Malaysia Airlines Resumes Kuala Lumpur-Paris Flights in 2025
Malaysia Airlines will resume its service between Kuala Lumpur and Paris in 2025, marking the return of a route it suspended in 2016. The Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KUL) to Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG) route will be the airline’s second European destination, following London Heathrow.
Starting on March 22, 2025, the airline will operate four weekly flights on the route using Airbus A350-900 aircraft. A week later, on March 29, 2025, Malaysia Airlines will increase the frequency to daily service (7X-weekly). The decision to reintroduce the Paris route is part of Malaysia Airlines’ strategic focus on connecting Southeast Asia and Australia to key European markets.
Malaysia Aviation Group Managing Director Izham Ismail explained the choice of Paris as the next European destination: “We selected Paris to provide feed into markets we are good at and where we are looking to add frequencies—particularly Southeast Asia and Australia.” He added that while London and Amsterdam faced slot constraints, network simulations showed Paris as the best fit for Malaysia Airlines’ expanding route map.
The Paris route is expected to complement the airline’s London service by capturing additional traffic from regions such as Eastern Europe, North Africa, and even South America. However, Izham emphasized that no further European destinations are planned for 2025, as the market has not fully stabilized.
Malaysia Airlines will operate out of Paris Charles de Gaulle’s Terminal 1, while most of its Oneworld alliance partners are located in Terminal 2A. Despite the separate terminals, the airline assures passengers that the minimum connecting time between flights will be manageable, ensuring smooth transfers for travelers.
Izham also hinted at potential partnerships with Air France-KLM in Paris, given the flexibility allowed by Oneworld for collaborative agreements. This could further enhance Malaysia Airlines’ connectivity across Europe and beyond.
To accommodate the new Paris service, Malaysia Airlines will adjust its fleet deployment. The Airbus A350-900s currently serving routes to Doha and Tokyo Narita will be replaced by the incoming A330neos. The airline is in the process of resolving operational reliability issues, having reduced its capacity by 20%. Izham expects these challenges to be fully addressed by the end of 2024.
According to data from the Aviation Week Network Fleet Discovery, Malaysia Airlines currently operates five in-service A350-900s, with two additional aircraft parked. The A350-900 is known for its efficiency on long-haul flights, making it an ideal choice for the resumption of the Kuala Lumpur-Paris route.
With the addition of Paris to its network, Malaysia Airlines continues its focus on growing its long-haul operations, reconnecting major global cities with Southeast Asia. The resumed service also positions the airline to strengthen its presence in the competitive European market, catering to both business and leisure travelers.
Travelers looking to book flights between Kuala Lumpur and Paris can expect the high-quality service that Malaysia Airlines is known for, with the added comfort of the state-of-the-art Airbus A350-900 aircraft.