AirAsia’s Capital backing
LONDON – AirAsia has mandated Barclays Capital, the investment banking division of Barclays PLC, to finance 15 of its new Airbus A320-200 aircraft.
The financing will bring AirAsia’s total fleet to 85 aircraft by early 2010, operated by Malaysia-based AirAsia Berhad and its affiliates Indonesia AirAsia and Thai AirAsia.
So far three aircraft have been delivered under this facility since December 31, 2008, with the support of the Export Credit Agencies of the United Kingdom, France and Germany.
A signing ceremony was held yesterday in London to formalise the facility, attended by AirAsia Berhad, Barclays Capital, Airbus and BayernLB.


Tony Fernandes, AirAsia Group CEO said, “This financing from Barclays Capital represents part of the financing that we have secured for our Airbus A320 aircraft purchases for the next couple of years.
“This is crucial in ensuring that AirAsia meets its projected expansion growth. We are working very hard to secure rights to fly to more destinations, which will only be possible with deliveries of the new aircraft.â€
AirAsia’s low cost long haul carrier affiliate, AirAsia X, will soon commence service between Kuala Lumpur and London (Stansted), in addition to its existing routes to Australia (Melbourne, Perth and Gold Coast) and China (Hangzhou and Tianjin).
AirAsia will arrive in another five cities in China and Taiwan this year, along with destinations in India and South Korea. “We now have more flights to China than Singapore’s Changi [airport] has,” says Fernandes, predicting a profit for the airline this year.
Ian Jarrett
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