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AirAsia X to use A330 for China, Australia flights

Air Asia CEO Tony Fernandes, right, walks next to AirAsia X's new Airbus A330 aircraft at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport's low-cost air carrier terminal in Sepang, Malaysia, yesterday. PHOTO: AP

Malaysia's long-haul budget carrier AirAsia X said yesterday that it will launch inaugural flights to China and Australia next month with the arrival of its first A330 aircraft.

It also unveiled plans to purchase 20 long-haul aircraft from either Boeing or Airbus to service future routes to Europe.

"We are excited with the arrival of the A330-300 aircraft. We plan to fly to China and Australia late October," AirAsia X chief executive officer Azran Osman-Rani said.

"The plane will alternate between China and Australia. We plan to have at least five flights to China a week and four a week to Australia's Gold Coast," he said.

Azran said landing rights to both destinations had been secured and the airline was now waiting for Malaysian regulators to certify the plane.

The ambitious budget carrier, which has ordered 15 new Airbus A330 aircraft for medium-haul routes, due to begin delivery from next September, also plans to acquire another two leased A340s in the middle of next year.

"This will allow us to fly to London or Manchester, whichever airport imposes lower airport charges," Azran said.

AirAsia X routes will eventually extend to China, Europe, Japan and the Middle East, with fares on average 50 percent lower than full-service carriers, he said.

The airline's founder, Tony Fernandes, said AirAsia X is also eyeing the purchase of some 20 Boeing 787s, or Airbus 350s -- which are still on the drawing board -- for its long-haul routes.

"787 is real. I'm going to Seattle to talk with the Boeing CEO next week," he told reporters.

"Sure, we would be foolish not to talk to Boeing. But the 350 is an obvious choice. The Airbus has an advantage but the question is, when can we get the planes," he said.

In related news, US aircraft maker Boeing said yesterday that China, the world's fastest growing aviation market, will need 3,400 new airplanes worth about US$340 billion over the next 20 years.

The forecast marks a dramatic increase from an earlier prediction by Boeing of 2,900 aircraft in the period from 2005 to 2025.

Strong growth in both passenger and cargo transport will nearly quadruple China's fleet to 4,460 planes by the end of 2026, making it the largest market outside the US for new commercial aircraft, it said.

Following the anticipated surge in passenger traffic for next year's Beijing Olympic Games, China's domestic market will grow nearly five-fold by 2026 to become slightly larger than today's intra-North American market, it said.

Air travel growth between China and North America as well as between China and Europe will more than double in size during the next 20 years, the company said in a statement.
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