Airbus Updates No.3013

 Lufthansa Celebrates 5 Years Of Airbus A320neo Operations

Lufthansa today celebrates five years of Airbus A320neo operation. As the type’s launch customer, the German flag carrier was the first airline to begin flying the type. Since the type’s launch, Airbus has delivered 1,147 A320neo aircraft as of the end of 2020.

Lufthansa today celebrates five years of A320neo operations. Photo: Oliver Rösler via Lufthansa

The Airbus A320neo is the second iteration of the manufacturer’s main single-aisle product. The aircraft has been a success by all accounts, with almost as many neo family aircraft having been sold as the classic engine option. While Lufthansa has retired its first ceo aircraft, the new neos still have many years ahead of them!

Fifth anniversary

It was exactly five years ago today that Lufthansa operated its first passenger flight with the then-new A320neo. According to Andreas Spaeth, writing for Airways Magazine, the first flight was relatively low-key. It saw the aircraft, D-AINA, operating LH100 from the airline’s Frankfurt home to its secondary hub, Munich.

Despite entering service with Lufthansa in January 2016, the aircraft’s ceremonial handover from Airbus to Lufthansa actually took place on February 12th. Interestingly, the handover itself occurred just days after the 40th anniversary of Airbus’ first delivery to Lufthansa. This saw an Airbus A300 being delivered to the airline from its Hamburg-Finkenwerder site on February 9th, 1976.

Many orders outstanding

Despite operating the A320neo for five years now, The Lufthansa Group has only taken delivery of a fraction of its neo aircraft orders. As of December 31st, The Lufthansa Group had 84 A320neo orders. With 29 delivered so far, the airline group has an outstanding order for 55 more aircraft.

However, the airline is also expecting 40 A321neos, of which six have so far been delivered. This leave’s the airline group’s outstanding A320neo family commitment at 89 aircraft of a total order of 124. It’s unclear exactly what time frame the orders will be delivered in, as the German flag carrier has slowed its delivery rate due to the current situation. After all, with so many aircraft grounded, what is the point in taking more?

Better for the environment

The neo family is better for the environment than the older classic engine option family. This is increasingly important in a day and age where sustainability guides everything the industry does.

When the first aircraft was delivered, Airbus commented that its planned 15% lower fuel consumption had been exceeded by the neo. As mentioned on the side of some of the airline’s early neos, the aircraft use less fuel and emit less CO2. However, there is one more benefit, which will be appreciated by airport neighbors.

The neo family generates fewer noise emissions, meaning that they are much more community-friendly than their predecessors. Recently, Lufthansa began selling parts from the first A320 aircraft that it had retired.

Airbus Updates No.1448

First A320neo delivery opens new era in commercial aviation

Lufthansa becomes launch customer of best-selling A320neo

20 JANUARY 2016 PRESS RELEASE

The Lufthansa Group, Airbus’ largest airline customer and operator, marks a major step in aviation history today by taking delivery of the first A320neo, the world’s best-selling and most fuel efficient single aisle aircraft.

Equipped with all new technology Pratt & Whitney PurePower® Geared Turbofan™ engines, the A320neo sets a new, even higher standard in aircraft efficiency, reducing emissions and noise as well as burning 15% less fuel than current generation aircraft from day one and 20% less by 2020.

“We are happy that today we are the first airline worldwide to receive the Airbus A320neo. Featuring the leading technology of Airbus and Pratt & Whitney, the A320neo is by far the most efficient and most silent aircraft on short- and medium-haul routes.

With lower fuel consumption and consequently lower CO2 emissions, the A320neo has a clearly improved environmental performance. Furthermore, the new jet engine technology makes the aircraft considerably quieter. As a result, we have ordered a total of 116 aircraft of this type for the airlines of the Lufthansa Group”, states Carsten Spohr, Chairman of the Executive Board and CEO of Deutsche Lufthansa AG.

“Today we prove once again that as an aviation company and airline group we are pioneers in the development and introduction of technical innovations. In this year alone the Lufthansa Group will receive a total of 52 new aircraft, a number we have not received in years”, says Spohr.

“Pratt & Whitney congratulates Lufthansa as the launch customer for the A320neo aircraft powered by PW1100G-JM engines,” said Robert Leduc, Pratt & Whitney President.. “Airbus and Lufthansa have been important customers for Pratt & Whitney for many years. With the A320neo’s unprecedented reductions in fuel burn, emissions and noise, I am confident that these business relationships will have continued success for many years to come.”

“Handing over the first A320neo to a world’s leading airline and long standing Airbus customer, Lufthansa, is a truly great day for everyone at Airbus,” said Fabrice Brégier, Airbus President and CEO. “This occasion marks a new step forward to delivering on our promises and meeting our industry’s goal for sustainable aviation. The A320neo embodies Airbus’ passion and commitment to deliver maximum value and efficiency to our customers through continuous innovations.“ 

The A320neo Family incorporates the very latest technologies including new generation engines and Sharklet wing tip devices. With almost 4,500 orders received from nearly 80 customers since its launch in 2010, the A320neo Family has captured some 60 percent share of the market.

Last year Lufthansa celebrated its 60^th anniversary since it started operations in 1955. In this period, Lufthansa Group’s Airbus orders have reached a combined total of 582 aircraft including 386 A320 Family, of which 116 are NEOs (71 A320neo and 45 A321neo). The full range of Airbus wide-body aircraft have been or will be a part of Lufthansa’s fleet from the innovative A300/A310 to the iconic A380 (14 in service), the versatile A330 to the modern and extra-comfortable A350 XWB (25 firm orders).