Major Airbus Order Announced

Airbus has secured a new aircraft order from global aircraft lessor Avolon, providing a substantial boost to the planemaker’s backlog.

The landmark new purchase will see Avolon acquire 75 A321neo aircraft and also add 15 A330neos to its backlog, with deliveries scheduled to occur through 2033.

Avolon will, thanks to this latest deal, expand its commitment with Airbus to 413 aircraft, featuring many next-generation products for airlines that will require capacity via lease placements.

While the deal includes 90 firm aircraft, Avolon isn’t stopping there and is enhancing the contract further with the planemaker, as options will exist for an additional 25 A321neos and 15 A330neos.

These options can be activated at a later date should the leading global aircraft lessor see demand fit. Options are typically involved in deals such as these and are often activated as well.

Avolon, the launch customer for the A330neo programme, has already received 33 of the jets, with this latest deal further demonstrating its support for the widebody series, which has been accumulating orders recently.

Now the lessors’ order book for the Airbus A330neo stretches to 55 aircraft, with the plane offering 25% better efficiency in comparison to the aircraft it’s replacing and older A330ceos on the way out. It has become a compelling solution for airlines now looking to replace aging types.

As for the A321neo, this industry leader in the single-aisle space has become Airbus’ most successful aircraft year after year, and now Avolon has taken delivery of over 140 of the broader family. However, the future orders run deeper, with over 300 planes still expected.

Airbus’ Importance For Aircraft Lessors

This mammoth purchase is big for Avolon and Airbus. What it does is underscore the crucial role of lessors in supporting the backlog of commercial aircraft series at planemakers such as Airbus.

Not all airlines source their aircraft directly from the manufacturer; instead, they will look to sign long-term leases for their future fleet with lessors such as Avolon, which provides the planes.

Therefore, as a result, these global lessors must have a strong backlog and ensure deliveries can continue for years to come to match demand.

Nowadays, with these next-generation aircraft being snapped up by airlines, delivery slots paired with the existing delivery delays are being snapped up; thus, for smaller companies, leasing is the only way forward to secure the planes they need to compete and establish their route networks.

The EVP of Sales at Airbus stated that lessors are excellent barometers of the aircraft market; their purchases indicate the strong intent behind airlines to expand their fleets and when the market could be considered hot.

This endorsement illustrates the strong attractiveness to a wide variety of customers of these two aircraft, the most efficient in their category with the latest technologies embedded, covering the market space from domestic to regional to long haul routes. We value this partnership which has helped open new markets and broaden the customer base for both aircraft types.

Benoît de Saint-Exupéry, Airbus EVP Sales of the Commercial Aircraft