MIAMI — This last weekend, ultra-low-cost carrier (ULCC) Spirit Airlines has taken delivery of its first Airbus A320neo (N901NK • MSN 6833) at Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood International Airport from Hamburg Finkenwerder (via Goose Bay).
The Miramar-based carrier became the first airline in the United States to receive the new Airbus narrowbody variant. The jetliner, a lease from AerCap is the first of 55 of the type that Spirit Airlines has on order, with four more expected to arrive by the end of the year.
Back in February 2012, Spirit Airlines finalized its firm order for 75 Airbus single-aisles, including 45 A320neo. The order was subsequently changed last May, when an order for 10 A321neo was swapped for 10 A320neo.
The Pratt & Whitney PurePower PW1100G-JM engined aircraft emerged out of the Toulouse Final Assembly Line nearly a year ago, but the delivery has been delayed since Spring, attributed to technical issues related to the powerplant, as well as delays in the production of internal fittings. The aircraft boasts the same single-class configuration of their A320ceos, with 182 seats arranged in a high-density layout, including two rows of the ‘Big Front’ seats.
Initial scheduled flights are projected to be early November, with initial destinations to be announced. Spirit will become the 4th operator in the Americas following LATAM, Volaris and Viva Aerobus. Frontier is slated to to be the next U.S. operator to take A320neo series aircraft, to be powered by the CFM Leap-1A
