Asian carrier finalises firm order for 70 Airbus aircraft
Aircraft manufacturer, Airbus, has won a firm order for 70 A321neo (new engine option) planes.
The group, which employs around 4,500 staff at its wing-making plant at Broughton near Chester, and several thousand staff in Filton, near Bristol, confirmed the order which finalised a memorandum of understanding signed in July by Cebu Pacific, of the Philippines.
The purchase agreement was signed in Manila by Mike Szucs, CEO of Cebu Pacific and Benoît de Saint-Exupéry, EVP Sales of the Commercial Aircraft business at Airbus.
Mike Szucs said: “The selection of Airbus A321neo underscores our focus on operational efficiency, sustainability, and innovation, ensuring that we continue to deliver the highest standards of service while significantly reducing our carbon footprint.
“This milestone signals our ongoing dedication to expanding air travel accessibility and affordability, while supporting the Philippine’s broader economic growth and connectivity goals.”
Benoît de Saint-Exupéry said: “The A320 family has supported Cebu Pacific’s domestic and short haul international network growth over the last two decades. We’re grateful to the airline for its continued endorsement of our best selling single-aisle product line.
“The A321neo is highly regarded for its unparalleled economics, performance and fuel efficiency. We’re confident that these additional A321neo aircraft will contribute strongly to the all-Airbus operator’s next phase of expansion as one of Asia-Pacific’s leading low cost carriers.”
Cebu Pacific operates 61 A320 family aircraft on its extensive regional network. In addition it flies nine A330 widebodies on high density routes in the region, as well as to destinations in the Middle East.
Following the latest order, the airline’s backlog with Airbus now stands at 94 A320neo family aircraft and seven A330neo.
The A321neo is the largest member of Airbus’s best-selling A320neo family, offering unparalleled range and performance.
By incorporating new generation engines and Sharklets, the A321neo brings a 50% noise reduction and more than 20% fuel savings and CO₂ reduction compared with previous generation single-aisle aircraft, while maximising passenger comfort in the widest single-aisle cabin in the sky.
To date more than 6,500 A321neo have been ordered by more than 90 customers across the globe.
