AirAsia wants to be the world’s first low-cost narrowbody carrier network as it plans to acquire extra long range narrowbody aircraft. The low-cost carrier has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Airbus to acquire 50 A321XLR aircraft, with options for 20 additional units.
The new Airbus A321XLR would enable AirAsia to provide single-stop flights from Southeast Asia to Europe, the Middle East, and the Americas.
AirAsia expects to receive A321XLR aircraft starting from 2028
The deal valued at USD 12.25 billion (approximately RM52 billion) was signed in Paris recently, witnessed by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. The A321XLR aircraft are expected to be delivered between 2028 and 2032, and will operate out of AirAsia’s major hubs in Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok.
Besides the Airbus A320 and A320neo, AirAsia currently also has the longer A321neo in its fleet which has a capacity of 236 passengers. The A321neo has a range of up to 3500nm, while the longer-range A321LR offers 15% more range at 4,000Nm.
The Airbus A321XLR (Xtra Long Range) has the longest range in the A320neo family. It can fly up to 4,700 nautical miles (8,700 km), enabling thinner long-haul routes without requiring widebody aircraft.
According to AirAsia, the A321XLR offers up to 20% lower fuel burn per seat than the A321neo. This translates to improved emissions performance and operational efficiency for mid-to-long-haul travel.
Group CEO of Capital A Tony Fernandes said, “We pioneered low-cost travel in Asia – now, we are taking it to the next level. AirAsia is on a transformative journey to become the world’s first low-cost network carrier. This is about exponential growth, connecting geographies beyond Asean, and making flying even more democratic. We gave people in Asean the opportunity to explore Asia – now we want the world to see Asean, and Asean to see the world. The A321XLR and A321LR are the game-changers enabling this vision, and we are proud to lead the charge in making our world smaller. We can’t wait to paint the skies even wider in red.”
Airbus CEO of Commercial Aircraft Christian Scherer said, “We are pleased to confirm this agreement, as AirAsia Group begins its next development chapter. Having resumed its growth trajectory, which we salute and support, the airline is creating solid fleet efficiencies, allowing global network expansion. The A321XLR unlocks new opportunities for AirAsia to launch non-stop flights linking primary and secondary cities all around the globe.”
The new A321XLR aircraft will operate alongside AirAsia’s all-Airbus fleet which consists of A320 and A330 family of aircraft. The low-cost carrier aims to carry 150 million passengers annually by 2030, reaching a cumulative total of 1.5 billion guests since inception.
AirAsia to offer long haul flights with A321XLR with stops in Middle East and Japan
As reported by the New Straits Times (NST), Fernandes said AirAsia plans to establish a new hub in the Middle East to connect Asia to Europe, and ultimately to the Americas. The airline also intends to add a European stopover hub for onward transatlantic flights. For routes to the West Coast of the United States, Fernandes mentioned Japan as a potential connecting point.
He told NST, “We’re hoping to launch our first European flight this year,” while adding that the initial services will use the existing A330 fleet until the A321XLR aircraft begin arriving from 2028. He added, “I can announce Istanbul is around the corner, as well as one destination in Western Europe and three or four Eastern European destinations.”
He added that the A321XLR is expected to significantly lower the airlines’ operating costs and unlock markets previously inaccessible due to range and aircraft size limitations. He shared compared to a 380-seat A330, the 240-seat A321XLR would offer more flexible deployment and stronger yield management.
Fernandes projected that AirAsia’s fares to Europe and the US would be 30-50% cheaper than current market averages. He also told NST that Penang, Johor Bharu and Bali could also be potential launch points for long-range XLR flights.
Based on presentation slides shared by Traicy, the new A321XLR aircraft will enable AirAsia to reach US from Asia (Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok) via two stops on a narrow-body aircraft. Some shown examples include San Francisco and Los Angeles with two stops at Japan and Honolulu, and to New York and Boston with two stops at Middle East (Saudi, UAE, Bahrain) and Europe (France, Spain, Germany, Netherlands).
AirAsia to acquire up to 70 Airbus A321XLR, to introduce single-stop hub flights to Europe and America
News Reports PH
0 Comments