Routes Insights: Malaysia Airlines, Virgin Atlantic, China Southern Airlines

After a nine-year hiatus, Malaysia Airlines is set to reinstate its Kuala Lumpur-Paris service in March 2025. The carrier previously suspended the route in 2016 due to a strategic review, but is now reentering the market as part of its broader network expansion plans.

Paris will become the airline’s second European destination after London, utilizing its Airbus A350-900s to support the service. Flights from Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KUL) to Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) will initially be 4X-weekly from March 22, rising to daily from March 29.

Paris was chosen over other European cities like Amsterdam, which is limited by slot availability. The French capital is intended to provide additional feed from regions like Eastern Europe, North Africa and potentially even South America, complementing the carrier’s existing London services.

While Malaysia Airlines will operate from CDG’s Terminal 1, separate from its Oneworld partners in Terminal 2A, the airline plans to ensure a smooth transfer experience for connecting passengers. The carrier is also exploring collaboration opportunities with Air France-KLM at CDG, benefiting from Oneworld’s flexible partnership arrangements.

The A350-900s designated for the Paris service will be rerouted from flights to Doha and Tokyo Narita, with these routes eventually being serviced by incoming A330neos.

While Paris is seen as a strong candidate for network growth, the airline has no immediate plans to add other European destinations in 2025. However, the reintroduction of the KUL-CDG route marks the next step in Malaysia Airlines' efforts to strengthen its long-haul network in Europe.