A major aircraft leasing business is reconfirming confidence in the commercial aerospace market with a high-value order for more Airbus jets – 15 widebody A330neo and 75 single-aisle A321neo aircraft. Neither Airbus nor Dublin-based Avolon indicated the total value of the 75-jet order, which based on market estimates, could be worth almost $12 billion.
According to Airbus, this order will raise Avolon’s total orders for those two models to 79 A330neos and 264 A321neos.
“This order demonstrates our strong confidence in the long-term demand for new aircraft. Our scale and balance sheet position us to support our airline customers’ expansion and replacement needs into the next decade,” stated Avolon CEO Andy Cronin.
The lessor reports it has 142 airlines in 60 countries as customers, which include include Norwegian, Atlantic Airways, TAP Portugal, Air Transat, SunExpress, and Vietjet. It also has established ridesharing partnerships with GOL (in Brazil), JAL (Japan), Gozen Holding (Turkey), Air Asia (Malaysia), and Air Greenland, to use the Vertical VX4 eVTOL aircraft.
“Lessors are excellent barometers of the aircraft market, and we are grateful to Avolon for expanding its commitment for the A320 family and A330neo, so soon after an earlier order two years ago. This endorsement illustrates the strong attractiveness to a wide variety of customers of these two aircraft, the most efficient in their category with the latest technologies embedded, covering the market space from domestic to regional to long haul routes,” according to Airbus EVP Benoît de Saint-Exupéry.
Both models are touted for offering fuel savings and low operating costs to airline operators, and various features that enhance passenger comfort.
Currently, Airbus has an order backlog of 445 A330neo and 5,312 A321neo aircraft.
