KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) – European aircraft manufacturer Airbus is currently in discussions with Malaysian airlines regarding the potential sale of its A220 aircraft, according to a statement by a top Airbus executive reported by Malaysia’s state news agency Bernama on Monday.
Anand Stanley, Airbus’ Asia-Pacific president, highlighted the strong market potential for the A220 in Malaysia, where approximately 150 Airbus commercial aircraft are already in operation. He mentioned that Airbus anticipates around 400 additional orders in the future for delivery across the region.
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“We see a lot of potential demand coming from Malaysia,” Stanley told Bernama. “While we are still in the early stages of talks and I cannot comment on exact timing, we hope to see the A220 operating in Malaysia in the near future.”
Malaysia ranks as the third-largest market for Airbus in the Asia-Pacific region, behind only China and India, Stanley added.
Currently, budget carrier AirAsia is a significant customer for Airbus’ A320 and A330 models, while Malaysia Airlines operates a fleet of wide-body Airbus jets, including the A330 series.
The report did not specify which Malaysian airlines Airbus is negotiating with for the A220 aircraft.
In related news, Malaysia Airlines’ parent company, Malaysia Aviation Group, announced last month that it expects to receive 20 new Airbus A330neo wide-body jets by 2028, with two already in service and eight more anticipated this year.
Meanwhile, Airbus reported this month that its total aircraft deliveries for the year so far stand at 192, marking a 5% decrease compared to the same period in 2024. Despite some delays in engine deliveries, Airbus reaffirmed its annual delivery target of 820 commercial aircraft — a 7% increase over last year.
