Air Asia X has signed a single purchase agreement valued at US$6 billion for 25 A330-300s, increasing its total order for the wide-body twin-engine jet airliner to 51. Combining that with the airline's lease for six A330-300s from the International Lease Finance Corporation, Air Asia X is expected to run a 57-strong fleet of A330s by 2019.
Airbus is scheduled to start delivering these A330s to Air Asia X in 2015 and, according to the airline, these new aircraft will used in a major network expansion that is to include non-stop services to destinations in Europe or one-layover flights to the US.
Tan Sri’ Tony Fernandes, co-founder and director of the airline said, “The aircraft orders would further cater to our expansion plans in Malaysia, and the proposed new Thai Air Asia X hub as well as other long-haul ventures planned across Asia. The developments will complement the Air Asia Group's long-term vision of developing its presence in key markets in Asia and strengthen the connectivity between long-haul and short-haul low-cost network.”
The airline's announced intention to return to Europe may be surprising to some given its ill-fated attempts before that ended with cancellations of its London (see story) and Paris services. Can LCCs make it on long haul? Read our analysis in the December issue of Business Traveller Asia-Pacific. To subscribe, click here.
For more information, visit www.airasia.com
Valerian Ho
