Major Airbus A220 Order Coming

A major order for the Airbus A220 is expected to be announced soon, with the Paris Air Show likely to be the location.

The new deal is likely to involve at least three digits worth of A220 jets, with the figure expected to be around the 100-mark, and AirAsia is the recipient of the jets.

For AirAsia, this would mark the introduction of the fleet type to their business, albeit in significant numbers, as they continue to evolve their network moving forward.

The introduction of the Airbus A220 enables greater network connectivity options, allowing for the development of regional routes that were previously unfeasible.

Generally, AirAsia has already outlined its long-term focus on growth across secondary airports. These airports have a fantastic market demand, but the carrier has stated that it may not require larger planes; therefore, another option is needed.

The talks, which are reportedly still in the advanced stages, can fall through at any moment. If that were to occur, then Embraer would be waiting with its popular E2 jet.

For Airbus, the regional market is a sector where they feel they have a firm grip, primarily aided by the absence of a competitor to the program from their arguably fiercest rival, Boeing.

AirAsia’s Interest In The A220

The deal, if confirmed at the Paris Air Show, would follow over half a year of reporting that the A220 was the frontrunner for a new regional aircraft.

In late 2024, it was reported that AirAsia was looking towards a new regional aircraft to further evolve its business, according to comments shared by the Group’s CEO to Aviation Week.

At that point, it was Airbus competing with Embraer and COMAC for the deal; however, with AirAsia remaining an all-Airbus operator, most onlookers had their cards on the A220 being the chosen unit.

The AirAsia Group has a heavy reliance on the Airbus portfolio of commercial aircraft, with hundreds already in operation across several family airlines.

However, the reliance on the future fleet is even greater, with AirAsia having already placed substantial orders with Airbus. To change and opt for another planemaker would require a deal that was too good to refuse.