Some 1,500 jobs will be safeguarded at Airbus in the UK after the aircraft manufacturer received an order from AirAsia, Asia’s largest low-cost airline, for 100 A320 aircraft.
The deal, which is worth £9 billion and through which a further 7,500 jobs in the aerospace supply chain will be secured, makes AirAsia the number one customer of the A320 model.
The airline ordered 64 A320neo (new engine option) and 36 A320ceo (current engine option): it already operates over 100 A320s out of its bases in Jakarta, Toyko, Bangkok, Manila and Kuala Lumpur.
The contract was announced last week as Prime Minister David Cameron toured the Airbus plant in Broughton, North Wales, where the wings for Airbus aircraft are manufactured.
Mr Cameron deemed the deal “a tremendous boost for the workforce and for UK manufacturing.”
“This announcement demonstrates the strenght of the UK aerospace sector and the important role it plays in growing and rebalancing our economy,” he added.
Tony Fernandes, AirAsia’s CEO, who was touring the facilities at Broughton with the Prime Minister, said: “The A320 has played a key role in our success, enabling us to offer our passengers the lowest fares possible and completely redefine short-haul travel in Asia.”
