KUALA LUMPUR – AirAsia Group Bhd and Airbus are “joined at the hip” despite the cancellation of a substantial deal last week.
AirAsia Group chief executive Tan Sri Tony Fernandes yesterday was asked at the Reuters Next conference whether the low-cost carrier will switch to Boeing.
“We love each other. Between us and Airbus, we have lots of ups and downs like in any relationship, but we’re joined at the hip,” he was quoted as saying.
Last week, it was reported that Airbus cancelled a deal with long-haul carrier AirAsia X Bhd, including for 10 A350 wide-body jets worth US$3.2 billion (RM13 billion) at list prices.
However, the troubled carrier still has more than 108 Airbus orders.
Reuters reported last month that Airbus will lose more than US$5 billion worth of aircraft orders if AirAsia X’s debt restructuring proposal goes through. Dozens of creditors went to court to challenge AirAsia’s plan.
In a December 16 affidavit filed at the Kuala Lumpur High Court, Asia-Pacific Head of Region Anand Emmanuel Stanley said there was a strong possibility Airbus “will suffer substantial losses and prejudice” from the termination of purchase agreements.
AirAsia Group, together with AirAsia X, buy exclusively from Airbus. – The Vibes, January 12, 2021
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