Malindo Air Part 2: International expansion in 2016 with additional 737-800s - and possibly A330s

Malaysia's Malindo Air is planning further rapid expansion of its international network in 2016 as five to six additional 737-800s are delivered. The Lion Group affiliate is launching two new international destinations in early 2016 and plans to add at least two more in 1H2016, extending its international network to at least 22 destinations.

Greater China will be the biggest focus for 2016 with Hong Kong, Taipei, Wuhan, Kunming and Guangzhou joining Sanya, which became Malindo's first Chinese destination on 20-Dec-2015. But Malindo is also planning to expand in the Indochina region, starting with Ho Chi Minh on 29-Jan-2016.

A new phase of international expansion will kick in in 2017 as the first batch of 737 MAX aircraft are placed into service, opening up new longer medium haul routes to northern China, Korea and Japan. Malindo is also now looking at potentially acquiring A330s, which would be used to add destinations deeper into Australia to supplement newly launched Perth and begin non-stop routes to Middle East. Malindo plans to begin serving Jeddah in 2016 but initially with a one-stop product using its existing 737 fleet.