Airbus Confirms An A320neo Order

Airbus has confirmed the finalisation of an order for its A320neo family from the Air Astana Group as part of a historic purchase.

The deal is the largest-ever direct order placed by the group and includes 25 Airbus A320neo family aircraft, marking also the 20th anniversary of its operations, with the first A320 in 2006.

The order is being viewed as a reflection of the airline’s commitment to maintaining operational efficiency and excellence in service across the long term, with the A320neo proven as a platform for that, which has already offered success throughout the years.

These new aircraft will be deployed not only to Air Astana but also to its low-cost subsidiary, FlyArystan, as part of an effort to overhaul the fleet and accelerate towards renewal efforts, where 59 A320 family aircraft are already present across the Group.

Airbus’ EVP for Sales in the Commercial Aircraft business said the order validates the economics and market appeal of the A320neo family as one of the world’s best, and additionally, its ability to slot into one of the fastest-growing markets of Central Asia.

The planemaker also said it was pleased to support Airbus in solidifying its position within the airline Group’s fleet, as it directly supports the vision to better connect Kazakhstan to the world, and to do so globally.

The A320 family is already the world’s most popular single-aisle, having at one point won more than 19,000 orders globally, and the A321neo has become a favourite, the A321LR especially so, which Air Astana heavily relies on.

Airbus A321LR A Favourite For Air Astana

Air Astana specifically values the A321LR highly because it delivers the airline what can only be described as a true long-haul aircraft, capable of a widebody flying-style premium experience, but in a package that is much smaller and more efficient for business.

The airlines’ A321LR aircraft have been configured to seat 166, including 16 fully lie-flat business class seats in a throne layout, with solo travellers seeing direct and/or near-aisle access.

The premium aircraft the business has opted for is considered one of the best narrowbody products and platforms for its own use, bringing the line between these single-aisles and the economics of widebodies far closer together.

With a range of roughly 4,000nm, these aircraft also slot into a range class that allows long, thin routes to be operated nonstop year-round without a strict reliance on seasonal traffic to fill widebodies.

When combining all these features into one package, the airline believes the A321LR truly finds itself as the perfect middle-ground option to grow the network in a much more sustainable manner, without the need for full reliance on widebodies in markets that may be uneconomic.