The Malaysian carrier has placed a firmorder for 12 long-range A330neo planes and 30 medium-range A321XLR models, theEuropean aircraft manufacturer said in a statement.
The deal takes the total number of A330neoordered by AirAsia X to 78, Airbus added.
Airbus launched the A321XLR only this year atthe Paris Air Show, and expects to roll it out starting in 2023.
The single-aisle’s aircraft range is 15 percentabove that of its predecessor model, the A321LR, making it a cost-effectivealternative to long-haul wide-body planes.
The Agence France Presse (AFP) quotedAirAsia boss Tan Sri Tony Fernandes as saying that the aircraft type will allowthe airline to offer flights to new destinations.
Air Asia X, which flies to 31 destinationsacross Asia, Australia, the Middle East and the US, claimed that it has thelowest unit cost base of any long-haul airline in the world.
Major purchases are often finalised at adiscount to the official catalogue price.-VNA