Spirit Airlines to Sell 29 Used A319ceo

DALLAS - US low-cost carrier (LCC) Spirit Airlines (NK) agreed to sell 29 of its used A319ceos to Gryphon Trading Company, an aircraft lessor. This agreement will allow NK to phase out its older A319s and replace them with newer A320neo family aircraft.

According to the agreement filed with the US Securities and Exchanges commission on January 19, deliveries will start in the first quarter of 2023, and the last aircraft should leave NK's fleet in Q3 2024. Moreover, 14 A319ceos will have already left the fleet by the end of the year.

The remaining two A319ceos should be returned to their lessor in 2025. This means the airline will entirely phase out the fleet before 2025 as part of its fleet renewal.

Fleet Renewal

This agreement is part of the fleet renewal program of the LCC. Indeed, these aircraft will be replaced by the new engine option (neo) version of the A319, a newer and quieter version of the type. NK currently has 31 A319neos on order, perfectly matching the size of its current A319ceo fleet.

The airline currently operates a fleet of almost 200 A320 family aircraft, mainly ceo versions. However, the airline has placed orders for each airplane of the A320neo family to replace its older variants.

NK already operates about 70 A320neos and will continue to take delivery of A320neo family aircraft until at least 2027. It is expected to progressively phase out the older aircraft, with similar agreements for A320ceos. 

The agreement NK signed with leasing company Gryphon is a new step in the airline's fleet renewal. However, because of the merger with JetBlue (B6), both airlines may modify their fleet renewal programs accordingly.

Featured Image: The last A319ceo should leave the fleet by 2025. Photo: Andrew Henderson/Airways.