AirAsia continues to work closely with Airbus on A320neo issue

In a reply to a Times inquiry this week, low-cost carrier AirAsia has stressed that it follows all requirements mandated by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) regarding the center of gravity issue with the Airbus A320neo aircraft.

AirAsia sometimes uses the A320neo type on routes to and from the city. Macau’s flag carrier, Air Macau, which also uses the aircraft, abides with all regulations effective governing the operation of the aircraft type at both a city and global level, according to the Civil Aviation Authority of the Macau SAR.

The group’s head of safety, Ling Liong Tien, wrote in a statement to the Times that the airline “continues to work closely with Airbus” regarding to the A320neo issue, as instructed by the EASA.

The A320neo aircraft was reported to have an issue with its center of gravity. As a new type of engine is installed on the plane, it has been planned by the manufacturer, Airbus, to take six more passengers by pushing the rear washroom cabinet further back.

The new configuration, however, has resulted in an altered center of gravity, which may limit the plane’s ability to fly into the sky after an aborted landing.

It has also caused some European airlines, among them Lufthansa of Germany and British Airways of the U.K., to not sell tickets for the last row on this aircraft type.

Unlike Lufthansa and British Airways, AirAsia has a configuration that does “not require [the airline] to restrict the sale of last row seats” on A320neo flights, disclosed Ling.

With that said, the airline has undertaken extra effort to guarantee the safety of its flights.

The company’s statement noted that it had deployed additional measures to help ease any possible center of gravity issue. One of these measures is to ensure an even distribution of cargo weight under the passenger deck. AL