AirAsia's parent Capital A has big plans for its MRO business

An oft-stated goal of AirAsia's parent company Capital A is to diversify its business beyond its flying operations, and one of its latest efforts in this regard is the development of its MRO business.

Capital A set up Asia Digital Engineering (ADE) as a separate subsidiary, based on the former AirAsia engineering division. This follows AirAsia's established practice of developing business units and then splitting them off, potentially using them to attract new investment.

The fact that AirAsia does not feature in the brand name is an indication that its aspirations lie beyond the maintenance needs of the group's fleet. Its blue branding even veers away from the group's traditional red.

ADE's ambitions are also underlined by its construction of a massive hangar in Kuala Lumpur, which will make it a major player in the region's MRO industry.