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SEPANG: AirAsia X Sdn Bhd, the long-haul low-fare affiliate of the AirAsia Group, aims to be listed on the Bursa Malaysia Main Market in the first quarter of next year.

Chief Executive Officer Azran Osman-Rani said the company submitted the proposal to the Securities Commission few days ago and expected to receive the nod by middle of next month.

“We are expecting to get the approvals by mid-December and if everything goes well, we hope to be listed by early next year,” he told reporters at AirAsia X’s fifth anniversary celebrations here on Friday.

Based on the draft prospectus posted on SC’s website, AirAsia X is expected to raise about RM760 million from the sale of its 790 million shares.

On the company’s growth, Azman said AirAsia X is set to grow with an addition of 24 A330-300 aircraft between 2003 and 2017, which will further allow them to expand their network.

“We have 11 aircraft right now and expect to receive another seven new aircraft by next year and another seven aircraft in 2014,” he said.

Commenting on the network, Azran said the airline also planned to add more new destinations within its existing countries.

“We will make the announcement for our new routes very soon and we are expecting to start flying there by next year,” he said.

AirAsia X currently flies to 12 destinations across six countries, namely China, Australia, Taiwan, South Korea, Japan and Nepal.

Over the past five years, AirAsia X has flown over eight million passengers and expects to fly about 2.8 million passengers by year-end, he added. – Bernama