Spirit A320

US-based Spirit Airlines has confirmed its order for 75 Airbus single-aisles comprising 45 of the upgraded fuel-efficient A320neo aircraft and 30 A320 jetliners, following the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed in November 2011.

The order is potentially worth $7bn based on Airbus’s most recent price list.

Spirit Airlines president and CEO Ben Baldanza said: "For seven years the airline has been successfully flying the A320 Family."

"The aircraft have been successful from every perspective – economy, environmental impact, comfort and efficiency," Baldanza said.

"With more A320s and now the A320neo on their way to Spirit, we look forward to building on all the positives we’ve experienced so far."

The airline will use its aircraft on the growing network in the US, Latin America and the Caribbean.

Airbus Customers chief operating officer John Leahy said: "When these newly ordered aircraft are delivered, the size of Spirit’s Airbus fleet will be close to triple what it is today."

"It’s a high compliment and testament to the growing efficiencies of our single-aisle family when an airline chooses it exclusively to propel their success into the future," Leahy said.

The fuel-efficient A320neo has been a new engine option for the A320 Family which will enter into service from 2015, and integrates latest generation engines and large Sharklet wing tip devices together delivering 15% in fuel savings which reduce C02 emissions.

A320neo aircraft offers up to 500nm (950km) more range or two tonnes more payload at a given range.

Airbus has received orders for over 8,300 A320 Family aircraft and has delivered 5,000 to more than 340 customers and operators globally.

 

Image: The ordered new A320 aircraft will be used for serving destinations in the US, Latin America and the Caribbean. Photo: Spirit Airlines.