Malaysia Airlines Secures Global Partnership With Manchester United 

Malaysia Airlines have become Premier League club Manchester United’s official commercial airline after negotiating a multi-year global partnership .

The deal comes almost two years after Manchester United revoked a partnership with Russian national carrier Aeroflot in 2022 after the country invaded Ukraine.

The partnership was announced by Malaysia Airlines’ Group Managing Director of Malaysia Aviation Group, Izham Ismail, at an industry trade fair in Kuala Lumpur.

Following the deal, he mentioned, “This collaboration brings together two global icons, Malaysia Airlines and Manchester United, and will create unforgettable experiences for our fans and customers. Aligning with a globally recognised club like United places Malaysia Airlines in front of a massive worldwide audience, significantly boosting brand recognition, especially in Europe and Southeast Asia where United has a large fanbase.”

Manchester United’s CEO of Alliances and Partnerships, Victoria Timpson, said, “Manchester United has a long-standing and proud connection with Malaysia, with a history of passionate support from across the country. We have three official Malaysian supporter’s clubs, with the Kuala Lumpur branch boasting one of the club’s largest supporter communities, reflecting the country’s love of all things United.

According to ASN data, Malaysia Airlines have been rather muted in the Asian sponsorship market since the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, and has averaged a quarterly investment of about US$63k since Q221. It does have significant deals with TM Piala Malaysia (US$400k) and Rainforest World Music Festival (US$103k), and the latest play with Manchester United is certain to boost its spends.