While discussing the results of Q2-2023, the CEO of Spirit Airlines said the airline has switched its order for Airbus A319neos into the larger A321neo. In total, it had 31 A319neos on order. The swap also means that the A319neo will remain a rare aircraft with only a total of 61 ordered.
Next to swapping aircraft types, Spirit has also rescheduled the delivery of other Airbuses on order, mainly deferring aircraft that were planned for delivery in 2024. These are now spread out to 2025-2029, reducing the company's capital exposure.
Earlier this year, in May, Spirit Airlines took delivery of its first A321neo, which entered commercial service a month later.
Airbus has released the numbers over December 2022 and the total year. Last month, Airbus was able to note down sixteen aircraft orders, received 21 cancellations and delivered 98 aircraft.
Ordered were:
10 A330-900s by CIT Leasing
2 A350-900s by Financial Institutions
4 A350Fs by an Undisclosed customer
Cancelled were:
3 A220-100s by Lease Corporation International
17 A220-300s by Lease Corporation International
1 A220-300 by Macquarie Financial Holdings
Delivered were:
1 A321neo to Aegean Airlines (leased via SMBC Aviation Capital)
1 A320neo to Air Astana (leased via CDB Leasing)
1 A321neo to Air Astana (leased via Air Lease Corporation)
1 A220-300 to AirBaltic
2 A320neos to Air Cairo (leased via NAS Aviation Services)
1 A220-300 to Air Canada
3 A350-900s to Air China
1 A220-300 to Air France
3 A321neos to American Airlines
1 A321neo to Asiana Airlines
3 A320neos to Avianca (2 leased via NAS Aviation Services, 1 via DAE Capital)
2 A320neos to Azerbijan Airlines (leased via Aviation Capital Group)
2 A320neos to Azul (leased via BOC Aviation)
1 A220-300 to Breeze Airways
1 A350-1000 to Cathay Pacific
1 A320neo to CebuPacific
1 A321neo to China Air Lines (leased via CALC)
1 A320neo to China Eastern Airlines (leased via BoComm Leasing)
1 A350-900 to China Eastern Airlines
1 A321neo to China Southern Airlines
1 A350-900 to China Southern Airlines
2 A330-900s to Condor (1 leased via NAS Aviation Services)
1 A220-300 to Delta Air Lines
6 A321neos to Delta Air Lines
1 A350-900 to Delta Air Lines
2 A320neos to easyJet
1 A350-1000 to FrenchBee
3 A321neos to Frontier Airlines
1 A350-900 to Iberia
5 A320neos to Indigo
4 A321neos to Indigo
1 A220-300 to Iraqi Airways
3 A320neos to ITA Airways (leased via Avolon)
2 A220-300s to JetBlue Airways
1 A320neo to Jetsmart
1 A321neo to Jetsmart (leased via Aviation Capital Group)
2 A321neos to Jetstar Airways
2 A321neos to Juneyao Airlines
3 A320neos to LATAM
1 A320neo to Loong Air (leased via AerCap)
2 A321neos to Pegasus Airlines
1 A321neo to Qanot Sharq (leased via Air Lease Corporation)
1 A320neo to Sichuan Airlines (leased via AerCap)
1 A350-900 to Sichuan Airlines
2 A320neos to Spirit Airlines (1 leased via SMBC Aviation Capital)
2 A321neos to STARLUX (leased via NAS Aviation Services)
1 A321neo to TAP Air Portugal
1 A320neo to Tunisair
2 A321neos to Turkish Airlines (1 leased via Avolon)
1 A330-200 to UAE Air Force
2 A321neos to Uzbekistan Airways (leased via CDB Leasing)
3 A321neos to VietJet
1 A320neo to Vistara
1 A321neo to Volaris
3 A321neos to WizzAir
1 A321neo to Xiamen Airlines (leased via CMB Financial Leasing)
In total, Airbus logged 1078 orders for new aircraft and 258 cancellations, leaving a total of 820 net orders. A total of 663 new aircraft were delivered to customers last year.
A press release said the two aircraft are powered by CFM International LEAP-1As and feature 136 seats in total - four in business class, 24 in pearl economy class, and 108 in economy. They will both undergo further preparation ahead of their service entry in July this year. Given their operational performance, the A319neo will be deployed on flights to hot-and-high airports i.e. those above 2,438 metres ASL.
According to the ch-aviation fleets advanced module, China Southern currently operates nine A319-100s, a far cry from the 40+ it used to operate between 2009 and 2014, since which the number has gradually diminished. It also operates 107 in-house A320-200s, thirty-nine A321-200s, twenty-eight A321-200Ns, and twenty-three A321-200NXs. Boeing-wise, it employs twenty B737-700s, eighty-eight B737-800s, and twenty-four B737-8s (still inactive)
Today, Friday 18 February 2022, the first two passenger A319neo aircraft have been delivered. B-328A (10239) and B-328C (10288) were both delivered to China Southern Airlines and ferried from Hamburg-Finkenwerder to China. Both aircraft are equipped with CFM LEAP -1A engines and have a passenger cabin with 132 economy seats and four business seats. Airbus has already delivered four A319neo Corporate Jets.
The A319neo is the slowest selling variant of the Airbus A320neo-family. As of mid-February 2022, Airbus has only sold 63 pax versions of the A319neo and eight A319neo Corporate Jets. The two aircraft delivered today, are the only A319neos China Southern Airlines has ordered. Other airlines which have ordered the pax version of the A319neo are Spirit Airlines (31 aircraft on order) and Air Cote d’Ivoire (Two aircraft on order). 28 A319neos have been ordered by “unannounced commercial operators”
Airbus Completes Its First A319neo Flight On 100% Sustainable Fuel
Airbus, in collaboration with a number of other companies and organizations, completed an A319neo test flight using unblended, 100% sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). The fuel, provided by Total Energies, was primarily composed of used cooking oil as well as other waste fats. Currently, the aviation industry’s use of SAF is most often a 50/50 blend, with the other half comprised of regular jet fuel.
The special flight took place on October 28th. Photo: Airbus
A group effort
Today, October 29th, Airbus has announced the launch of “the first in-flight study of a single-aisle aircraft running on unblended SAF. The study is a group effort that involves other French organizations, including Dassault Aviation, ONERA, the French Ministry of Transports, and Safran.
So what will each group be doing in this project?
Airbus, in collaboration with German Aerospace Center DLR, is responsible for characterizing and analyzing the impact of 100% SAF on ground and in-flight emissions.
Safran’s focus is on SAF optimization and compatibility related to the fuel system and engine adaptation for commercial and helicopter aircraft.
ONERA, an aerospace lab, is supporting Airbus and Safran in analyzing the compatibility of the fuel with aircraft systems. The firm is also in charge of preparing, analyzing, and interpreting test results for the impact of the unblended fuel on emissions and contrail formation.
Dassault Aviation will contribute to material and equipment compatibility studies while verifying 100% SAF biocontamination susceptibility.
50% of engines used 100% SAF
Although the study was announced today, the test flight took place the day prior, on October 28th. During the test flight, a CFM LEAP-1A-powered A319neo flew over the Toulouse region.
Airbus’ statement on its achievement highlights that the flight was conducted with 100% SAF. However, taking a closer look at the story reveals an interesting point about the test flight. Indeed, it states that only one engine of the aircraft operated on this unblended SAF.
What is the fuel made of?
While the origins of conventional jet fuel are relatively standard, sustainable aviation fuel can be derived from a wide range of sources. This can range from forestry waste to used cotton clothing.
In the case of the A319neo flight, the unblended SAF was provided by Total Energies and is produced in Normandy, close to Le Havre, France.
This unblended product is made from Hydroprocessed Esters and Fatty Acids (HEFA). HEFA, as Airbus states, “primarily consists of used cooking oil, as well as other waste fats,” and is free of aromatics and sulfur.
Approximately 57 tonnes of SAF will be used for the entire test campaign. Meanwhile, the 100% SAF will also be made available for testing compatibility and engine operability on the Safran Helicopters’ Arrano engine, which is used on the Airbus Helicopters H160. This testing is expected to start in 2022.
First Airbus A319neo For China Southern Airlines Spotted
China Southern’s first Airbus A319neo has been spotted at Airbus’ production facility in Hamburg, Germany. The aircraft is the fourth A319neo ever made and the first one destined for China Southern. Let’s find out more about this rare variant of the A320neo family.
China Southern will take delivery of two A319neos as a part of a new order. Photo: Airbus
Quick delivery
According to the South China Morning Post, China Southern only placed its order for the A319neo last month. The airline ordered nine A321neos and two A319neos as part of the issuance of convertible bonds. This means the airline has seen its first A319neo go from being ordered to painted in just over a month.
China Southern’s first A319neo was spotted at Airbus’ Hamburg production facility yesterday, with test registration D-AVWG. It is possible the plane was a whitetail aircraft, which means it has already been produced but does not have a customer due to cancellation or deferrals, which has become quite common this year. Nevertheless, China Southern’s first A319neo will likely be ready for delivery in the coming weeks.
China Southern is using a combination of the A321neo and A319neo to fill gaps in its schedule due to the grounding on the 737 MAX. With domestic capacity at 100% in China, the carrier is looking for more narrowbody aircraft to meet demand. The 11 new aircraft could add up to $287.6mn (CNY1.9bn) in revenue annually.
Considering that China Southern is looking for a quick replacement for its grounded 737 MAX’s it will likely be taking delivery of this A319neo soon. The subsequent 10 aircraft could also make their way in the coming months.
China Southern’s strong year
After being hit hard by the emergence of COVID-19 in January, the Chinese airline industry has steadily recovered ever since. China Southern returned to profitability in Q3 after domestic demand reached 100% of pre-pandemic capacity in September, offsetting losses from international routes.
This quick recovery has seen China Southern become the biggest carrier in the world, as other large carriers cut capacity. Previous leader American Airlines has seen its capacity fall 50% while China Southern only fell 10%. This trend will likely hold as long as the pandemic continues, with nearly all countries struggling with high cases and low demand.
Rare A319neo order
As mentioned in the beginning, China Southern’s A319neo is the fourth one ever produced. The aircraft has struggled to generate sales, with only 84 orders since its launch, despite the immense popularity of the larger A320neo. The largest customer of the A319neo is Sprit Airlines with 47 aircraft, followed by an undisclosed customer for 30 planes. Only two planes are currently in operation.
The remaining orders come from Air Cote d’Ivoire (two aircraft) and Government/Private Jets (five aircraft). Interestingly, Airbus does not list China Southern’s order as of the end of October.
Spirit Airlines is the largest customer for the A319neo. Photo: Airbus
The A319neo has also been overshadowed by the popular A220 family, which has seen much higher sales. However, China Southern’s rare order is a boost for the aircraft type and we could see more orders from the carrier in the future too.
Spirit Airlines Announces Upcoming Order of 100 Airbus A320neo Family Aircraft
Spirit signs memorandum of understanding with Airbus to add a mix of Airbus A319neo, A320neo, and A321neo aircraft to continue Spirit’s growth and sustain one of the youngest, most fuel-efficient fleets in the U.S.
Company Release - 10/23/2019 4:10 PM ET
MIRAMAR, Fla., Oct. 23, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Spirit Airlines (NYSE: SAVE), America’s fastest-growing airline, today announced it has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Airbus for the purchase of 100 new Airbus A320neo Family aircraft, together with the option to purchase up to 50 additional aircraft. The MOU includes a mix of Airbus A319, A320, and A321 models. These aircraft are planned for delivery through 2027.
“This new order represents another milestone for Spirit,” said Spirit Airlines’ President and CEO Ted Christie. “The additional aircraft will be used to support Spirit’s growth as we add new destinations and expand our network across the U.S, Latin America and the Caribbean. We look forward to working with our valued partners at Airbus to finalize our agreement.”
Spirit’s Fit Fleet® is one of the youngest and most fuel-efficient in the U.S. with an average aircraft age of just 5.6 years. Spirit currently operates 138 Airbus A320-family aircraft and has seven Airbus A320neo aircraft scheduled for delivery from Mobile, Ala., by year-end 2019, bringing its fleet count to 145. In 2020 and 2021, Spirit anticipates taking delivery of 48 A320neo aircraft.
“The Airbus A320 Family has been a strong platform for the remarkable success of Spirit over the past several years,” said Airbus Chief Commercial Officer Christian Scherer. “The continuing confidence in the A320 expressed by the airline certainly lifts our spirits, and we look forward to being a part of the Spirit team’s continued growth for many, many years to come.”
In December 2019, Spirit plans to unveil an aircraft cabin redesign as part of its Invest in the Guest initiative. The cabin redesign will improve the look and feel of the interior while adding new, more comfortable seats that provide additional usable legroom. Spirit’s new seats will feature thicker padding, ergonomically-designed lumbar support, and a full-size tray table. Middle seats will also gain another inch of width, and every seat will gain nearly an inch of pre-recline compared to Spirit’s current seating configuration, with exit rows adding even more.
Visit the Spirit Careers page to learn about the hundreds of pilot, flight attendant and maintenance positions that America’s fastest growing airline will be hiring over the next few years.
