Robert Besser
22 May 2025

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia: Airbus is in discussions with Malaysian airlines to introduce its A220 aircraft, the company's Asia-Pacific president Anand Stanley told state news agency Bernama.

Stanley said the European planemaker sees significant demand for the A220 in Malaysia, where around 150 Airbus commercial planes are already in operation and where the company expects approximately 400 further orders in the future.

"We see a lot of potential demand coming from Malaysia," Stanley said, adding that while talks are ongoing, he could not specify a timeline for potential orders.

Malaysia is the third-largest market for Airbus in the Asia-Pacific region after China and India. Budget carrier AirAsia already operates a large fleet of A320 and A330 planes, while Malaysia Airlines runs a widebody fleet comprising several Airbus models.

The report did not disclose which airlines Airbus was negotiating with. Last month, Malaysia Airlines' parent company, Malaysia Aviation Group, announced plans to acquire 20 Airbus A330neo jets by 2028, with two already in service and another eight expected to be delivered this year.

Airbus reported delivering 192 aircraft as of May this year, a five percent decline from the same period in 2024. However, the company reaffirmed its annual target of 820 commercial deliveries, a seven percent increase, despite ongoing delays in receiving engines.