Photo tour: Inside Malaysia Airlines’ new Airbus A330neo

Malaysia Airlines is bringing its factory fresh Airbus A330neo jets onto more Australian services, with Sydney-Kuala Lumpur getting its first A330neo service this week. But it’s more than just that ‘new plane smell’. With a new plane comes a fresh cabin offering. The airline is taking a step forward in Business Class, while adding improvements for Economy flyers, too.

“For the first time in years, Australia and Malaysia have increased air traffic rates, lifting the cap from 36,000 to 50,000 seats a week with unlimited capacity beginning in 2026. Now, this is more than just numbers. It’s about unlocking new opportunities for tourism, trade, and investment between our two nations.”

– Shane Hodges, General Manager Strategic Aviation Development at Sydney Airport, August 2025

Sydney joins Melbourne, which is already served by the carrier’s newest planes. The airline plans to roll the aircraft onto every Australian route by January 2026. And, there’s a third daily Sydney-KL flight coming from late August. So let’s see what’s in store for travellers zipping up to Malaysia.

Business Class on Malaysia Airlines’ Airbus A330neo

For flyers at the pointy end, Malaysia Airlines’ Airbus A330neo brings a few improvements over the standard A330, and the A350 as well. On these planes, there’s a straight 1-2-1 seating layout throughout the entire cabin, guaranteeing every passenger direct aisle access. By comparison, MAS’ A330 and A350 flights have an alternating 1-2-1/1-2-2 layout.

But beyond that, each seat offers a privacy door. If the seat looks familiar, that’s because it’s the Collins Aerospace Super Diamond seat, with the optional door included. If you’ve flown Club Suite on British Airways, it’s the same product – just in different colours and with branding tweaks. It’s also much like the seat you’ll find on Air Canada between Australia and Vancouver – albeit Air Canada’s seat being without the door.

I put the seat to the test on the ground here in Sydney. I’m six feet tall, and could comfortably stretch out in bed mode, without my feet feeling constrained. With the extra space, I’d estimate the bed length to be at least 190cm.

Economy on MAS’ newest plane

Behind the curtain, Malaysia Airlines Economy takes on a 2-4-2 layout on the A330neo. That’s one of the points of difference with the airline’s also-modern Airbus A350, which runs in a 3-3-3 configuration. Translation: if you’re travelling as a pair, select one of the duos by the window and you won’t have a random seatmate joining the party.

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The Recaro seat is modern with an iPad-like entertainment screen. It responds to the gentlest of gestures, which means the passenger behind you won’t be whacking the screen while selecting a movie, as happens on some older monitors. Legroom is also quite respectable. Again, I’m a taller traveller, and even in the standard rows, my knees don’t touch the seat in front.

This design features a carveout at knee height, giving more room to move. Even when the seat in front fully reclines, my knees are still free. That’s because the recline motion slides the base of the seat forward, thereby avoiding a collision with the traveller behind you.

Naturally, the bulkhead rows and emergency exit seats provide the greatest amount of space. But for overall comfort on a long flight, I think I’d choose a standard seat instead. That’s because at the front of the cabin, the entertainment screen folds out from within the armrest. So, for 8+ hours, you’ll be craning your neck downwards to watch movies. At the standard seats, however, the screen is perfectly at your eyeline. Your neck will thank you!

Malaysia Airlines now offers the A330neo once a day between Sydney and Kuala Lumpur. The flight numbers to look for are MH122 from Sydney and MH123 on the return. You’ll also find the A330neo on the airline’s double daily flights from Melbourne.

Also read: Malaysia Airlines Airbus A330 Economy review (Seoul-Kuala Lumpur-Perth)

All photography by Chris Chamberlin.