FILE PHOTO: An AirAsia X Airbus A340 passenger jet arrives on its inaugural flight from Kuala Lumpur to Paris Orly Airport February 14, 2011. REUTERS/Charles Platiau/File Photo

KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - Malaysian budget airline AirAsia Bhd AIRA.KL is sticking with Airbus AIR.PA and has no plans currently to purchase Boeing BA.N aircraft, Group CEO Tony Fernandes said at a press briefing late on Thursday.

“Boeing is keen to have us as a customer...but right now we are still very much an Airbus customer,” he told reporters.

To a question if he had plans to buy Boeing planes, Fernandes said “not at the moment”.

Last month, Reuters reported that sources said AirAsia -Airbus’ largest Asian customer - was set to confirm an order of wide-body jets from the European planemaker after Boeing tried to win the airline over and extend a lead in the lucrative long-haul market.

On Thursday, the airline also announced the sale of its aircraft leasing operations to firms managed by BBAM Ltd, one of the world’s largest aircraft portfolio managers, in a staggered deal that will see the budget carrier transfer ownership of up to 182 Airbus jets.

The deal, valued at $1.2 billion in the first phase, will help the airline pare down debt and return money to shareholders, as well as give it firepower to grow its business.