Friday, August 07, 2009

DTN News: Malaysia's AirAsia Defers Airbus A320 Delivery

DTN News: Malaysia's AirAsia Defers Airbus A320 Delivery
*Source: DTN News / Reuters
(NSI News Source Info) KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia - August 7, 2009: Southeast Asia's largest budget carrier AirAsia has deferred the delivery of 8 Airbus A320 aircraft to 2014 from 2010 as the existing low-cost terminal is unable to support its fleet expansion. "AirAsia foresees infrastructural constraints with the current airport facilities and until the new LCCT (low-cost carrier terninal) is constructed," the airline said in a statement. AirAsia has firm orders of 175 Airbus A320 aircraft scheduled for delivery between 2005 and October 2014, it said in a statement. Airbus has agreed to the revised schedule and no penalty will be imposed on AirAsia, which will now take delivery of 16 aircraft in 2010. The budget carrier said it has the right to postpone delivery of another 8 aircraft in 2011 to 2014 if it informs Airbus before the end of October. The Malaysian government in January turned down AirAsia's proposal to build, own and operate a new airport outside of the capital Kuala Lumpur. The authorities subsequently announced that the country's airport operator Malaysia Airports Holdings will build the new low-cost terminal with inputs from AirAsia. The budget carrier this week announced plans to place out a 20 percent stake in the airline, which has attracted strong interest from foreign and local institutional funds, its chief executive Tony Fernandes told Reuters. (Reporting by Julie Goh; Editing by David Chance)

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