AirAsia X asks lessors for lease payment deferrals: Sources

AirAsia X is looking to delay lease rental payments to tide itself over during the coronavirus crisis, sources say. An executive at one of the carrier’s lessors said that it is unlikely the company will allow AirAsia X to skip lease payments entirely but may be open to letting it postpone payments. Another executive at a different lessor with exposure to the airline says this is not the first time that AirAsia X has asked for lease rental payment deferrals. The source says that his lessor values long-term relationships with its airline customers and will therefore be open to discussing deferrals with customers experiencing cash flow issues. However, he says “we are not a soft touch”, adding that, for example, a 3-month rental holiday would not be acceptable. <br/>