KUALA LUMPUR- AirAsia (AK) has retired its sole Airbus A330-300, the only widebody aircraft in its fleet, after precisely two years of service, according to research by ch-aviation.
The aircraft, bearing registration 9M-VVA and manufacturer serial number 1596, conducted its final flight for AirAsia from Bangkok Don Mueang (BKK) to Kuala Lumpur International (KUL) on October 28, 2023, as indicated by Flightradar24 ADS-B data.
AirAsia Retired Last Widebody
In mid-December 2023, it was returned to AirAsia X (D7), where it was re-registered as 9M-VVX—reverting to the same registration it held from 2015 until December 2021.
The aircraft commenced operations under its new operator on December 17, 2023, flying from Kuala Lumpur to Perth International.
Between August 2022 and September 2023, the aircraft remained parked at Kuala Lumpur. AirAsia initially acquired 9M-VVX in December 2021 to boost capacity, including cargo uplift, on regional routes experiencing a faster recovery in demand compared to medium- and long-haul services operated by AirAsia X.
Later, another A330-300 was wet-leased from AirAsia X to supplement the fleet. However, AirAsia did not integrate any additional widebody aircraft under its own Air Operator’s Certificate (AOC).
Current Fleet
According to the Ch-aviation, AirAsia currently operates a fleet consisting of sixty-nine A320-200s, twenty-nine A320-200Ns, and two A321-200NX, along with three A321-200 (P2F) freighters.
Additionally, its long-haul sister carrier operates eighteen A330-300s. The firm has pending orders for twenty A321-200NY(XLR) and fifteen A330-900s from Airbus.
As part of the recently unveiled plan, AirAsia X is set to acquire AirAsia and AirAsia Aviation Group, the investment entity for AirAsia-branded carriers beyond Malaysia, from Capital A (formerly AirAsia Group).
Subsequently, Capital A will shift its focus to non-aviation ventures. This restructuring initiative will involve the consolidation of all short-haul AirAsia entities into AirAsia X, which will emerge as the overarching operator for all group flights.
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