AirAsia Nears Airbus Deal for Dozens of Jets Amid Anwar France Visit

AirAsia is close to sealing a fresh aircraft deal with Airbus SE that would add "dozens" of single-aisle jets to the carrier’s order book, according to people familiar with the talks. The agreement is expected to be unveiled during Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s state visit to France this week, signalling renewed expansion plans as the low-cost airline emerges from its post-pandemic restructuring. Separately, the Kuala Lumpur-based carrier is negotiating with the European manufacturer to convert part of its existing narrow-body backlog into the long-range A321XLR variant. The prospective changes would give AirAsia greater reach on thin, medium-haul routes while preserving commonality across its fleet.