Avolon Finalizes Airbus A330neo Order

DALLAS — Avolon, the Irish aircraft leasing company, has finalized an order for Airbus A330neo aircraft that was previously disclosed as a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) during the 2023 Paris Air Show. The order includes 20 units of the longer A330-900 variant.

The delivery of these aircraft is expected to take place between 2025 and 2028, depending on the demand from third-party airline customers. The A330neo is gaining popularity in the market as it offers improved fuel efficiency compared to traditional A330ceo jets.

Avolon's CEO, Andy Cronin, stated that there is a strong demand for widebody aircraft within the delivery window for these A330neos. These new additions to Avolon's fleet will support their future growth plans and provide options for airlines looking to replace older A330ceo aircraft with more fuel-efficient alternatives.

In addition to this order, Avolon also reached an agreement with Salam Air (OV), a low-cost carrier from Oman, to dry-lease three Airbus A330-900s during the Paris Air Show.

The A330-900 keeps winning the race, while its shorter brother, the 800 variant, is stuck in the market with few orders. Photo: Airbus.

Airlines Want Larger Jets

During the 2023 Paris Air Show, Cronin explained to Airways that the preference for the A330-900 variant over the shorter A330-800 variant indicates that customers are increasingly interested in operating larger-capacity jets within the A330 family.

Currently, there are only seven commercially active A330-800 units, with Air Greenland (GL) operating one, Kuwait Airways (KU) operating four, and Uganda Airlines (UR) operating two.

This trend towards larger-capacity aircraft is not limited to long-haul flights. Avolon has announced that they have modified their order book with Airbus for the A320neo family. They have switched 50 aircraft from the shorter A320neo to the longer A321neo variant, as there is a greater demand for this particular model.

In Europe, WizzAir (W6) stands out as the largest operator of the A321neo, with 98 units already in service, 15 awaiting delivery in the short term, and an additional 75 A321neo planes recently added to their order to support their expansion plans.

Featured image: Airbus

https://airwaysmag.com/paris-air-show-2023-review-a-strong-comeback/