Airbus Updates No.4270

Vueling supports FC Barcelona Femeni on Airbus A320

On 25 April 2024, Vueling unveiled a special livery supporting the first women's team of FC Barcelona. It was unveiled during a special ceremony at Barcelona-El Prat and has been applied on Airbus A320 EC-MER (6510).

The Airbus conducted its first commercial flight in its new livery a day later, operating as VY4793 from Barcelona to London-Gatwick.

Photo by FC Barcelona.

Airbus Updates No.3753

 

British Airways Owner IAG Orders 37 More Airbus A320neos

International Consolidated Airlines Group (IAG), the parent company for British Airways, Aer Lingus, Iberia, and Vueling, is planning to accelerate the expansion of its short-haul fleet by placing an order for 37 Airbus A320neo family aircraft. This latest addition will mark IAG's third short-haul aircraft order from Airbus this year.

The first was in March for six Airbus A320neo and two Airbus A321neo aircraft, followed by the second, which occurred in June when IAG announced it was converting 14 options for A320neo family aircraft into firm orders for 11 Airbus A320neos and three A321neos.

A near decade-old order

The airline group will convert 12 options for the Airbus A320neo family aircraft, dating back to an order made in August 2013. Back then, the deal for its narrowbody fleet modernization included the plan to acquire up to 220 Airbus A320s. This sizeable commitment was split between a firm order for 62, followed by a further 58 for Vueling, and the remaining 100 was to be spread anywhere within the airline group. IAG had previously mentioned that it had negotiated a substantial discount on the list price for the order, which was worth $5.4 billion for the 62 firm orders, and nearly $20 billion for all 220 aircraft.

Years went by, and the airline group made some changes to the order. Today's order will see IAG converting 12 options into firm orders for the Airbus A320neos and A321neos. The airline conglomerate will also place an additional order for another 25 Airbus A320neo family aircraft with the option of purchasing a further 50. The enhanced deal is worth between $4.44 billion and $5.18 billion at list prices depending on the mix of single-aisle aircraft, but IAG likely secured a decent discount on that headline price.

Despite any discounts secured, the whole deal is still a hefty investment on IAG's part. Nonetheless, IAG is confident it has a range of financing options and will choose the most appropriate source closer to the delivery time - which is expected to be between 2025 and 2028. In a statement, the Group said:

"The firm aircraft will be used to replace A320ceo family aircraft in the Group´s short-haul fleet. Adding these latest generations more fuel-efficient A320neos is an important step toward IAG meeting its climate commitments."

The new fleet order is still subject to conditional approval by IAG shareholders. While undecided on the exact mix of the fleet, the aircraft's engine selection is yet to be determined, as is the carrier(s) that will eventually operate them. However, the new aircraft will align with the Group's existing Airbus A320 family aircraft, meaning the configuration will be standardized for more accessible dispatch within the airlines. How the Boeing 737 MAX, which was firmed as an order earlier this year, will fit into the fleet plans remains to be seen.

The multi-billion-dollar line

While this is IAG's third and potentially not the last tweak to the multi-billion-dollar Airbus narrowbody order, it comes just a week after Boeing's win at Britain's Farnborough Airshow. In addition to the IAG order, Airbus revealed a commitment from Condor just days after the airshow closed. The fact that Airbus no longer appears to be playing the airshow game will be relieving to investors but frustrating to industry pundits. A sign of confidence from the European manufacturer, or something else?

Airbus Updates No.3731

 

 

IAG firms A320neo-options into orders

On 30 June 2022, the International Airline Group has issued a statement to the London Stock Exchange in which it announces it has decided to firm options on fourteen A320neo-family aircraft into orders for eleven A320neos and three A321neos. The aircraft have not been assigned to the specific airlines in the Group yet and will be used to replace older A320-family aircraft. Deliveries are scheduled for 2024 and 2025.

With this latest order, IAG now has 33 A320neos and 32 A321neos on order, which breaks down as:

British Airways: 3 A320neos and 3 A321neos
Iberia: 5 A320neos and 15 A321neos
Vueling: 8 A320neos and 9 A321neos

Airbus Updates No.2327

Saudi Arabia's flyadeal leases three A320s from Vueling

Vueling Airlines Airbus A320-200 © Airbus

14.11.2019 - 02:12 UTC

flyadeal (F3, Jeddah) has added three A320-200s on wet-lease from Spain's Vueling Airlines (VY, Barcelona El Prat), ch-aviation analysis has revealed.

EC-LLJ (msn 4661), EC-LVO (msn 5535), and EC-LVU (msn 5616) were ferried from Barcelona El Prat to Jeddah on November 12, Flightradar24 ADS-B data shows. The three Airbus narrowbodies were retired from Vueling's own operations on October 27 and 28 and were subsequently repainted into a hybrid livery featuring flyadeal's logo.

The three aircraft have yet to be deployed into revenue service with the Saudi LCC. The wet-lease will continue through the end of March for the duration of the Winter 2019/20 season, flyadeal Chief Executive Con Korfiatis told ch-aviation in an e-mailed statement.

flyadeal's existing in-house fleet includes eleven A320-200s. The LCC is a subsidiary of Saudia (SV, Jeddah) and operates exclusively domestic flights.

Vueling Airlines, a unit of IAG International Airlines Group, operates six A319-100s, eighty-one A320-200s (including the three units ferried to Jeddah), twenty-two A320-200neo, and fifteen A321-200s.

Airbus Updates No.2186

IAG backs the A321XLR with an order for 14 aircraft

Le Bourget – International Airlines Group (IAG) has selected the A321XLR to expand its fleet of highly efficient single aisles with a firm order for 14 aircraft. Of these, eight are destined for Iberia and six for Aer Lingus.

IAG, the parent company of leading airlines also including British Airways, Level and Vueling, is one of Airbus’s largest customers and this agreement will take the overall order from the group to 530 aircraft. IAG airlines combined operate one of the world’s largest Airbus fleets with over 400 aircraft.

The aircraft will enable Aer Lingus to launch new routes beyond the US East Coast and Canada. For Iberia, this is a new aircraft type that will enable it to operate new transatlantic destinations and increase frequencies in key markets.

The A321XLR is the next evolutionary step from the A321LR which responds to market needs for even more range and payload, creating more value for the airlines. From 2023, it will deliver an unprecedented Xtra Long Range of up to 4,700nm – 15% more than the A321LR and with 30% lower fuel burn per seat compared with previous generation competitor aircraft. This will enable operators to open new world-wide routes such as India to Europe or China to Australia, as well as further extending the Family’s non-stop reach on direct transatlantic flights between continental Europe and the Americas. For passengers, the A321XLR’s new Airspace cabin will provide the best travel experience, while offering seats in all classes with the same high-comfort as on a long-haul wide-body, with the low costs of a single-aisle aircraft.

Airbus Updates No.1899

Spain's Vueling adds maiden A320neo

Vueling Airlines Airbus A320-200 © Airbus Industrie

18 hours ago

Vueling Airlines (VY, Barcelona El Prat) has taken delivery of its first A320neo following the handing over of EC-MZT (msn 8181) on Thursday, July 12. The Pratt & Whitney PW1100G-powered twinjet was ferried from Toulouse Blagnac to Barcelona El Prat where it is awaiting deployment into service.

The IAG International Airlines Group unit has a total of forty-seven A320neo on order from Airbus (AIB, Toulouse Blagnac).

According to the ch-aviation fleets module, Vueling operates five A319-100s, ninety-two A320ceo, and fifteen A321-200s on flights to 132 cities spread across 36 countries in Continental Europe, Scandinavia, Iceland, North and West Africa, Russia, and the Middle East.

Airbus Updates No.1097

IAG airline group announces Airbus orders 

INTERNATIONAL Airlines Group (IAG), parent of British Airways and Iberia, has announced firm orders and options for up to 220 Airbus A320 family shorthaul aircraft.

The London-based company said up to 120 of the orders were for Spanish subsidiary airline Vueling, enabling it to "replace some of its existing A320 fleet and expand its business".

The Vueling agreement is made up of 62 firm orders -- 30 A320ceo and 32 A320neo -- to be delivered between 2015 and 2020, and 58 options.

IAG has also secured 100 options for the A320neo, the family's latest model, which could be used by British Airways, Iberia or Vueling.

"Vueling has managed to successfully expand its business profitably by targeting both growth markets and those areas where weak competitors are reducing capacity," explained IAG chief executive, Willie Walsh.

IAG said it had negotiated "a very substantial discount" from the list prices, which are $US81.8 million ($A90.31 million) for the A320ceo and $US92.0 million for the A320neo.

Its shareholders will need to approve the firm orders at a meeting later this year.

Airbus Updates No.1025

New Colours for the Canadian Armed Forces A310's

Airbus Updates No.954

Vueling takes delivery of its first Airbus Sharklet equipped A320.

22 March 2013Press Release

Vueling, the largest low cost airline in Spain, has taken delivery of its first A320 aircraft equipped with Sharklet fuel saving wing tip devices, becoming the first Spanish carrier to do so. Including this delivery, Vueling’s in-service fleet rises to 61 A320 Family aircraft

Sharklets are newly designed wing-tip devices that improve the aircraft’s aerodynamics and significantly cut the airline’s fuel burn and emissions by four per cent on longer sectors. Sharklets are an option on new-build A320 Family aircraft, and standard on all members of the NEO Family.

 They offer the flexibility to A320 Family operators of either adding around 100 nautical miles more range or allowing an increased payload capability of up to 450 kilograms.