On Thursday, Airbus announced the delivery of Swiss International Airlines' first A320neo aircraft. The delivery ceremony took place in Hamburg, Germany where SWISS received the first of 25 A320neos on order.
Today, Airbus announced the delivery of Swiss International Air Lines’ first of 25 A320neos on order. The delivery ceremony took place in Hamburg, Germany where SWISS and Airbus representatives celebrated the handover of the aircraft. In a separate announcement, Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) celebrated the Zurich arrival of their new A320neo named ‘Engelberg.’ The aircraft, with registration HB-JDA, arrived in Zurich at 10:57AM after flying directly from Airbus’s Hamburg-Finkenwerder works airport in Northern Germany.
Between now and 2024 SWISS will receive a total of seventeen A320neos as well as eight larger A321neos. The new aircraft will replace the previous generation A320 Family aircraft in the SWISS fleet and will provide enhanced operational and environmental efficiencies. The formal naming ceremony for ‘Engelberg’ took place in a hangar at Zurich Airport and was jointly performed by Alex Höchli, the mayor of the Central Swiss mountain resort and Brother Meinrad Haberl of Engelberg Monastery. In Thursday’s announcement, SWISS CEO Thomas Klühr said,
“Our new Airbus A320neo family aircraft will substantially further reduce the average age of the SWISS aircraft fleet. Once they are all delivered, our aircraft’s average age will be one of the youngest in Europe at around nine years. These billion-franc investments will further enhance our environmental credentials, too, because operating an advanced and fuel-efficient aircraft fleet is one of the most effective means of all of reducing the ecological impact of aviation activities.”
The Airbus A320neo combines the latest generation Pratt & Whitney engines with sharklets and cabin efficiency enablers to deliver a 20 percent reduction in fuel burn and 50 percent reduction in noise footprint, when compared to previous generation aircraft. SWISS’s new aircraft also incorporates redesigned seats, developed by Italian manufacturer Geven, which tangibly enhance guest comfort. For main cabin guests, the new seats increase the standard recline from 12 to 20 degrees, while Business Class guests enjoy a generous 26 degree recline.
Airbus has received orders for more that 7,300 A320neo Family aircraft since its 2010 launch. The aircraft, which has been ordered by over 110 global customers, currently commands 60 percent of the market share for single-aisle aircraft.
Source(s): Airbus, Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS)