AirAsia X Looking For More A340-300s

Feb 12, 2009
Bradley Perrett/Beijing perrett@aviationweek.com



AirAsia X, the long-haul affiliate of Malaysian budget carrier AirAsia, is looking for up to five more Airbus A340-300s to support growth while awaiting the 25 A350s or Boeing 787s that it is planning to order.

The airline needs the aircraft to extend its network to such destinations as Germany, France and New Zealand.

It now has three A330s and a single A340, linking Kuala Lumpur with three Australian destinations and one in China. London will be added to the network next month.

"For the right price, we would like to lease five A340-300s, although they are in tight supply," chief executive Azran Osman Rani tells Dow Jones Newswires.

Tony Fernandes, the chief executive of AirAsia and a founder of AirAsia X, has previously identified the A340-300 as a key aircraft type for the long-haul carrier's early development, although he also complains that it is costly to run.M

Photo credit: Air Asia