AirAsia X CEO Outlines Fleet And Destination Expansions

SINGAPORE—All-Airbus A330 fleet operator AirAsia X plans to add six new A321neos and A321LRs to its fleet next year that will enable it to go into new markets such as North Asia and China, says CEO Benyamin Ismail, speaking on the sidelines of Aviation Week’s MRO Asia-Pacific.

The LCC based in Kuala Lumpur has an in-service fleet of 19 A330s and intends to expand that fleet by four. By the end of this year, it hopes its three A330s grounded due to Trent 700 engine problems will resume flying. However, it is waiting for Rolls-Royce to provide engine shop slots, which Ismail says keep getting pushed back. The fourth will come by acquiring a used A330 next year.

When its widebody fleet expands, it plans to start flying to Istanbul and add frequencies to Central Asia. It also is considering adding flights from Kuala Lumpur to London, via a stop in the Middle East, Ismail says. The carrier also is considering destinations in Eastern Europe, where Ismail sees strong demand and less competition.

AirAsia uses six companies for base maintenance, including Asia Digital Engineering (ADE), which is part of the Capital A holding company that also owns AirAsia.

AirAsia X has trained most of its staff—including pilots, cabin crew and ground crews—locally, and ADE will open a Part 147 maintenance training school in Kuala Lumpur in a few months, Ismail reveals.

Group-wide, AirAsia flies 255 aircraft to 143 destinations, 99 routes of which are only served by one of its airlines. It has 383 aircraft on order that should be delivered until 2032, Ismail says. “Some of it may be for replacements, but generally most of it is for growth,” he says.