30 August 2019:AirAsia X has finalised a firm order with Airbus for an additional 12 A330-900 and 30 A321XLR aircraft. The contract was signed by Guillaume Faury, Chief Executive Officer, Airbus and Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz, Chairman, AirAsia X Berhad in Kuala Lumpur, in the presence of Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, the Prime Minister of Malaysia.
Tan Sri Tony Fernandes, Chief Executive Officer, AirAsia Group, who was present at the signing said, "This order reaffirms our selection of the A330neo as the most efficient choice for our future widebody fleet. In addition, the A321XLR offers the longest flying range of any single aisle aircraft and will enable us to introduce services to new destinations. Together, these aircraft are perfect partners for long haul low cost operations and will allow us to build further on our market leading position in this fast-growing sector."
Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz, Chairman of AirAsia X Berhad said, "Today's announcement is testament to our confidence and commitment to longer haul air travel. This is the future of our long-haul operations. The A330neo's revolutionary new features and modifications will move our long-haul service sectors up to a higher level and allow AirAsia X to look at expanding beyond the eight-hour flight radius, such as to Europe, for example."
Guillaume Faury, Chief Executive Officer, Airbus said,"AirAsia X has been the pioneer of the long haul low cost model in the Asia-Pacific region. This new order for the A330neo and A321XLR is a true endorsement of the Airbus solution to meet mid-market demand with a combination of single aisle and widebody products. This powerful solution will provide AirAsia X with the lowest possible operating costs to expand its network and enable even more people to fly further than ever before."