AirAsia X And AFI KLM E&M Extend A330 Component Support Contract

Paris, Amstelveen, 2 February 2018 - Long-standing partners AirAsia X and AFI KLM E&M have extended the Malaysian budget carrier's A330-300 component support contract, originally signed in 2007. The new agreement involves extending the exclusive component support provided by AFI KLM E&M until the A330s are retired from the Air Asia X fleet, with an option to include additional aircraft in the scope of the agreement, as and when required by the airline. The services provided include repair, pool access, and related logistic services.

Partners from the outset
Extended previously to include a number of additional aircraft, this latest agreement testifies to the strength of AirAsia X's relationship with AFI KLM E&M, which has supported the low-cost carrier since it began operations in 2007. Since that time, this pioneering partnership has extended to the AirAsia Group, with AFI KLM E&M now also providing component support services for the AirAsia fleet of A320neo's.

AirAsia X's decision to extend its contract can largely be explained by the cooperation built up with AFI KLM E&M over the past decade, as well as by the high performance and reliability of the support solutions delivered by AFI KLM E&M in terms of responsiveness, quality, and operational availability to support AirAsia X expanding operations.

Benyamin Ismail, Chief Executive Officer of AirAsia X, said: "AFI KLM E&M's ability to deliver and sustain a high service level for our fleet is a major operational performance guarantee for us. We are pleased to be extending our contract with this strong partner."

Sharmizan Abdul Ghani, AirAsia X Head of Engineering, added: "With AFI KLM E&M, we have forged a relationship based on trust and open dialogue, which explains the effectiveness and long-term nature of our cooperation. The decision to extend our contract is aimed at furthering this fruitful partnership."

Fabrice Defrance, Senior Vice President Commercial AFI KLM E&M, said: "AFI KLM E&M is proud to have assisted such a dynamic airline as AirAsia X in its development projects ever since it launched operations. The trust that this airline has placed in us for the past ten years is a strong reflection in the suitability of the high performance MRO solutions that we develop and market."