Airbus Sees Potential Demand For A220 From Local Operators

PUTRAJAYA, May 19 (Bernama) -- European aircraft manufacturer Airbus sees significant potential for the A220 in Malaysia, as it describes the plane as the perfect feeder aircraft on regional services.

Airbus Asia-Pacific president Anand Stanley said that the company is currently discussing with local airline operators about the A220.

He said Malaysia is already a great interconnector between China, India and ASEAN, and the A220 can cover this region perfectly for long-range routes.

The aircraft can also cover regional routes, ideally within Malaysia, to create the feeder network for longer regional routes or even intercontinental routes, he said.

“Given that, we see a lot of potential demand coming from Malaysia and we would like that Malaysia really looks into this aircraft, we are still only in conversations, but we do hope that, even though I cannot comment on timing, that we can see the A220 in Malaysia,” he said in a media roundtable here today. 

Stanley said that currently, airline operators like Korean Air, Qantas Airways, and Air Niugini, the flag carrier of Papua New Guinea, are flying with their A220.

He said the A220 not only offers the latest technology paired with efficiency in carbon emissions per seat, but also gives passengers comfort.

“When you look at airline experience, customer experience, and then the capability of the aircraft, it can do regional, it is the perfect regional aircraft, it is also the perfect long, thin, loud aircraft, and it is unparalleled.

“For all these reasons, we are very excited about the A220 to be the perfect aircraft for Malaysia and the ASEAN region,” he said.

Stanley said there are currently almost 150 Airbus commercial aircraft in operation in Malaysia, with around 400 orders for future delivery.

“AirAsia is a major customer for the A320 Family as well as the A330, while Malaysia Airlines operates an all-Airbus widebody fleet, including the recently delivered A330neo and A350 long-range leader,” he said.

Stanley said that as Malaysia is the third largest market for Airbus in the Asia-Pacific region after China and India, the company underscored Malaysia’s importance to its regional strategy.

As such, he said Airbus’s new office here will serve as a hub for 170 employees, primarily focusing on providing customer services for 60 airline companies and around 1,000 aircraft around the world, which will also include Airbus’s flight hour services and component support for A330 and A350 widebody fleets.

During the 17th edition of Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition (LIMA) from May 20-24, Stanley said Airbus will showcase the static display of an A400M from the German Luftwaffe and another A400M from the Royal Malaysian Air Force, as well as the luxurious ACH160 corporate helicopter.

At the stand, he said Airbus will feature scale models of the A220, A400M, H225M, Pleiades Neo Earth Observation satellite, Zephyr high-altitude platform station and the Flexrotor uncrewed aerial system. 

-- BERNAMA