easyJet is seeking to maximise the value of its Airbus A320 investment, with the airline planning to retrofit its remaining Airbus A320ceo (current engine option) with Airbus-manufactured Sharklets.
easyJet Airbus A320ceo with Sharklets – Image, easyJet
Sharkets (and wingtip devices like this) are used to reduce fuel burn, thus reducing carbon emissions whilst improving costs.
The upgrade program will cover a total of seven aircraft, with the first rolled out. A further six are due to be retrofitted in 2026 and are due for completion by summer 2026.
The point where the wingtip fence is replaced, and the sharklet added – Image, easyJet
Sharket being mated into position – Image, easyJet
Sharklets are blended winglet devices that reduce fuel consumption by increasing the effective wingspan and minimising lift-induced drag by up to 4%. Once completed, the upgrade to these remaining aircraft will offer an additional combined fuel saving of 2,156 tonnes across easyJet’s fleet, an equivalent reduction of almost 7,000 tonnes of Co2 per annum.
They will replace the existing wingtip fence on the A320ceo with some significant upsides. In easyJets case, it will allow for missions of an extra 100 miles, whilst allowing for an extra row of seats to be fitted to the aircraft, allowing more flexible deployments as well as more capacity.
The upgraded aircraft are currently operating from key bases across easyJet’s network, including at London Gatwick, Lisbon, Berlin and Milan Malpensa bases.
In Quotes
Speaking on the announcement, David Morgan, Chief Operating Officer at easyJet, said:
“Retrofitting our A320ceo aircraft with sharklets is another small but important step in our mission to operate as efficiently as possible. These upgrades deliver immediate reductions in fuel burn and carbon emissions and form part of many innovative solutions we’re employing to improve our efficiency and lower our impact.”
The Science Part
With easyJet touting savings of 308 tonnes of fuel, with 970 tonnes of reduced carbon emissions, it’s also a way of sweating an asset, and making good use of it before a replacement comes in.
Wingtip devices are used to reduce turbulence by reducing drag at the tips. According to easyJet, Sharklets work better for three reasons:
- They weaken wingtip vortices by redirecting airflow upward and outward, reducing the energy lost in the swirl
- They effectively increase the wing’s aspect ratio (the wing behaves as if it’s longer) without actually extending the wingspan, which would cause gate and structural issues
- Their curved, blended shape is more aerodynamically efficient than the older, flat wingtip fences or simple winglets, creating smoother airflow with less induced drag
Compared to the wingtip fences, as an aircraft flies, high-pressure air from beneath the wing curls around the wingtip to the low-pressure area above it, creating swirling air currents called wingtip vortices. These vortices increase induced drag, meaning the aircraft needs more fuel to maintain lift.
And yes, there’s a long Wikipedia page.
And with extra range and the ability to carry more passengers, small improvements add up over the lifetime that an aircraft is in service with an airline.
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