Airbus, the European aerospace giant, has announced that it has secured a new order from easyJet, the British low-cost carrier, for 157 additional aircraft. The order includes 56 A320neo and 101 A321neo models, which are the latest versions of Airbus' narrow-body family. The order also covers the conversion of 35 existing A320neo deliveries into A321neo aircraft within easyJet's current order book.
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The new order brings easyJet's total order book with Airbus to 315 aircraft, with another 100 purchase rights that can be exercised in the future. The purchase rights will enable easyJet to replace its fleet of older A319 and A320ceo aircraft with more fuel-efficient and environmentally friendly ones. The new aircraft will also offer lower operating costs per seat and higher passenger comfort.
The deal is expected to be finalized by the end of 2023, subject to shareholder approval and regulatory approvals. The delivery schedule will start from 2029 and run until 2034. Airbus said that it is in exclusive negotiations with CFM International, a joint venture between General Electric and Safran, for the supply of engines for the new order. easyJet's CEO Johan Lundgren said that the new order reflects easyJet's strategy of delivering attractive shareholder returns and serving more customers. He added that the new aircraft will help easyJet achieve its medium-term targets of reducing winter losses, growing its network and holidays business, and generating a positive profit before tax.
The announcement comes after easyJet reported a record summer season in terms of passenger traffic and revenue. The airline said that it carried more than 10 million passengers in September alone, up by 9% compared to the same month last year. It also said that it expects its capacity to grow by 15% in Q1 of 2024. The deal with Airbus is part of easyJet's ambitious plan to modernize its fleet and expand its global presence. The airline already operates more than 200 destinations across Europe, Africa, Asia and North America. It also recently launched a new low-cost subsidiary called Jet2.com & Vueling UK Ltd., which will operate flights between London Stansted Airport and Barcelona Airport. With the addition of the new aircraft from Airbus, easyJet aims to become one of the leading low-cost carriers in Europe and beyond. It also hopes to benefit from Airbus' technological innovation and sustainability leadership in the aviation industry.
