Airbus has received an order for 150 Airbus A220 aircraft from Air Asia, with the wings to be built in Belfast. It is the single largest order ever made for the A220 and takes total orders beyond 1,000. Air Asia said the ‘list price’ of the aircraft is $19bn, though the actual amount to be paid is unclear. Aside from the wings, Belfast’s Airbus operation also makes the mid-fuselage [centre section of the aircraft body] for the A220. The Airbus plant is regarded as one of Northern Ireland’s most important manufacturing facilities, employing about 1,500 people and supporting more jobs in the local supply chain.
Commenting as the order was announced, the CEO of the AirAsia Group, Bo Lingam, said, “We built Malaysia into the world’s top low-cost carrier hub, and we opened up air travel to millions of people across Asia who had never flown before. This plane gives us the ability to build the biggest and densest network, serving as a vital tool for efficiency. Its range of up to seven hours opens up entirely new possibilities, and allows us to match right-sized capacity to demand and give our guests the flexibility to fly whenever they want through increased frequencies.”
Commenting in Belfast following the announcement of the Airbus order, the Alliance East Belfast MLA Peter McReynolds said: “This announcement marks a significant day for our world-class aerospace industry, and to be able to welcome a deal of this scale and value is fantastic. Whilst it’s testament to the skills and talent of the workforce we have based here at the site in East Belfast in particular, this will inevitably have a ripple effect on the wider supply chain right across Northern Ireland as well. Crucially, it sends a message loud and clear that Belfast and Northern Ireland are well and truly open for business, with exceptional skills on offer and there to be invested in.”
