AirAsia Group CEO says good interest in leasing unit sale

Asia's biggest budget airline AirAsia Bhd is seeing good interest in the sale of its leasing arm, Asia Aviation Capital (AAC), AirAsia Group's chief executive said on Thursday.

"The information memo went out, and quite a few NDAs (non-disclosure agreements) came back, so there seems to be good interest," Tony Fernandes said on the sidelines of a CAPA aviation summit in Amsterdam.

AirAsia said in August it was considering options for its leasing arm, which it values at around $1 billion, including a potential sale.

Fernandes also said he wanted AirAsiaX, the long-haul affiliate of the AirAsia Group, to expand into new long-haul destinations in Europe, the United States and Africa.

"In my view as a shareholder, it's time to put the foot on the pedal," he said.