Malaysian long-haul budget carrier pioneer AirAsia will acquire 15 Airbus A330-300 aircraft, a top official confirmed on May 13.

The company in April signed an order with Airbus, for up to 10 of the aircraft, with an option to buy five more.

"By end of June, we will firm the order for an additional five A330-300. Negotiations are going on now," AirAsia chief executive Tony Fernandes said.

The aircraft are scheduled for delivery from the fourth quarter of 2008.

Fernandes also said that the budget carrier would make a decision on whether to buy a further 10 A330-300 aircraft by end of the year. "Talks with Airbus are yet to commence," he said.

The airline will begin its first long-haul flights in September 2007 using three leased planes from the low-cost carrier terminal at Kuala Lumpur International Airport.

"Our maiden flights will be to China and Australia in September."

Destinations for AirAsia long-haul will also include Japan, Korea, India, the Middle East and Europe.

The carrier will fly direct flights to Vientiane in Laos from Kuala Lumpur from July, Fernandes said.

"Our aim is to become an Asian airline. Without a doubt, the resumption of a direct air link after nearly a 10-year hiatus will spur economic benefits."

Malaysia Airlines started a direct flight between the two capitals in 1996 but the 1998 financial crisis forced the airline to cancel the service due to poor passenger demand.

Malaysian Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar said the decision to resume the route was made at the third Malaysia-Laos joint commission meeting on May 11.

Bilateral trade doubled last year to US$58 million compared to the previous year, he said.

"Direct flights to Vientiane will fuel the movement of tourists, and spur trade and investments between the two countries," Syed said.

Fernandes said AirAsia also hopes to secure a direct link from Kuala Lumpur to Rangoon in Burma in the next few months.