AirAsia X’s take-off has been delayed, possibly until September 2008KUALA LUMPUR Malaysia’s long-haul budget carrier AirAsia X has selected Airbus over Boeing for 15 new passenger aircraft, an executive familiar with the deal said today.“AirAsia X decided to pick the A330-300 because Airbus came with a better commercial deal and the delivery of the aircraft will be faster,” he said on condition of anonymity. He said the official announcement would come tomorrow.Losing out on the bid was Boeing and its 777-200, he said.AirAsia X was unveiled in January by low-cost aviation pioneer Tony Fernandes, who launched AirAsia as a regional budget carrier more than five years ago.The new carrier will be operated by Fly Asian Express (FAX), which currently operates rural air services on Borneo island. It expects to carry half a million passengers in its first year of operation.AirAsia X’s take-off has been delayed, possibly until September 2008, as delays in Airbus’s new A380 super-jumbo have disrupted the aircraft leasing market.At its launch in January, the carrier promised flights to Britain beginning this July but Raja Mohamad Azmi, FAX’s chief executive officer, said last month that the service had been put back.“We remain committed to begin the long-haul service. The new take-off date is by September 2008 when we begin to receive delivery of our new aircraft,” said Azmi.AirAsia X initially aimed to begin service with three leased aircraft, either the A330-300 from European manufacturer Airbus or the 777-200 made by US giant Boeing.Fernandes had said in January that the long-haul airline was expected to carry half a million passengers in its first year of operation to initial destinations including Britain and China. (AFP)