“AirAsia vigorously rejects and denies any and all allegations of wrongdoing,” the airline said this evening.

MACC has confirmed that it was in touch with the UK authorities over the allegations reported by a British newspaper and were investigating the matter.

AirAsia said it was monitoring developments and would review “any allegations or negative inferences concerning or affecting AirAsia or any of its executives”.

The airline would fully cooperate with the MACC and the relevant authorities, the statement said.

The Daily Telegraph had reported that two “executives” at AirAsia and AirAsia X had been mentioned in legal documents which listed instances of bribery by Airbus to secure contracts through corrupt middlemen to sell its aircraft worldwide.

The documents are part of a multi-billion dollar settlement reached with anti-graft authorities in Britain, France and the US, after the European plane maker admitted to “endemic levels of bribery across its international business”, the Telegraph said today.

Citing documents attached to the settlement, the Telegraph reported that Airbus paid US$50 million (RM204 million), and offered US$55 million (RM225 million) more, to sponsor a sports team linked to two unnamed “key decision-makers” at AirAsia and AirAsia X.

AirAsia said any purchase of an aircraft was never made by any single person but was a collective decision of board members after taking into account several factors including aircraft flight performance.

“We also wish to emphasise that all negotiations and dealings leading to the signing of any aircraft purchase agreement have been undertaken directly with Airbus on an arm’s-length basis, and without the involvement of any third parties or intermediaries.”

They also said they were aware that correspondence between the company and Airbus dating back more than a decade has been reported in the press “without proper context or review”.

“And we are concerned that views and opinions on the matter may have been formed unfairly and prematurely.”