AirAsia Signs Landmark Agreement for 70 A321XLRs to Disrupt Global Travel
Mumbai: AirAsia Berhad, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Capital A Berhad, has signed a landmark agreement with Airbus for 50 A321XLRs with rights for 20 A321XLRs. The agreement, valued at USD12.25 billion, will enable AirAsia to serve longer-range, underserved routes more efficiently, including into Central Asia, the Middle East, and Europe.
This deal will enable AirAsia to become the world’s first low-cost narrow-body network carrier, anchored by its multi-hub strategy. The aircraft are scheduled for delivery commencing 2028 through 2032. AirAsia aims to carry 150 million guests annually by 2030, reaching a cumulative total of 1.5 billion guests since inception.
According to Tony Fernandes, CEO of Capital A, “We pioneered low-cost travel in Asia – now, we are taking it to the next level. AirAsia is on a transformative journey to become the world’s first low-cost network carrier. The A321XLR and A321LR are the game-changers enabling this vision, and we are proud to lead the charge in making our world smaller.”
The A321XLR offers several benefits, including up to 20% lower fuel burn per seat, boosting operational efficiency and advancing the Group’s environmental performance goals. The aircraft will operate alongside AirAsia’s all-Airbus fleet of A320 Family and A330 aircraft, supporting its long-term strategy to deliver unmatched connectivity across Asia and beyond.
The agreement was witnessed by Prime Minister of Malaysia YAB Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim and signed in Paris between Tony Fernandes, CEO of Capital A, and Christian Scherer, CEO of Airbus Commercial Aircraft.
