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AirAsia X mulls B787s and confirms move to Melbourne’s Avalon
February 9th 2018
AirAsia Group founder and CEO, Tony Fernandes, has once again said that the airline group might not remain an all-Airbus operator for too long. Read More »
Speaking on the side lines of a business forum in Manila, he said the group’s long-haul budget unit, AirAsia X, needed more aircraft and was evaluating placement of a top up order for more A330s and A350s and a competing proposal for B787s from Boeing.
On Thursday, Airbus EVP, Chief of Sales, Marketing & Contracts, Eric Schulz, said: “I have been very pleased to sit down with the AirAsia X team to share the initial A330neo flight test data and to review the aircraft operational performance forecast on the airlines’ routes, covering both the existing and projected network.
“All the analysis has confirmed the superiority of the A330neo versus the competition. The combination of airframe improvements, including the hard work done by our teams on cost optimisation, the innovative Skywise application and digital benefits, coupled with the Trent 7000 new engine technology performance and associated maintenance cost optimisation.”
The AirAsia X carriers have 66 A330-900neo and ten A350-900s on firm order from Airbus. They operate 30 A330-300s on high-demand routes to China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand.
Separately, the long-haul budget carrier this week confirmed it would relocate its services from Melbourne’s Tullamarine International Airport to Melbourne Avalon Airport “later this year”, following the completion of an international terminal at the airfield. The state government of Victoria, as well as the federal authorities, are understood to be participating in the privately owned airport, which is 50 minutes from downtown Melbourne and also is the home of Qantas group LCC, Jetstar domestic. AirAsia X flies A330-300s twice a day between its Kuala Lumpur hub and Melbourne.
