AirAsia
AirAsia Group Bhd CEO and AirAsia X Co-Group CEO Tony Fernandes said the brand new aircraft will replace the older fleet and deliver savings of 11-12%.
He said the primary order could be delivered in April next 12 months and the second batch of orders within the third quarter of 2019.
“Thanks to the brand new planes we will now fly to London. We usually are not announcing that we are going to launch flights to London, but due to the brand new planes it should be possible,” Fernandes said in a special announcement on Thursday.
Fernandes said the deal could be financed through money flow and leaseback.
“We expect 14% savings in costs, 5% savings in maintenance… a lot of savings,” he said.
He said the choice to not only reconfirm the prevailing order for 66 A330neo aircraft, but in addition add 34 more, is probably going one of the vital thorough aircraft evaluations the industry has ever seen.
“We have looked at every aspect of the A330neo, from technical performance and reliability to passenger comfort, and it is certainly the right aircraft for us to successfully expand our rapidly expanding long-haul network,” Fernandes said.
Meanwhile, in an announcement issued throughout the Farnborough Air Show within the UK, AirAsia X said that the 100 aircraft on order included an extra 34 wide-body A330neo aircraft.
All A330neo aircraft ordered by AirAsia X are the larger A330-900 model.
Offering the range to enable non-stop flights to Europe, including from Kuala Lumpur to London, the A330neo will enable AirAsia
passengers to travel further more often at very competitive prices.
AirAsia
AirAsia co-founder and AirAsia
“After seeing the success of the A320neo, we lobbied hard for the A330neo and, working closely with Airbus, we’ve got developed an aircraft that we’re confident will allow us to expand our low-cost offering beyond the Asia-Pacific region to the remaining of the world. “
Airbus Chief Commercial Officer Eric Schulz said the planemaker was extremely pleased to announce the key cope with AirAsia X.
“This is the strongest confirmation of the unrivaled operational economics, efficiency and cost-effectiveness that the A330neo brings to market in its size category,” he said.
The A330neo is the newest dual-aisle version of the A330 family. It features next-generation Rolls-Royce Trent 7000 engines, a brand new optimized wing and increased use of lighter composite materials.
Combined, these advances provide a big 25% reduction in fuel consumption in comparison with older generation aircraft of an analogous size.
Passengers can expect the best levels of comfort when flying on the A330neo, which is provided with the award-winning Airspace by Airbus cabin.
Originally designed for the larger A350 XWB, it features newly designed sidewalls and fixtures, larger overhead bins, advanced cabin ambient lighting and the newest in-flight entertainment and connectivity.
The A330 Family is one of the vital successful widebody product lines in history, with over 1,700 orders from 120 customers.
More than 1,400 A330 aircraft fly with greater than 120 operators all over the world. Including Thursday’s announcement, the A330neo has already secured roughly 250 firm orders ahead of its entry into service.
The A330neo is currently nearing the tip of its flight test program, with certification expected in the approaching weeks and entry into business service in September.
Read more at https://www.thestar.com.my/business/business-news/2018/07/19/airasia-orders-100-airbus-a330neo/#8R1g634a2SCEKd1L.99
