AirAsia Group chief Tony Fernandes has hinted at possible additional Airbus orders ahead of discussions at the airframer’s Toulouse headquarters. Fernandes described the Airbus A321 as a “great” aircraft on his social media feed, and pointed to considerations of a possible further order.
The carrier has already agreed to take 100 A321neos at the Farnborough air show two years ago. The airline has not received its first aircraft yet, with the first aircraft due in 2019
Fernandes also reiterates his interest in the higher-weight A330neo. Airbus is developing a 251t maximum take-off weight variant which, says Fernandes, “can reach London”. Long-haul arm AirAsia X has 66 A330neos on order, all A330-900s. The current version is based on a 242t airframe. Airbus expects the 251t version to increase range by 650nm to a total of 7,200nm.
While AirAsia X already has A330neo orders. Fernandes says that, to “finally confirm it”, the carrier must “make sure” that the price, performance, engine and other aspects are “right”. If it meets these criteria, he says, it will be the aircraft “we dreamt of and fought for”, and suggests the carrier “can order more”.
©Airbus
