AirAsia X Orders Additional 34 Airbus A330neo Aircraft

AirAsia X has placed an order with Airbus for an additional 34 A330neo widebody aircraft.

The latest agreement reaffirms AirAsia X’s position as the largest airline customer for the A330neo, with the total number of aircraft ordered by the airline increasing to 100. All the A330neo aircraft ordered by AirAsia X are the larger A330-900 model.

AirAsia X will be the first airline in Asia to operate the A330neo, with deliveries of aircraft on order with Airbus scheduled to start in Q4 2019. The A330neo will be operated by AirAsia X out of its bases in Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia.

The range capability of the A330neo enables non-stop services to Europe, including from Kuala Lumpur or Bangkok to London, for example.

AirAsia Co-Founder and AirAsia X Group Chief Executive Officer Kamarudin Meranun said, "Long haul low-cost is something we strongly believe in, and this order shows our confidence in the AirAsia X model. We lobbied hard for the A330neo after seeing the success of the A320neo, and working closely with Airbus, we have arrived at an aircraft that we are confident will allow us to expand our low fares offering beyond Asia Pacific to the rest of the world.”

The A330-900, with a list price of US$296.4 million, is powered by new generation Rolls-Royce Trent 7000 engines.

The A330neo is currently nearing completion of its flight test programme with certification expected in the coming weeks followed by entry into commercial service in September.

AirAsia Co-Founder and AirAsia X Co-Group Chief Executive Officer, Tan Sri Tony Fernandes, said, “Our decision not only to reconfirm our existing order for 66 A330neo, but to add 34 more, follows what is probably one of the most thorough aircraft evaluations the industry has ever seen. We have looked at every aspect of the A330neo from technical performance and reliability to passenger comfort and it is clearly the right aircraft for us to expand efficiently our fast-growing long haul network.”

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