AirAsia obtains financing for 15 new Airbus A320-200
At last some cheery news from the banking world. According to a press release from AirAsia, the low-cost airline has mandated Barclays Capital, the investment banking division of Barclays PLC, to finance 15 of its new Airbus A320-200 aircraft. A signing ceremony was held yesterday (23 February 2009) in London to formalise the facility, attended by AirAsia Berhad, Barclays Capital, Airbus and BayernLB.
When the airline launched in 2001 it had 2 aircraft. This financing will bring AirAsia’s total fleet to 85 aircraft by early 2010, operated by Malaysia-based AirAsia Berhad and its affiliates Indonesia AirAsia and Thai AirAsia. So far 3 aircraft have been delivered under this facility since 31 December 2008, with the support of the Export Credit Agencies of the United Kingdom, France and Germany. AirAsia became the largest airline customer in the world of the Airbus A320-200, after placing a firm order for a total of 175 aircraft in December 2007, with the option for 50 more. Deliveries are expected to run until 2014.
The airline has carried over 55 million passengers since its inception and with established operations based in Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand, it has a network stretching across all Asean* member countries, China, India and Bangladesh.
AirAsia’s low cost long haul carrier affiliate, AirAsia X, will soon commence service between Kuala Lumpur and London (Stansted), in addition to its existing routes to Australia (Melbourne, Perth and Gold Coast) and China (Hangzhou and Tianjin).
*Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam
