chair. The cabin crew member used a communication link to the cockpit to persuade the captain to open the door and let the co-pilot in. Many airlines and aviation authorities enforce rules that require at least two qualified crew members to be present in the cockpit at all times during a flight. This rule was reinforced after incidents where lone pilots were left in control of the cockpit, leading to safety concerns.<br/>
Climate campaigners have asked the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission to investigate whether “fly carbon neutral” and other sustainability claims by Qantas are misleading or deceptive. The greenwashing complaint, filed by the Environmental Defenders Office on behalf of research and advocacy organisation Climate Integrity, urged the competition watchdog to investigate the airline’s marketing materials and the credibility of the company’s transition to net zero. The complaint focused on the national carrier’s “fly carbon neutral” product – which allows customers to check a box to offset their emissions when they buy a ticket – and its use of phrases such as “sustainable aviation fuel” and “the vague and broad term ‘sustainability’”. It follows a landmark greenwashing decision against KLM Royal Dutch Airlines in Amsterdam in March that found common aviation industry claims relating to sustainable aviation fuels, offsetting and net zero by 2050 were misleading. The district court of Amsterdam ruled the airline had misled customers with vague environmental claims and painted “an overly rosy picture” of its sustainable aviation fuel.<br/>