Primera Air, a low-fare Nordic airline, has taken delivery of its first Airbus A321neo at an event in Hamburg, Germany attended by Andri Már Ingólfsson, CEO and President of Primera Travel Group and Kimon Sotiropoulos, Vice President Sales Northern and Central Europe from Airbus.
The aircraft, the pictured A321-251N WL OY-PAA (msn 8145), which was assembled in Hamburg, is the first of three A321neos to be leased from GECAS in 2018. Primera Air will also lease a further five A321neos from other lessors, including two A321LRs, growing its fleet to eight aircraft in 2018.
The aircraft, powered by CFM International LEAP-1A engines features a two-class layout with 16 premium and 182 economy seats. The aircraft was selected by Primera Air for its outstanding operational efficiency, comfort and range. The aircraft will be deployed in the United Kingdom and France on transatlantic destinations to North America.
The A321 is the largest member of the A320 Family, seating up to 240 passengers, depending on cabin configuration. Incorporating the latest engines, aerodynamic advances and cabin innovations, the A321neo offers a reduction in fuel consumption of at least 15 percent per seat from day one and 20 percent by 2020.
About Primera
Primera Air is a low-fare Nordic airline that offers scheduled flights from Europe to more than 70 destinations across the Mediterranean, Middle East, Asia, Caribbean and North America. Originally founded in Iceland in 2004 as a charter provider, Primera Air has grown to become a fully scheduled LCC that now carries over one million passengers each year. Initially, Primera Air operated charter flights for major Scandinavian tour operators with its main hubs in Denmark and Sweden, but gradually it has moved towards scheduled services. Today, Primera Air operates mid and long-haul flights from its bases in Scandinavia, UK and France.
Photo: Airbus.
Primera Air issued this statement:
Nordic long-haul low-fare airline Primera Air has received the first Airbus A321neo in a special delivery event in Hamburg on April 16. The aircraft has already made its first flights from Hamburg to Copenhagen and Billund before leaving to the UK where it soon will start operations to New York, Boston and Toronto.
Primera Air president Andri Már Ingólfsson: “We are witnessing changes in aviation as long-haul flights are becoming more available to everyone. This change is brought by the new narrow body aircraft as A321neo and we are proud to operate it on our transatlantic flights.” This is the first of three A321neos to be leased from GECAS in 2018. Primera Air will also lease a further five A321neos from other lessors, including two A321LRs, growing its fleet to eight aircrafts in 2018. Primera Air will be the launch operator of A321LR, which is a modification of A321neo with even more extended flight range.
The aircraft is powered by CFM Leap-1A engines that allows to reach flight range of 4,000 nm. A321neo will have a two class layout with 16 premium and 182 economy seats. Meanwhile, the A321LR will be delivered later this year and recently it already had its maiden flight. According to Airbus it will set a new flight record for single-aisle twin jets of 4,750 nm.
As previously announced, Primera Air is opening new bases in Birmingham (BHX), London Stansted (STN) and Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG) to commence flights to New York, Boston, Washington DC and Toronto this spring, along with new routes from UK to Málaga, Palma de Mallorca, Alicante, Barcelona and Chania. Within the next two years Primera Air plans to increase its presence on current bases and to add new transatlantic routes and bases as it has 20 new Boeing MAX 9 ER on order.
