Air Asia will order 25 new Airbus planes
By Our Corporate Bureau | 01 Sep 2007
South East Asia's largest low-cost carrier, Air Asia, will order 25 new Airbus A320s to meet passenger demand, airline officials said on 31 August. The airline also announced plans to launch a new budget airline in Vietnam.
Officials estimate the purchase cost to be around $1.6 billion, based on the plane's list price. Malaysia-based Air Asia posted a 41.5 per cent increase in fourth-quarter profits, on 30 August.
The airline it will team up with the state-owned Vietnam Shipbuilding Industry Corporation (Vinashin) to form Vina AirAsia, in a $30 million deal. Vinashin is presently into shipbuilding, finance, property development and banking. It will hold a majority stake in the new airline, its first aviation venture.
A formal contract will be signed on 20 September. The new airline will begin operations in July 2008, flying to southern China from Hanoi.
Officials estimate the purchase cost to be around $1.6 billion, based on the plane's list price. Malaysia-based Air Asia posted a 41.5 per cent increase in fourth-quarter profits, on 30 August.
The airline it will team up with the state-owned Vietnam Shipbuilding Industry Corporation (Vinashin) to form Vina AirAsia, in a $30 million deal. Vinashin is presently into shipbuilding, finance, property development and banking. It will hold a majority stake in the new airline, its first aviation venture.
A formal contract will be signed on 20 September. The new airline will begin operations in July 2008, flying to southern China from Hanoi.