AirAsia Group Founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Tony Fernandes, has confirmed the Malaysia-based budget carrier conglomerate is in talks with Bombardier Aerospace over the C-Series. The aircraft, if ordered, would be used for thinner regional Asian services.

"It's early days," he was quoted by The Star newspaper following a tour of the CAE Inc. facility in Montreal last week. "We've started the romance so let's see where it takes us."

In 2012, Fernandes said AirAsia Group rejected the C-Series in favour of larger A320 jets given its need to maximize capacity into Asia's slot-constrained airports. At the time, the CEO said the Canadian manufacturer had pitched a high-density 160-seater version of the A220-300 as a means of enticing the Group. However, despite the offer, AirAsia eventually settled on the A320/A321neo Family of aircraft for which it now has orders with Airbus for 304 A320neo (of which nine have been delivered) and 100 A321neo.