AirAsia X signs $1.5 billion engine deal with GE Aviation

KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - AirAsia X Bhd , the long-haul arm of Malaysian budget carrier AirAsia Bhd, has signed a $1.5 billion (0.89 billion pounds) deal with GE Aviation for the supply of engines on up to 28 new aircraft.

GE Aviation, a unit of General Electric , will supply CF6-80E1 engines for the airline's order of 25 A330-300 aircraft from Airbus , AirAsia X said in a statement on Monday.

Malaysia's Prime Minister Najib Razak, U.S. President Barack Obama and AirAsia Chief Executive Tony Fernandes were present at the signing ceremony for the deal.

(Reporting by Al-Zaquan Amer Hamzah; Editing by Ryan Woo)