PARIS: Low-cost carrier AirAsia is set to spread its wings with the purchase of 19 new planes as part of its fleet expansion plan.
Capital A chief executive officer (CEO) Tan Sri Tony Fernandes said the first one - an Airbus 320 - will be arriving next month.
"The addition of 19 new planes which will take flight this year, includes four Frontier planes. Currently, 170 planes are already back in service across the Group and AirAsia expects to have all 204 reactivated by the end of August this year.
"During Covid-19 we wanted to survive and now it's about restarting while the third phase is growing. I am very proud that we are growing again after Covid-19 as once we only thought about surviving....we have signed for 19 new aircraft and are in talks for more Airbus models.
"My next goal is to go to 300 aircraft and carry 150 million passengers. AirAsia has recommenced its longer-term aircraft orders to bring its fleet to the biggest yet, (including) to have the Airbus A321neo, the first of which will be delivered in 2024.
"AirAsia X has 15 wide-body aircrafts arriving and between 15 and 20 new A321XLR's which can travel long range for up to 10 hours. AirAsia X is looking at ordering more planes, and this is something that I did not believe we would be doing for a long time.
"We are growing....in October this year, Air Asia will be flying to Cambodia and hope to expand operations in Indonesia and the Philippines with the Airbus A320 which will help our network get bigger," he told reporters at the Paris Air Show in Le Bourget here yesterday.
AirAsia was earlier voted as the World's Best Low-Cost Airline at the Skytrax World Airline Awards 2023 (Skytrax) for a record-breaking 14th consecutive year in Paris.
Fernandes said AirAsia is also looking forward to its cargo and logistics business Teleport to receive the first of the three dedicated A321Fs freighters in July, to boost volume and speed for cross-border deliveries in the region.
On the possibility of AirAsia X resuming operations to Europe, Fernandes said it was not in their plans at the moment as the focus was on Asia.
"Europe has to come at some stage but it is not important now as we are rebuilding. Europe, America and Africa will come at some stage," he said.
Meanwhile, Fernandes described 2023 as an important year for AirAsia to get back on its feet after being plagued by issues including debts and (ticket) refunds.
"Now we have 170 aircraft flying and 220 taking to the sky by year's end. Two years ago, we had our fleet of more than 200 planes grounded due to the pandemic and now we are on track for an amazing comeback.
"If you were to ask what is the highlight of my 21- year career in the aviation industry, then its rebuilding AirAsia. ...to start an airline is hard but to restart with some 200 aircraft is massive especially with all the problem we had," he said, adding Covid-19 had made them stronger.
On efforts to boost customer experience, Fernandes said numerous Artificial Intelligence (AI) enhancements for its chatbot 'Ask Bo' virtual assistant alongside the continued rollout of its own biometric facial recognition technology - Fast Airport Clearance Experience System (FACES) - on its core domestic routes, will make flying and connecting with the airline more efficient and seamless than ever before.