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Air Arabia orders 120 A320neo family aircraft

Air Arabia, noted as the first and largest low-cost carrier operating in Middle East and Northern Africa, signed a firm order for 120 Airbus aircraft comprising 73 A320neos, 27 A321neos and 20 A321XLRs. The agreement was signed at the 2019 Dubai Airshow.

“Air Arabia’s fleet growth strategy has always been driven by commercial demand and we are glad to announce today one of the region’s largest single-aisle orders with Airbus to support our growth plans,” said Adel Al Ali, CEO of Air Arabia, who was on hand to make the announcement with the airline’s chairman, Sheikh Abdullah Bin Mohammed Al Thani, and Airbus CEO Guillaume Faury.

“This new milestone underpins not only our solid financial fundamentals but also the strength of our multi-hub growth strategy that we have adopted over the years while remaining focused on efficiency, performance and passenger experience.” Added Al Ali. “The addition of the A320neo, A321neo and A321XLR complements our existing fleet and allows us to expand our service to farther and newer destinations while remaining loyal to our low-cost business model.”

Air Arabia is an all Airbus operator with a total fleet of 54 A320 Family aircraft including the A321LR. All aircraft will feature a single-class cabin. The A321XLR is the next evolutionary step from the A321LR to provide more range and payload. From 2023, it will deliver a range of up to 4,700 nautical miles – 15 per cent more than the A321LR.

“We are delighted to expand our partnership with Air Arabia,” Christian Scherer, chief commercial officer, Airbus. “This is a great endorsement for the A320neo Family which will allow the airline to tap into new markets. We are committed to supporting the fast expansion of Air Arabia and the region”

At the end of October 2019, the A320neo Family had received more than 7,000 firm orders from over 110 customers worldwide.