What happened
AirAsia has placed a firm order for 150 Airbus A220-300 aircraft, marking the largest single order for the A220 program and pushing total orders past 1,000. Deliveries are expected to begin in 2028. AirAsia will be the launch customer for a high-density version of the A220-300. While the standard certification allows for up to 149 seats, the new configuration adds an extra overwing exit to increase capacity to 160 seats. This differs from the stretched A220-500 concept. The A220s will play a key role in AirAsia's network across ASEAN and into Central Asia, allowing the carrier to free up larger aircraft like the A321neo family for longer routes. Initially, the A321s will be configured with 236 seats in a one-cabin layout. The A220s are expected to eventually replace some of the classic A320s (180 seats), representing a capacity downgrade per aircraft but offering lower operating costs and seat counts suitable for routes that don't require the range of the A320neo