Low-cost Malaysian airline AirAsia X announced today that it was ordering 25 long-range A330-300 aircraft with a catalogue price of nearly USD 6 billion.
Airbus said at a joint press conference in Paris it was the biggest single order for the widebody twin-engine aircraft from an airline, and would begin delivering the planes to the long-haul affiliate of the AirAsia group in 2015.
The order includes the latest version of the A330-300 capable of flying from Asia to Europe or the Americas non-stop.
"This order stamps our firm intent to dominate the long-haul, low-cost carrier space and marks the next phase in our development to be the undisputed global market leader," AirAsia X's director Tony Fernandes was quoted as saying in a statement.
AirAsia X already operates 16 A330-300 aircraft on routes from Kuala Lumpur to Asian and Middle Eastern destinations.
AirAsia X is one of Airbus' biggest clients, with several hundred aircraft on order.
In June 2011 the Malaysian company ordered 200 A320 Neo planes with a catalogue price of USD 18.24 billion, one of the biggest ever orders of commercial aircraft.
It has also ordered 10 of Airbus' future long-range aircraft, the A350-XWB.
