Brisbane Airport Celebrates Return of Malaysia Airlines

For the first time since 2015 Brisbane Airport (BNE) will welcome the touch down of Malaysia Airlines this evening, signalling the return of non-stop flights between Brisbane and Kuala Lumpur.

Operating four services per week on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday, the new flights provide more than 120,000 seats to/from BNE, with passengers enjoying the comfort of Malaysia Airlines’ Airbus A330 aircraft.

The service was acquired for Queensland as a result of the partnership between Brisbane Airport Corporation, Tourism Events Queensland and Tourism Australia, with the support of Queensland State Government’s Attracting Aviation Investment Fund (AAIF).

Julieanne Alroe, Brisbane Airport Corporation (BAC) CEO and Managing Director, welcomed Malaysia Airlines’ return to Queensland saying the benefits of the new non-stop flights and direct connection to Kuala Lumpur will ripple across the state.

“Every new airline and international destination on our network positively impacts all sectors of the economy, supporting business, trade and freight throughout Queensland, boosting opportunities for tourism and education, further building Brisbane’s reputation as a major Asia Pacific centre and Australia’s future gateway city.

“This is not a new partnership we’re celebrating today, Malaysia Airlines has been a part of the Brisbane Airport family since 1972, so today’s re-launch is about rekindling a very strong, long-term partnership and celebrating future success and opportunities between Queensland and Malaysia,” Ms Alroe said.

Tourism Industry Development Minister Kate Jones said welcoming this international airline back to Queensland is a major coup for our state’s tourism industry, injecting millions into the economy and supporting up to 240 jobs annually.

“This route gives travellers the opportunity to pick Queensland as their gateway to Australia,” Ms Jones said.

“These flights will help Queensland grow our share of key Asian and European markets by tapping into Malaysia Airlines’ extensive network.

“Malaysia is a growing market for international tourists but more importantly, this route gives us a base in Kuala Lumpur which is a thriving international hub that will give us better access to a large number of growing visitor markets throughout Asia.”

According to Malaysia Airlines Chief Commercial Officer, Arved von zur Muehlen, Australia is one of the airlines biggest markets, including Brisbane, Australia’s third most populous city.

“We are excited to be returning to Brisbane to offer passengers better connectivity with our four times weekly direct flights into the city. At the same time, this is to also encourage passengers to explore Malaysia, which is famous for its rich attractions,” Mr Muehlen said.

“Our service goes beyond just providing airline travel. We have recently embarked on a brand refresh centred around Malaysian Hospitality. Malaysian Hospitality is what Malaysia Airlines has been long known for—a warm and genuine service which reflects Malaysian culture and traditions.

“We are also committed to building a consistent delivery of exceptional service across all customer touch-points via our latest products and services superior inflight features including lie-flat seats on business class, inflight entertainment, and a wide variety of food incorporating the elements of best of Malaysia aimed at enhancing our passenger’s travel experience.”

Malaysia Airlines’ return to Brisbane is timely particularly given more than 33,000 Malaysian visitors travelled through BNE in the last 12 months, an increase of +6 per cent growth year on year, showing strong demand for a direct service.

Freight potential of direct service to/from Malaysia is also significant with more than 1600 tonnes of Queensland’s best produce passing through BNE in the past 12 months, representing a +38 per cent growth year-on-year. 

Via Kuala Lumpur passengers will have access to Malaysia Airlines’ extensive network including London, five points in India, four points in Indonesia, as well as 40 other destinations across South east and North Asia.

Additionally these flights are expected to bring more than 60,000 international visitors to Queensland each year, many of which will travel onwards to some of Australia’s most desirable tourist destinations via Brisbane Airport’s comprehensive regional network of any airport in Australia.

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