CALC A320neo

China Aircraft Leasing (CALC) has signed a provisional agreement with Airbus to buy 100 A320 family aircraft, valued at around $10.2bn.

The memorandum of understanding includes 74 A320neo, 16 A320ceo and 10 A321ceo, according to Airbus.

With this commitment, CALC’s total order with Airbus reaches 140 A320 family airliners.

CALC executive director and CEO Mike Poon said: "This new commitment to the A320 family confirms the aircraft’s popularity and appeal, offering customers the best value for money, high-reliability and best-in-class passenger comfort.

"These key attributes make the A320 Family a perfect fit in CALC’s strategy to offer the most innovative and dynamic leasing solutions to aviation customers in China and around the globe."

Scheduled to enter service in late 2015, the A320neo (new engine option) is said to feature advanced engines and Sharklet wing-tip devices, which are claimed to offer 15% in fuel efficiency.

Airbus COO Customers John Leahy said: "The A320 family is the ideal investment for lessors thanks to its wide operator base, excellent operating economics and strong residual values."

With 11,000 orders to date, the A320 family is claimed to be the best-selling single-aisle product line.

Airbus has so far made 6,200 aircraft deliveries to 400 customers and operators worldwide.

Chinese lessors have been opting medium-haul aircraft to cater to the increasing demand for domestic routes, reported Reuters.

According to recent Airbus forecasts, China is expected to overcome the US as the largest air travel market in the coming ten years.

Image: CALC has signed MoU for 74 A320neo, 16 A320ceo and 10 A321ceo. Photo: courtesy of Airbus SAS.

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