KUALA LUMPUR: AirAsia Bhd is nearing an agreement to buy dozens more Airbus SE single-aisle aircraft in a deal that could be announced during Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s state visit to France this week, according to people familiar with the matter.
The South-East Asian low-cost carrier is working on an expanded aircraft purchase with the European planemaker, which supplies all its aircraft, said the people who declined to be identified discussing private matters.
The advanced discussions for extra-long-range narrowbody aircraft could still end up with no deal, they said.
AirAsia has 240 mostly single-aisle aircraft in its fleet, and a backlog of more than 350 orders for the top-selling A320 family of jets.
The budget carrier has also been discussing an order for up to 100 of Airbus’ smaller A220 jets. — Bloomberg
