AirAsia Parent Company Seeks to Raise More Than $1 Billion in Debt, Equity

Capital A Berhad, the parent of AirAsia, is planning to raise more than $1 billion in debt and equity, and will list some of its businesses through a blank-cheque company, the Financial Times reported on Wednesday.

Capital A CEO Tony Fernandes has agreed to a deal with Aetherium Acquisition, a special purpose acquisition company, and plans to list several businesses through it next year, the FT reported, citing two people familiar with the deal.

This includes a new business extending the AirAsia brand to companies hoping to start airline franchises in developing countries, the report said.

The group has been evaluating fundraising options for a planned U.S. listing after it was hit by pandemic travel restrictions in Asia, leading Bursa Malaysia Securities to classify it as a PN17 company, or financially distressed, last year.

The potential fundraising also includes a $150 million loan from Bangkok Bank this month, FT said.

Capital A and Aetherium Acquisition did not immediately respond to Reuters’ requests for comment.

(Reporting by Nilutpal Timsina in Bengaluru; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman)

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