Aircraft Are Scheduled For Delivery Over The Next Two Years

International Lease Finance Corporation (ILFC), a wholly owned subsidiary of American International Group, Inc., announced Wednesday that AirAsia X, a low-cost, long-haul affiliate of AirAsia, has signed a letter of intent with ILFC for the lease of six Airbus A330-300 aircraft.

The aircraft are scheduled for delivery between 2013 and 2014, and will be operated on the airline’s expanding network in Asia Pacific, which includes the markets of Australia, China, Taiwan, Korea, Japan and its surrounding regions. These aircraft are the same model as those that AirAsia X purchased directly from Airbus, with Rolls Royce Trent 700 engines and a Maximum Take-Off Weight of 233 tons.

"ILFC is pleased to welcome AirAsia X as our new customer in the Asia Pacific region. This new partnership will support the long-haul business of AirAsia X and reinforce the airline's position in low-cost segment of the market," said ILFC Chief Executive Officer Henri Courpron. AirAsia X will lease the six aircraft on a 10-year lease term. The leased aircraft will be reconfigured to meet AirAsia X’s existing Airbus A330-300 configuration, which consists of 12 premium flatbeds and 365 economy seats.

“These six aircraft, together with existing delivery orders from Airbus, will see AirAsia X’s growth develop, with a total of seven deliveries each in 2013 and 2014, with the aim of being the dominant market leader in the low-cost long-haul segment,” said AirAsia X CEO Azran Osman-Rani. “We intend to deploy the additional capacity with a vision to solidify our positions in our identified core markets including Australia, China, Taiwan, Korea, and Japan. Our commitment to have a standardized, young, and fuel efficient fleet optimizes our resources and provides better value for our guests.”

“AirAsia X’s partnership with ILFC will further complement the AirAsia Group’s long-term vision of developing its presence in key markets in Asia, and strengthening the connectivity between the AirAsia’s short haul and AirAsia X long haul low cost network for the benefit of passengers’ convenience," added AirAsia X’s Co-founder and Director, Tony Fernandes.

FMI: www.ilfc.com