JAKARTA - AirAsia X has fallen behind on payments to some suppliers and asked for payment deferrals on at least a dozen aircraft, Bloomberg reported on June 24, citing people familiar with the matter.

The report said Rolls-Royce Holdings had informed the airline that it missed payments under a TotalCare Agreement covering jet-engine maintenance. Rolls-Royce makes and maintains engines for about one-tenth of AirAsia’s fleet of roughly 250 aircraft, according to the report.

Separately, Bloomberg said AirAsia had asked some aircraft lessors to push back rental payments on more than 16 aircraft, citing the rise in fuel costs after the Iran conflict. AirAsia X Group Chief Executive Bo Lingam said in a separate interview earlier in the week that some leasing companies had been understanding and had given the company more time to pay.

Asked for comment, AirAsia co-founder Tony Fernandes said in a May video call that “we may be in dispute with Rolls-Royce over their treatment of our engines.” On lease payments, he said there was nothing unusual, and said the company was not in financial trouble because it had been able to borrow from lenders including Deutsche Bank.

AirAsia X’s own May 14 first-quarter results showed the pressure from fuel costs before the Bloomberg report. The group reported a RM129 million net loss for the quarter ended March 31, after a RM232 million non-cash foreign-exchange loss, and said it absorbed an additional RM200 million fuel bill in March.

The company said it carried 18.9 million passengers in the first quarter, up 9% year on year, with an 85% load factor. It also said it would reduce second-quarter capacity by 10% and prioritise yield over volume because of global energy volatility.

Reuters reported on June 22 that AirAsia X had lowered fares by 5% since June 15 as jet fuel prices eased. Lingam said the airline was reviewing prices weekly and expected capacity to be fully restored by August, although routes with weak demand would not be reinstated.

A May 7 AirAsia newsroom release said the company’s firm agreement with Airbus for 150 A220-300 aircraft, with flexibility to increase the commitment to 300 aircraft, had been announced in Mirabel, Canada, on May 6. 

AirAsia X also said in May that it was also targeting private or public bond offerings in the second and third quarters of 2026 for refinancing and working-capital needs.