The low -cost airline Airasia is about to order about 100 regional jets at the Paris Air Fair next week, with the Malaysian company still undecided between the SE A220 or E2 of Embraer (), according to sources familiar with the matter.
Negotiations with manufacturers are reaching the limit, the sources said, who asked not to be identified because the conversations are confidential. An attractive financing is a key requirement for Airasia and can influence the final decision, they added.
The low-cost airline, supervised by Malaysian businessman Tony Fernandes, is in the process of recovery after reducing operations and restructuring its finances during the Covid-19 pandemic. Fernandes, 61, plans to travel to Paris to announce the deal, the sources said.
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Representatives of Airasia, Airbus and Embraer refused to comment. THE Reuters He previously reported that Airbus was in advanced negotiations for an agreement with Airasia for at least 100 A220 units.
So far, Airbus has provided all Airasia jets, giving the European manufacturer an advantage of incumbent in the competition. The airline has 240 aircraft, mostly a single corridor, and a backlog of more than 350 requests for the best selling A320 jet family.
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A three -digit request for Airbus’s smallest commercial jet would be a major momentum for the A220 program, which has faced slow sales and supply chain problems that made production difficult. The A220 is produced in the factories of Mirabel, Canada, and Mobile, in Alabama.
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The A220 did not guarantee any order commitment in 2025 and registered 17 gross requests last year, leading to a reduction in backlog after cancellations. The narrow runner series had 486 requests to fulfill in late May compared to over 7,000 for the largest A320 family.
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For Embraer, a victory would expand its presence in Asia and mark one of the largest requests ever placed by a single airline. The Brazilian manufacturer has already closed big business with the low -cost airline Scoot, Singapore Airlines, as well as Virgin Australia and Japanese Ana.
Embraer guaranteed 334 firm orders for its E2 jet, with about 175 pendants. The manufacturer has highlighted her ability to deliver jets much faster than Airbus or Boeing as part of her sales strategy.
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