(Posted 21st June 2023)
Airbus will always be looking back at the Paris Air Show 2023 with a sense of pride and satisfaction, having bagged record orders and in fact sign a world record order for 500 aircraft with Indian airline IndiGo on the first day of the event.
Since then have additional orders been pouring in, another massive one for 250 single and twin aisle aircraft from another Indian airline, Air India.
This aircraft order includes 140 A320neo and 70 A321neo single-aisle aircraft as well as 34 A350-1000 and six A350-900 wide-body jets. The airline had signed a Letter of Intent to acquire these aircraft in February 2023.
Air India will also be counting on Airbus to help ensure the highest level of fleet availability with the Integrated Materials Solutions (IMS) from Satair, an Airbus company. The Airbus-powered maintenance solution will ensure that every time the airline needs a rotable or a consumable part, it is readily available and stocks are automatically replenished. And in its transformation and digitalisation journey, Air India will be the launch customer for Airbus’ Skywise Core X3, the latest and most advanced aviation analytics platform. This once again demonstrates the avant-garde cooperation between Airbus and Air India.
Meanwhile has Australia’s Qantas Group has finalised an incremental order for nine A220-300s, bringing its total backlog for the single aisle type to 29 aircraft. The A220 was originally selected by Qantas as part of a major fleet replacement programme announced in May 2022, which also included orders for the A321XLR and A350-1000. The carrier had announced its intention to order the additional A220s in February this year.
Qantas will take delivery of its first A220 at the end of this year and will operate the type primarily on its extensive domestic route network. Combining latest generation technologies and a wider, quieter cabin for extra comfort, the A220 can fly further than other aircraft in its size category, while also bringing a step-change reduction in fuel consumption and emissions.
Other orders came from Philippine Airlines (PAL) which has finalised a purchase agreement with Airbus for the firm order of nine A350-1000 long range aircraft. The agreement was signed during the Paris Air Show by Captain Stanley K. Ng, President and Chief Operating Officer of Philippine Airlines, and Christian Scherer, Airbus Chief Commercial Officer and Head of International, in the presence of Lucio C Tan III, President & Chief Operating Officer, PAL Holdings Inc.
The A350-1000 has been selected under the Philippine carrier’s Ultra Long Haul Fleet project and will fly on non-stop services from Manila to North America, including to the East Coast of the US and Canada. The new aircraft will join two A350-900s already in service at the airline.
PAL’s A350-1000 fleet will be able to accommodate 380 passengers in a three class layout, with separate cabins for Business Class, Premium Economy and Economy Class.
And added to the order bonanza for Airbus was Mexican ultra-low-cost airline and all-Airbus operator Volaris which has disclosed 25 A321neo from a purchase agreement signed in October 2022. These aircraft bring Volaris total backlog to 143 A320neo Family aircraft, which will support the airline’s continuous fleet renewal and expansion, powered by Pratt & Whitney engines.
“These A321neos will support our long-term business viability and sustainability strategy, while moving us closer to operating an all-NEO fleet by 2028. Our 143 aircraft backlog demonstrates Volaris financial strength and will guarantee our growth in the Mexican market as well as in routes to the United States and Central America,” said Enrique Beltranena, Volaris President and Chief Executive Officer.
“The A321neo’s superior performance and efficiency will continue to drive Volaris’ network growth. As the fleet grows the airline will be well positioned to meet future demand, especially in the Mexican leisure market. We look forward to working closely with Volaris as it continues to spread its wings,” said Christian Scherer, Chief Commercial Officer and Head of Airbus International.
The A321neo is the largest-fuselage member of Airbus’ best-selling single-aisle A320 Family. The A321neo allows operators to cover the entire market, while offering the lowest seat-mile cost of any single-aisle available.
Volaris became an Airbus customer in 2006, and since then the airline has ordered 206 A320 Family aircraft, including more than 170 A320neo Family aircraft. Volaris is the largest A320neo Family operator in Latin America.
