KUALA LUMPUR: AirAsia Bhd's Asia Aviation Capital has established a base in Dublin to target aircraft-leasing customers in Europe, according to Irish news portal Independent.ie.
The portal also notes the link between AirAsia boss Tan Sri Tony Fernandes and Dublin-based businessman Conor McCarthy, who helped to establish AirAsia. McCarthy is the founder and chairman of Dublin Aerospace, an aircraft maintenance firm that Fernandes held a stake in previously.
Asia Aviation Capital was started in 2014 to provide aircraft leasing for AirAsia and its affiliates.
However, AirAsia has also been looking for buyers for the aircraft leasing company as it looks to dispose of its non-core assets.
There have been bids for the company, but Reuters reports that South Korea's Korea Transportation Asset Management is the frontrunner in the bidding, and is expected to take a majority stake in the company. The purchase, if successful, would be South Korea's biggest move into the global aircraft leasing sector.
AirAsia CEO Aireen Omar has indicated that the company would be able to conclude a deal by the end of this year.
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