AirAsia X inks lease deal for six Airbus A330
Azran said the planes will be deployed in the airline’s core markets. — File picKUALA LUMPUR, Aug 9 — AirAsia X, the long haul low-fare affiliate of the AirAsia Group, has signed a letter of intent with International Lease Finance Corporation (ILFC) to lease six Airbus A330-300 aircraft.
The company will lease the six aircraft on a 10 year lease-term, AirAsia X said in a statement today.
“These six aircraft, together with existing delivery orders from Airbus, will see AirAsia X’s growth develop, with a total of seven deliveries, each in 2013 and 2014, with the aim of being the dominant market leader in the low-cost long-haul segment,” said chief executive officer Azran Osman-Rani.
He said AirAsia X intended to deploy the additional capacity with a vision to solidify its position in identified core markets, including Australia, China, Taiwan, Korea, and Japan.
“Our commitment to have a standardised, young, and fuel-efficient fleet optimises our resources and provides better value for our guests,” he said.
Meanwhile, AirAsia X co-founder and director Tan Sri Tony Fernandes said this would further complement AirAsia Group’s long-term vision of developing its presence in key markets in Asia.
It would also strengthen the connectivity between AirAsia’s short-haul and AirAsia X’s long-haul low cost network for the benefit of passengers’ convenience.
“This would hopefully fulfil our pledge of ‘Now Everyone Can Fly’,” he added. — Bernama
