Aircraft manufacturer Airbus has confirmed that AirAsia X’s order for 15 Airbus A330-900 aircraft has been cancelled following a mutual agreement between both parties.
“Airbus can confirm that the order was cancelled by mutual agreement,” an Airbus spokesperson told Bernama.
The cancellation had been announced earlier and is believed to be linked to a strategic shift within the AirAsia Group towards operating more long-range narrowbody aircraft.
Despite the development, AirAsia X declined to comment on the cancellation.
The original order involved the larger A330-900neo variant, an aircraft capable of operating long-haul non-stop routes, including services between Kuala Lumpur and London.
The A330-900 was expected to play a key role in supporting the airline’s ambitions to expand its long-haul network and reconnect destinations previously served by the carrier.
Earlier this year, the AirAsia Group placed an order for 50 Airbus A321XLR aircraft as part of its broader fleet and network expansion strategy.
The move signals a growing preference for long-range narrowbody jets, which offer greater operational flexibility and lower operating costs compared to larger widebody aircraft on certain international routes.
