AirAsia has entered into a purchase agreement valued at $12.25 billion (RM51.72 billion) for a fleet of long-range Airbus A321XLR aircraft, with deliveries scheduled by 2028, according to Capital A Berhad CEO Tan Sri Tony Fernandes, as reported by Bernama.
Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim stated that AirAsia’s newly signed deal with Airbus for A321XLR aircraft will elevate the airline’s ability to operate more efficiently across short- and medium-haul routes, reinforcing its overall fleet capability and strategic network growth.
The deal follows Anwar’s two-day official visit to France, during which Malaysia and France strengthened cooperation in key areas such as trade, investment, education, and technology. French President Emmanuel Macron underscored the significance of the visit, noting it marked the first high-level Malaysian delegation to Paris in 15 years and describing it a ‘meaningful’ step in deepening bilateral relations.
The low-cost carrier signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Airbus in Paris yesterday to acquire 50 A321XLR aircraft, with an option to convert an additional 20 units. This upcoming fleet is intended to expand service routes into Central Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and other strategic regions.
Christian Scherer, CEO of Airbus Commercial Aircraft, and Tony Fernandes signed the MoU.
Tony Fernandes stated that AirAsia’s upcoming fleet of next-generation A321XLRs will complement its existing all-Airbus lineup, which includes A320 Family and A330 aircraft. The airline is targeting an ambitious milestone of welcoming 150 million passengers annually by 2030, pushing its lifetime total to 1.5 billion guests. To fund the fleet expansion, Fernandes revealed that AirAsia intends to leverage bank leasing arrangements for the aircraft acquisitions.
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