LATAM Airlines has taken delivery of its first A321neo.
LATAM Airbus A321neo – Image, Airbus
It makes a big step, with the airline taking the aircraft leased from AerCap.
As a sign of confidence, LATAM also placed an order for 13 additional A321neo aircraft to join its fleet.
The additional aircraft will be used to further expand its route network and drive its regional growth. This is the first delivery of a committed backlog of 76 A321neo aircraft.
In total, LATAM has 111 A320 Family aircraft to be delivered.
The newly delivered A321neo for LATAM can seat up to 224 passengers and feature Airbus’ Airspace XL bins in the cabin. The larger bins provide a 40% increase in storage space and facilitate 60% more carry-on bags.
The newly delivered A321neo flew to its destination with 49% Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), with the type being the largest single-aisle aircraft that Airbus currently offers..
In Quotes
Ramiro Alfonsín, Chief Financial Officer of LATAM Airlines Group.
“Our fleet renewal and modernization strategy is fully aligned with our sustainability commitment and brings us closer to the goal of becoming a carbon-neutral group by 2050,” said
“We will continue to work on enhancing the current fleet with next-generation aircraft to further improve our connectivity while caring for the environment.”
Christian Scherer, Chief Commercial Officer and Head of Airbus International added
“We thank LATAM for their continued confidence in our aircraft, reselecting the A321neo for its continued network growth. This strategic move also accelerates LATAM decarbonisation trajectory as the A321neos are at least 20% more fuel-efficient, emitting 20% less CO2 and 50% less noise compared to previous generation aircraft,”
Continuing growth
With an order book of 111 aircraft, Airbus is going to be busy manufacturing and assembling aircraft for LATAM – along with other airlines who are desperate to get the updated generation aircraft.
LATAM is a major customer across its group, with 240 Airbus aircraft in its fleet, making it the largest Airbus operator in Latin America.
For Airbus, is still a major growth market, with the company selling over 1,150 aircraft in Latin America and the Caribbean. More than 750 are in operation throughout the region, with more than 520 in the order backlog, representing a market share of 58% of in-service passenger aircraft.
With an elevated passenger experience installed, it should provide some comfort aboard – especially with the AirSpace XL overhead bins to stow luggage in.
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