KUALA LUMPUR: AirAsia Bhd will sell 11 aircraft, worth US$271mil (RM252.56mil), says group chief executive Officer Tan Sri Tony Fernandes.
“There is some blessing in weaker currencies. Our ownership of aircraft is now paying off. We (are) selling 11 aircraft and leasing them back,” he said on Twitter, the micro-blogging site.
He said gross proceeds from the sale would amount to US$271mil (RM252.56mil), while profits would accrue to US$45mil (RM41.94mil).
“Its a good piece of business,” he said.
Airasia has 150 aircraft worth US$2bil (RM7.39bil).
He quashed talk that the airline was looking to raise equity.
“There is talk we are looking to raise equity. Completey wrong. At our share price why would we? Plus, we don’t need cash. Cash is very strong with operational cash being very positive,” he twitted.
Recently, AirAsia announced that it was reducing its stake in an online travel, agency AAE Travel Pte Ltd (AAE), from 50% to 25%.
It sold the 25% shares to Expedia Inc for US$86.25mil (about RM318.75mil), gaining US$78.76mil (RM291mil) from the disposal.
Fernandes also said AirAsia’s share price was the most undervalued share of all airlines in the world of matured airlines.
