Tony Fernandes: Airasia X going to fly high London soon.
London back on radar for AirAsia X
KUALA LUMPUR, 2 June 2016:
Almost two years after AirAsia group chief executive officer Tan Sri Tony Fernandes confirmed – via Twitter in December 2014 – plans to resume KL-London flights, the key aircraft needed to execute this plan had arrived at the long haul budget carrier arm.
AirAsia X’s total fleet now stands at 31 – including two brand new Airbus A330-300 (343) aircraft delivered in May – the long haul budget carrier said in a statement today.
The two aircraft were delivered from the Airbus facility in Toulouse, France, to Kuala Lumpur on May 14 and May 28 respectively, and began operations immediately.
While both planes – designated 9M-XBA and 9M-XBB – are currently being deployed on East Asian routes, the maximum flight range of over 11,000km make these planes suitable for direct KL-London flights.
It is unknown when the planes may be redeployed for resumption of London flights – which were suspended in 2012. It isn’t immediately clear if AirAsia X will use the Stansted or Gatwick airports.
AirAsia X Bhd chief executive officer Benyamin Ismail said the aircraft were the final two to be delivered to the airline until the next delivery of the Airbus A330-900neo in 2018.
“We are very happy to have these two aircraft as part of the AirAsia X family as it gives us the right capacity to introduce more frequencies and connectivity into our route network,” he said in the statement.
The AirAsia X group operates a 100% Airbus A330-300 fleet with an average fleet age of less than five years, said the airline.
Source: The Rakyat Post