Budget carrier easyJet confirms 56-plane order following shareholder approval

Low cost carrier easyJet has confirmed a firm order for 56 A320neo (new engine option) family aircraft following shareholder approval.

Shareholders voted by a majority of 99.95% in favour of the order at a general meeting today (July 20).

Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou, founder of easyJet, had previously opposed the order in a long-running and acrimonious battle with the board, but he decided to call a truce with management and voted in favour.

Following the vote, easyJet chair, Stephen Hester, said: “The board believes the aircraft purchase will support positive returns for the business and the delivery of our strategic objectives. We’re pleased with the strong support that shareholders have shown today by approving the resolution.”

The order is part of easyJet’s fleet renewal and up-gauging, cost and sustainability enhancements to the business.

The agreement includes an upsizing of 18 A320neo to the larger A321neo model.

Wings for all the aircraft will be made at the Broughton Airbus manufacturing plant, near Chester, which employs almost 5,000 staff.

Kenton Jarvis, CFO for easyJet, said: “We believe this order will support positive returns for the business and the delivery of our strategic objectives.

“The new aircraft are aligned with easyJet’s sustainability strategy, with the adoption of the more efficient new technology aircraft being a core component of easyJet’s path to net zero emissions.

“Alongside this, the new aircraft are significantly quieter, with half the noise footprint of the older aircraft they are replacing.”

Christian Scherer, chief commercial officer and head of Airbus International, said: “easyJet has democratised flying for millions of travellers and we are delighted this latest agreement for 56 A320neo family aircraft not only future proofs its growth as traffic rebounds, but also lays the foundations for its sustainability journey.”

The budget carrier currently operates a fleet of more than 300 A320 family including the A319, A320ceo, A320neo and A321neo, making it the world’s largest airline operator of Airbus’s single aisle aircraft.

It serves more than 130 European airports in some 31 countries operating in excess of 1,000 routes.

The A320neo family incorporates the very latest technologies including new generation engines and Sharklets, which together deliver at least 20% fuel saving. With more than 8,100 orders from more than 130 customers, the A320neo family is the world’s most popular aircraft.

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