Tag Archives: a320 aircraft

Allegiant Air to add four more Airbus A320s

Allegiant Travel Company (Allegiant Air) (Las Vegas) has announced that it has entered into an agreement to purchase four additional Airbus A320 aircraft. The aircraft are currently being operated in Europe and are scheduled to enter the Allegiant operating fleet in 2017.

The airline continued:

“We are active in the used Airbus A320 market and will engage in transactions that make economic sense for the company,” said Jude Bricker, Senior Vice President of Planning. “These aircraft will help us maintain our desired growth rate into 2017 and provide us with additional high quality A320 aircraft. It is also another demonstration of our ability to grow the fleet while still providing returns to shareholders such as our recently announced $0.25 per share recurring quarterly cash dividend and the $86 million remaining in our share repurchase authority,” concluded Bricker.

These aircraft are expected to begin service in the second half of 2017. The purchase of the aircraft will take place upon delivery in 2017 and will not impact 2015 CAPEX, which is still expected to be $175 to $185 million.

Copyright Photo: Bruce Drum/AirlinersGallery.com. Airbus A320-214 N218NV (msn 1229) in special “Make-A-Wish” livery arrives back at the Sanford, Florida base. The special color scheme was introduced on December 10, 2013.

Allegiant Air aircraft slide show:

http://airlinersgallery.smugmug.com/Airlines-UnitedStates-1/Airlines-UnitedStates-1/Allegiant-Air

Aeroflot becomes the first Russian operator with Sharklets

Aeroflot Russian Airlines (Moscow) has taken delivery of its first A320 aircraft equipped with sharklets, becoming the first in Russia to benefit from these new fuel saving wing tip devices. Aeroflot’s pictured A320-214 VQ-BRV (man 5967, ex F-WWIS), powered by CFM56 engines, features a comfortable two class cabin, seating 158 passengers with 8 in business class and 150 in economy. The aircraft is named after a famous Russian chemist Alexander Butlerov.

According to Airbus, “Sharklets are newly designed wing-tip devices that improve the aircraft’s aerodynamics and cut the airline’s fuel burn and emissions by up to four per cent on longer sectors. They are made from light-weight composites and are 2.4 meters tall.”

Aeroflot was the first airline in Russia to operate the Airbus A310, with an entry into service in 1992, as well as the first to operate the A320 Family in 2003. The airline is operating the biggest Airbus fleet in the region with 90 A320 Family aircraft and 22 A330 Family aircraft.

Aeroflot:

Aeroflot gets ready to introduce its 1956 retrojet to celebrate its 90th Anniversary

Aeroflot Russian Airlines (Moscow) as we first reported on November 19, 2012, is getting ready to introduce this 1956 retrojet.

Aeroflot issued this statement back in November:

On November 12, 2012 the open Internet voting for Aeroflot new aircraft retro livery was finished. Celebrating the company’s 90th Anniversary, an airplane in a heritage livery will join the Aeroflot fleet in 2013.

In the middle of this summer Aeroflot addressed to its passengers through social networks, asking about their vision of expected Aeroflot jubilee events. As a result, more than 45 per cent of our flyers wished to see one of the national carrier’s aircraft in a retro livery.

So, the voting in Aeroflot official Facebook group had begun. There were four candidates representing four different types of painting historically worn by Aeroflot airplanes. More than 2500 passengers participated in the voting process, and the livery of one of the first world’s jet airliners – Tupolev Tu-104 (appeared in 1956) was declared a winner.

During the voting Aeroflot received from its passengers a lot of useful recommendations and remarks, which will allow updating and improving of the color scheme of the livery.

One of the brand new A320 aircraft to make part of Aeroflot fleet in the first middle of 2013 will wear a retro livery. The painting itself will be made at the Airbus manufacturing plant.

Copyright Photo: Eurospot. The pictured brand-new Airbus A320-214 has been painted in a modified 1956 almost-retro livery. Still carrying the test registration of F-WWIF, the airframe will be delivered as VP-BNT (msn 5614). The airliner is pictured at Toulouse today.

Hot New Photos:

Aeroflot:

Spirit Airlines starts flying its first Airbus A320 with Sharklets

Spirit Airlines (Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood) is celebrating Earth Day today as it begins flying its new Airbus A320 Sharklet-equipped aircraft. The pictured Airbus A320-232 N619NK (msn 5517) was handed over to the carrier on March 25.

As part of its green efforts, several years ago Spirit made the conscious decision to transition to a fleet of new, fuel-efficient Airbus aircraft and enhanced them with an eco-friendly seating configuration. In fact, Spirit burns far less fuel per passenger than its competitors. Its A320 aircraft provide an incredible 89.4 passenger miles per gallon.* Spirit has also signed an agreement with Airbus for an order which includes their latest A320neo (new engine option) aircraft, which will be even more fuel efficient than Spirit’s current A320s. In addition, Spirit’s “Bring Less, Pay Less” baggage program has led to a reduction in bags carried per passenger and resulted in Spirit using the equivalent of nearly six million gallons less fuel in the past year.

Spirit currently operates an all-Airbus fleet of 49 aircraft, including 29 A319s, 18 A320s and two A321s. The company has five more new Airbus A320s scheduled for delivery in 2013, as well as seven A320s scheduled for delivery in 2014 and 10 in 2015. Spirit has 75 new aircraft (30 classic A320s and 45 A320neos) on firm order for delivery between 2016 and 2021. In addition, Spirit has signed a letter of intent with ILFC to lease five A320neo aircraft, subject to final documentation.

Spirit Airlines:

Vueling Airlines accepts its first Airbus A320 with Sharklets

Vueling Airlines (Vueling.com) (Barcelona) has taken delivery of its first A320 aircraft equipped with Sharklet fuel saving wing tip devices, becoming the first Spanish carrier to do so. Including this delivery, Vueling’s in-service fleet rises to 61 A320 Family aircraft

Sharklets are newly designed wing-tip devices that improve the aircraft’s aerodynamics and significantly cut the airline’s fuel burn and emissions by four per cent on longer sectors. Sharklets are an option on new-build A320 Family aircraft, and standard on all members of the NEO Family. They offer the flexibility to A320 Family operators of either adding around 100 nautical miles more range or allowing an increased payload capability of up to 450 kilograms.

Vueling Airlines:

JetBlue Airways and Airbus reach agreement to retrofit the Airbus A320 fleet with Sharklets

JetBlue Airways (New York) announced today that it has signed a letter of intent (LOI) with Airbus to acquire 110 ship-sets of retrofit Sharklets for the airline’s in-service A320 aircraft. Deliveries are scheduled to start in 2014. Just last week, JetBlue Airways unveiled the first of its A320 aircraft to be outfitted with Sharklets. Sharklets are newly designed wing tip devices that are expected to improve the aerodynamics of Airbus aircraft and significantly cut fuel burn and emissions by up to four percent.

Sharklets are an option for the A320 Family aircraft and offer JetBlue the option of an additional 100 nautical miles range or increased payload capability of up to 1,000 pounds. Sharklets are standard on all members of the A320neo Family. JetBlue is not only the first carrier to fly with Sharklets in North America but, with the conclusion of this agreement and the retrofitting, will have the largest A320 fleet in the world with Sharklets. JetBlue’s future Airbus deliveries also will come outfitted with Sharklets.

JetBlue Airways:

Bottom Copyright Photo: JetBlue was an early volunteer with Airbus for testing two early winglet concepts.

Aeroflot to have an Airbus A320 1956 retrojet in 2013

Aeroflot Russian Airlines (Moscow) will introduce an Airbus A320 retrojet in 2013 painted in the 1956 Tupolev Tu-104 livery. The company has issued the following statement:

On November 12, 2012 the open Internet voting for Aeroflot new aircraft retro livery was finished. Celebrating the company’s 90-th Anniversary, an airplane in a heritage livery will join the Aeroflot fleet in 2013.

During the voting Aeroflot received from its passengers a lot of useful recommendations and remarks, which will allow updating and improving of the color scheme of the livery.

One of the brand new A320 aircraft to make part of Aeroflot fleet in the first middle of 2013 will wear a retro livery. The painting itself will be made at the Airbus manufacturing plant.

Top Image: Aeroflot.

Bottom Copyright Photo: Jacques Guillem Collection. Tupolev Tu-104B CCCP-42507 (msn 021905) in the original 1956 livery taxies away from the departure gate at Le Bourget Airport in Paris. Aeroflot introduced the new jet type on September 15, 1956 on the Moscow-Omsk-Irkutsk route. This was the world’s first sustained jet airline service. Aeroflot commenced international flights with the Tu-104 on October 12, 1956 from Moscow to Prague.

Aeroflot Russian Airlines:

Interjet signs a firm order for 40 Airbus A320neo aircraft

Interjet (Mexico City) has signed a purchase agreement for 40 A320neo aircraft. Interjet will announce the aircraft’s engine selection at a later date. The A320neo has over 95 percent airframe commonality making it an easy fit for Interjet’s current fleet of 36 A320s. Later this month, Interjet will receive an additional A320 aircraft.

In only seven years of operations, Interjet has become a leading domestic airline in Mexico, having quickly expanded their network throughout the country and into the United States, Central America and the Caribbean. The new A320neo will support their continued network expansion and fleet renewal plans. Interjet has a backlog of 45 A320 Family aircraft, including this order.

Interjet: