KUALA LUMPUR: AirAsia Aviation Group expects to receive 11 new aircraft next year, alongside an additional 15 to 30 planes from the lease market, as it ramps up its network expansion plan.
Group chief executive officer Bo Lingam said the new jets will include four Airbus A321LRs (long-range) and seven A321neos (new engine option), while the additional aircraft will be classic A320ceos (current engine option).
"In 2026, 11 new aircraft with an additional 15 to 30 classic A320ceos to fill up the gap. We need to grow in Indonesia, the Philippines and all," he told Business Times.
Bo added that the airline group received five new A321neos in 2025.
The fleet expansion comes as AirAsia prepares to launch a new Middle East gateway in Bahrain, targeting a launch after June 2026.
Bo said AirAsia plans to operate Kuala Lumpur–Bahrain flights as the
first step, with Bangkok also under consideration. Bahrain could then serve as
a springboard for longer-haul routes.
"I'm looking at flying from KL and probably even from Bangkok, and then from there we will go beyond. We have not identified where we want to go from Bahrain. It could be the UK; it could be other parts of Europe. That's not confirmed yet. We're working on it now," he said.
He added that the airline is coordinating with Bahrain's Tourism Ministry and other agencies to build awareness and position the Kingdom as a Middle Eastern hub.
"Because it's a new route, we have to create awareness. But we are working with the Bahrain Tourism Ministry and all the relevant agencies on how we make it a hub for us in the Middle East," he said.
Bo said Bahrain was chosen over larger hubs such as Dubai or Abu Dhabi due to competitive advantages and strong support.
"Competition and Bahrain can give us very good support in terms of rates, the airport is not congested, and so forth. Infrastructure is there. It's easy. You get a first-mover advantage as well. And they are hungry. They're very hungry," he said.
On the possibility of using Bahrain to resume flights to London, Bo said it remains under consideration depending on aircraft availability, particularly the A330 fleet.
He added that AirAsia plans to expand beyond Bahrain soon after launching the new service.
"We could also start KL–Bahrain–London or Paris or Spain, I'm not sure. We'll start at one go. We just don't stop there," Bo said.
AirAsia Aviation Group, which operates airlines in Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Cambodia, and the Philippines, is set to be acquired by AirAsia X Bhd and consolidated into a single, unified AirAsia Group.
The move is part of a broader strategy to simplify the group's
corporate structure, streamline operations, and strengthen financial
resilience.
-nst online.
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