Paris Air Show 2011 – Airbus Orders Part 1

Paris Air Show Le Bourget 2011 opened its doors just yesterday. Many orders have already been announced by various manufacturers. This is part 1 of a summary of Paris Air Show 2011 Airbus orders. More to come during the next days.

• GE Capital Aviation Services (GECAS), the commercial aircraft leasing and financing arm of General Electric, has announced a firm order for 60 A320neo Family aircraft. GECAS has selected CFM’s LEAP-X engine for all 60 A320neo aircraft.
• Saudi Arabian Airlines has placed a firm order for four additional A330-300 aircraft in addition to the eight ordered in July 2008, taking the total order for the type to 12.
  Saudi Arabian Airlines placed its first order with Airbus in over 30 years in 2007 for 22 A320 Family aircraft and later placed an order for eight A330s. In 2009, Saudia upsized by converting 15 of the A320 orders into the larger A321. Airbus has so far delivered 17 aircraft (five A320s, four A321s and all eight A330s) from the order for 30 before today.

• SAS has signed a firm order for 30 A320neo Family aircraft, as part of its strategy to streamline its fleet with more fuel-efficient new aircraft. These new A320neos will join the airline’s existing fleet of eight A321s and four A319s, and enable SAS to transition to an all-Airbus fleet at its prime Copenhagen base. The engine decision will be announced by the airline at a later date. The A320neo incorporates new more efficient engines and large “Sharklet” wing tip devices, which together will deliver up to 15 percent in fuel savings. This will represent some 3,600 tonnes less CO2 per aircraft, per year. In addition, the A320neo will provide a double-digit reduction in NOx emissions and reduced engine noise, thus being a good neighbour at any airport where SAS is operating the aircraft.
• Air Lease Corporation (ALC) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for 50 A320neo Family aircraft including 14 options. ALC also announced orders for the acquisition of eleven A330 Family aircraft and one A321.
• TransAsia Airways of Taiwan announced a firm order with Airbus for six A321neo aircraft. The new aircraft will enable the airline to respond to strong growth on regional services, especially on direct routes between Taiwan and mainland China. TransAsia will announce an engine selection for the new aircraft in the near future.
  TransAsia Airways currently operates five A321s and two A320s on domestic and regional services. In addition to the order announced today, the airline already has six sharklet-fitted A321s on order for future delivery.

• CIT Group Inc., a global commercial finance company, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Airbus for 50 A320neo Family aircraft.
  This order brings the total number of aircraft in the Airbus order book for CIT to 241 aircraft, comprising 195 A320 Family aircraft (including the 50 A320neo aircraft), 39 A330s, seven A350 XWBs. Of these 141 have been delivered so far. 
• Garuda Indonesia has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Airbus for the purchase of 25 A320 Family aircraft, making the airline a new customer for the Airbus single aisle product line. The MOU covers 15 standard A320s followed by 10 A320neo aircraft for operation by the carrier’s domestic low cost unit Citilink, replacing its existing 737 fleet.
• JetBlue Airways announced a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for the purchase of 40 A320neo (new engine option) aircraft. The airline has not yet announced its engine selection for the new engine option aircraft.
  In addition, the MOU will result in JetBlue converting 30 of its current orders for A320 aircraft to the larger A321 model with enhanced wingtip devices called Sharklets.