AirAsia Group is looking to order up to 150 new aircraft as the “final piece” of its long-term fleet strategy and will be announcing its decision as early as August.
Founder Tony Fernandes confirms that the low-cost airline group is in “discussions” with at least two aircraft manufacturers about the order, which he later disclosed were Embraer, for E2-family aircraft, and Airbus for its A220 programme. Fernandes also says that AirAsia is in talks with Chinese airframer Comac.
“[We] are looking at it very aggressively…I hope to announce it in the next month. There are two contenders for that aircraft order, and [the order] would complete our network strategy,” says Fernandes, who is also the CEO of Capital A. AirAsia is owned by Capital A, but is in the process of being divested to sister unit AirAsia X.
Fernandes’ comments confirm earlier media reports that AirAsia is looking at acquiring smaller aircraft – of up to 150 seats – to grow its fleet.
His remarks follow AirAsia’s first post-pandemic aircraft order, in which it announced commitments for 50 Airbus A321XLRs, plus conversion rights for another 20 jets.
The new A321XLRs will allow AirAsia to “fly all over the world on a narrowbody”, said Fernandes, who reiterates the airline’s ambition to be a “low-cost network carrier” in the long term.
At the Paris air show in June, Fernandes told FlightGlobal that AirAsia was in the market for more aircraft for future fleet growth, but that it would not announce any orders at the biennial show.
