Airbus: AirAsia will be first operator of fuel

Malaysian no-frills airline AirAsia will be the first operator of Airbus A320 planes equipped with “sharklets”, a more fuel efficient variant of the European group’s best performing model. “AirAsia, the world’s largest customer of the A320 family, will also become the first operator of the A320 with sharklets,” a wingtip device intended to reduce fuel burn, Airbus chief commercial officer John Leahy told reporters at the ILA Airshow here. “This airplane will be delivered in December of this year.” AirAsia said it was “proud” to be the first operator of the sharklet-equipped model, which is touted to reduce fuel consumption by four per cent as airlines worldwide seek to drive down their costs. The sharklets will also be used on Airbus’s A320neo model, which is due to hit the market in late 2015 and use 15 per cent less fuel than the current version. The neo series is going head to head with US rival Boeing’s upcoming 737 MAX planes in the battle for short-haul aircraft orders. AirAsia’s customer experience and technology manager, Zaman Ahmad, said that the airline had ordered a total 375 Airbus planes to replace old aircraft and support its growth including 200 A320neo planes. AirAsia said it is negotiating the purchase of another 100 neo aircraft but no further announcements were expected at the ILA show.