http://asia.businesstraveller.com/as...s-new-a330-300
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Info from Business Traveller Asia:
Malaysia Airlines unveiled its new Airbus A330-300 aircraft today, sporting the new MAS livery and enhanced in-flight features.
The configuration of the aircraft has been changed providing passengers with more space. Previously, the A330-300 had 294 seats and now the aircraft consists of a total of 283 seats, 36 in Business class and 247 in Economy class.
In Economy class, the seat width has been increased from 17 inches to 17.5 inches, however the seat pitch has been reduced from 33 inches to 32 inches. In Business class, both seat width and seat pitch have been increased. Seat width has gone up from 18.5 inches to 20 inches while seat pitch is now 60 inches, up from 45 inches.
Seats in both classes now also have greater headrests. Economy seats are equipped with a four way adjustable headrest while business class seats have a six way adjustable headrest instead of the standard headrest available on the older A330-300.
Other new in-flight features include a power plug and USB port for electronic devices, mood lighting and larger windows for a more spacious feel, larger stowage bins and an advanced AVOD in-flight entertainment system in both cabins.
This new aircraft will be utlised on the Kuala Lumpur-Brisbane route on April 20, and will eventually be deployed on services to Shanghai, Osaka, Beijing, Perth and Delhi.
MAS' refreshed livery consists of red and blue stripes, representing the carrier’s corporate colours.

 

The aircraft would be utlised on the Kuala Lumpur-Brisbane route on April 20. Currently the MH flight status doesn't work (Damn new website) u can call the company and check if your gonna be on the new aircraft.
Preselecting ur seats shouldn't be a problem however I'm not really that familiar with MH's rules on preselecting seats because I use CX more. Just call MH for more info or just wait for more posts from other members.

 

The new business class seats are disappointing. I prefer the current ones on the 772 and 744. These new seats on the 33E have an incline of 12 degrees! The incline on the 772 and 744 is only 9 degrees, making them one of the flatest angled lie-flat seats around.

 

1) Is the A330-300 supposed to replace the 777 & 747 which are used for long haul flights ? I dont think so, its suppose to replace the current fleet of A330 (with the cradle seats) used for medium haul flights. If you compare these new seats with the cradle seats, yes its an improvement.

2) I do not believe the incline in the current 777 & 747 to be 'one of the flatest angled lie-flat seats around' even if I do not know what the angle is supposed to be. The angle feels pretty steep to me & the seats are too narrow, with the video monitor taking up much width space. The video postion on the new A330 makes more sense to me, even if visually the seats does not look too sleek ....

 

isnt this the old Cathay business class seats prior to the herringbone config?

 

It looks similar doesn't it, I just realised that when you said that. But it's not an exact copy, I think recaro designed MH version but not the CX version. Instead MH has the same seats as QR.
Anyway it shows how MH's vision of becoming Asia's best airline is just a joke, chosing a design that is similar to CX's old old J seat isn't the best step to becoming Asia's best, it's like chosing a seat that was designed a decade ago . If you look at SIA, CX and MH A330s, they all have completely different seats but travel to the same places, SIA has a grander version of MH's seat and CX is the only one with a 1-2-1 configuration and a fully flat seat (not including regional seats). So to sum it up CX has the best seats then SIA and lastly MH.
SIA A330 seats:

QR A330 seats:

CX old old seats:

CX new A330 seats:

 

If MH had gone for the full flat-bed seats on their new A330s,they would've been miles ahead of the competition for regional flights. But that's MH for you...always lacking foresight.

 

Hmmm dissapointed that these are still not fully lie flat but I suppose It also depends on what you compare to. CX regional is dreadful - recliners with no VOD. SQ also has a hugely variable regional product. Their newest a330 is nice with inclined lie flats as well. It's the long haul 777/747 product which is beginning to show it's age against CX/SQ hope to see something new when the A380 comes (or if)

 

MAS considers the destinations that it will use for the new A330s to be "regional" and that is supposedly their justification for using the angled lie-flat seats. They've hinted that the business class cabin on their A380s (that are coming next year) will have fully flat-bed seats. I certainly hope so because I will be bitterly disappointed if they're not. I wonder whether they will upgrade the business class product on their current B772s to match the product that will be on the A380s, as it looks like these birds may be hanging around for some time until they make a decision about the A350 or B787 as a replacement.

 

I don't think these seats look bad at all especially for 6-8 hour flights. Comparable to SQ and definitely better than NH's new regional C (that's not even a lie-flat seat!). Most of these flights are only flying at most one red-eye per destination and the the other leg is usually a daytime flight.

 

I suppose you're right but I just have high expectations of MAS. They're always being compared to SQ, so this was a good opportunity to trump them using better than expected product on the new A330s. They did a really good jobwith theeconomy class but they could've done so much more with the business cabin.

 

I'm a seasoned CX flyer usually and with MH's recent admission to OneWorld and some sensational sales in J class thought I would give them a go HKG-KUL-SYD.

3 of the 4 sectors were on the A330, and one sector (KUL-SYD) was on 777. What a difference! The 777 seat was so comfortable with a huge pitch, and I was able to sleep overnight the whole way to SYD. On the other hand, the A330 seat was hard, and difficult to adjust into a comfortable lying position. The seat cushioning is more like a bus bench seat, and you always feel like you are sitting on the seat, rather than in the seat. I couldn't sleep as my bum kept going numb, and the headrest was also so hard, that I got pins and needles in parts of my skull, even if using the pillow.

It's a real shame, because in many other areas, MH is equal or better than CX. Their service is top notch (except for one sector when I needed to request the amenity kit), and their food is miles ahead of CX. Everything they brought out to eat didn't seem like it was from a plane, and no pre-plated casseroles.

It's unfortunate about the A330 seats as my experience really makes me wonder if a J class seat on MH is better or a Y seat on CX which would be direct to oz, rather than via KL.

 

So kul-kix will be on new a330?