A320neo aircraft
A320neo aircraft will support Wataniya Airways’ vision to become the fastest growing and leading airline in Kuwait. Credit: Airbus SAS/Fixion/dreamstime.com.

Golden Falcon Aviation has placed a $2.8bn order with Airbus for the purchase of 25 single-aisle A320neo aircraft.

The order follows a memorandum of understanding (MoU) that was agreed last year.

It was signed during the Farnborough International Airshow by Golden Falcon Aviation CEO Rakan Al-Tuwaijri and Airbus chief commercial officer Eric Schulz.

The new A320neo aircraft will be operated by Kuwait’s Wataniya Airways, which resumed operations in July last year.

The airline currently operates a fleet of four A320 family planes catering to various destinations in the Middle East, Europe, Africa, and Asia.

Airbus’s A320neo aircraft are equipped with several advanced technologies such as new generation engines and Sharklets.

“The new A320neo aircraft will be operated by Kuwait’s Wataniya Airways.”

Together, these technologies can deliver more than 15% savings in fuel and carbon dioxide from the first use and 20% by 2020, as well as 50% noise reduction.

In a separate development, an affiliate of Australia-based aircraft leasing company Macquarie AirFinance Group has confirmed an order for 20 new A320neo aircraft.

Macquarie primarily serves airline customers operating in Asia-Pacific, Europe, and the Americas.

Following delivery, the new A320neo aircraft will be added to the company’s existing portfolio of 119 Airbus aircraft that comprise 110 A320 family and nine A330 planes.

The company has yet to decide the engines for its new A320neo fleet.

Airbus has so far received more than 6,100 orders from over 100 customers for its A320neo aircraft.