An AirAsia airplane flies over the Sukarno-Hatta airport in Tangerang on February 15, 2012/AFP
PARIS, Dec 18 – Low cost Malaysian airline AirAsia X announced Wednesday that it was ordering 25 long range A330-300 aircraft with a catalogue price of nearly $6 billion (4.4 billion euros).
Airbus said at a joint press conference in Paris it was the biggest single order for the widebody twin engine aircraft from an airline, and would begin delivering the planes to the long haul affiliate of the AirAsia group in 2015.
The order includes the latest version of the A330-300 capable of flying from Asia to Europe or the Americas non stop.
“This order stamps our firm intent to dominate the long haul, low cost carrier space and marks the next phase in our development to be the undisputed global market leader,” AirAsia X’s director Tony Fernandes was quoted as saying in a statement.
AirAsia X already operates 16 A330-300 aircraft on routes from Kuala Lumpur to Asian and Middle Eastern destinations.
AirAsia X is one of Airbus’ biggest clients, with several hundred aircraft on order.
In June 2011 the Malaysian company ordered 200 A320 Neo planes with a catalogue price of $18.24 billion, one of the biggest ever orders of commercial aircraft.
It has also ordered 10 of Airbus’ future long-range aircraft, the A350-XWB.
