Malaysia Airlines eyes another 26 routes in 2018 - CEO

Malaysia Airlines Bhd (MAB), which is on the road to recovery, plans to add 26 additional routes to its list of destinations in 2018, says Chief Executive Officer Peter Bellew.

In evaluating the potential routes, he said the national carrier has invited all major airports in ASEAN, Australia and India to meet in Kuala Lumpur in the coming weeks to negotiate the routes and promote tourism here.

Bellew added that Malaysia Airlines would commence 11 new routes this year, the most number of routes to be introduced in a single year in the airline''s history.

"We see an increase in customers in Asia, particularly from China, Australia and India, although there is a fall in the number of travellers to Europe and the United States.

"Our business on the international front is tremendously good and strong. We are searching for bigger aircraft right now.

We are trying to find five, six or seven more wide-bodied aircraft for use next year," he told reporters after MAB pledged its participation in the ''Negaraku'' initiative here today.

Without elaborating, Bellew added that MAB was also looking at employing more pilots, crew and engineers towards the end of the year.

-- BERNAMA