Malaysian ultra low cost carrier AirAsia has just placed an order for the Airbus A220. Not only does it represent a major departure from the carrier’s historical approach to fleet planning, but it’s also the biggest-ever single order for this aircraft.
It’s also worth noting that AirAsia is the launch customer for the high density version of the A220-300. The plane is otherwise certified for up to 149 seats, but by adding an extra overwing exit, the capacity can be increased to 160 seats. Note that this high density A220-300 is different from the stretched A220-500 concept, which Airbus is seriously considering.
As it’s described, the A220 will play a key role with AirAsia’s network across ASEAN and into Central Asia, freeing up larger aircraft to fly longer routes. Here’s how AirAsia CEO Tony Fernandes describes this order:
A great solo travel tip spotted this week on One Mile at a Time.
