Air Asia has taken delivery of its first Airbus A330 neo and the aircraft will be operated by the airline’s long-haul affiliate Air Asia X Thailand, according to Airbus.
It is the first of two A330 neos set to join the Malaysian low-cost carrier’s fleet by the end of the year.
The new-generation aircraft, which is on lease from aircraft leasing company Avolon, will be based out of Bangkok’s Don Mueang International Airport.
Air Asia X Thailand’s A330 neo features 377 seats in a two-class configuration, comprising 12 Premium Flatbeds and 365 economy class seats.
Air Asia X currently operates 36 A330-300 aircraft and is the largest customer for the A330 neo with 66 on firm order.
According to Airbus, the A330neo is powered by the Rolls-Royce Trent 7000 engines and burns 25 per cent lower fuel per seat compared to previous generation competitors. The new aircraft is also equipped with an “Airbus Airspace cabin” – a feature that Airbus promises delivers extra personal space due the the plane’s wide-body cabin.
Last month, Indonesian carrier Lion Air received its first Airbus A330-900neo, making it the first carrier in the Asia-Pacific region to fly the aircraft. The airline’s A330-900 neo can accommodate 436 passengers in a single-class configuration and will be used for non-stop, long-haul services from Indonesia.
Delta’s newest wide-body aircraft, the Airbus A330-900 neo, began operations last month with a flight flying from Seattle to Shanghai.
