Summary
- LATAM Airlines receives its first Airbus A321neo aircraft, marking a milestone in its fleet renewal and commitment to sustainability.
- The A321neo is configured to seat 224 passengers and is delivered with 49% Sustainable Aviation Fuel, reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
- The airline’s order of 13 additional A321neos highlights its expansion strategy and commitment to technologically advanced and fuel-efficient aircraft.
The largest airline holding company in Latin America, LATAM Airlines, has received its first of many Airbus A321neo aircraft. On occasion, the airline also boosted its order book for the type with an order of additional 13 A321neo aircraft. The news comes over two months since the airline welcomed a new Airbus A320neo aircraft to its fleet.
The first of many
LATAM Airlines takes delivery of its first Airbus A321neo aircraft, the largest aircraft in the A320neo family. The aircraft is configured to seat 224 passengers. The aircraft was delivered to the airline having flown with 49% Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). SAF is produced from plants and waste oils and can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 80% compared to fossil fuels. Airbus has been offering its customers SAF on delivery flights since 2016.
Photo: Airbus
The Chief Financial Officer of LATAM Airlines, Ramiro Alfonsin, expressed his excitement about the environment-friendly aircraft the airline has invested in by stating,
Our fleet renewal and modernization strategy is fully aligned with our sustainability commitment and brings us closer to the goal of becoming a carbon-neutral group by 2050. We will continue to work on enhancing the current fleet with next-generation aircraft to further improve our connectivity while caring for the environment.
Airbus, along with its industry partners, is committed to providing sustainable aircraft solutions to its customers. The manufacturer is leading the aviation industry’s goal to become carbon neutral by 2050. The A320neo family aircraft strategically combines operational efficiency with reduced noise and environmental emissions. Christian Scherer, Chief Commercial Officer and Head of Airbus International expressed his gratitude towards the airline by saying,
We thank LATAM for their continued confidence in our aircraft, reselecting the A321neo for its continued network growth. This strategic move also accelerates LATAM decarbonisation trajectory as the A321neos are at least 20% more fuel-efficient, emitting 20% less CO2 and 50% less noise compared to previous generation aircraft.
Photo: Thiago B Trevisan/Shutterstock.
The newly delivered aircraft also features the Airbus’ Airspace XL overhead bins, providing 40% more storage space compared to the conventional bins. Airbus claims that the XL bins allow a more relaxed boarding experience for passengers.
A healthy order book for LATAM
LATAM Airlines is the largest operator of Airbus aircraft in Latin America. The airline operates more than 240 Airbus aircraft in its fleet. The airline has repeatedly shown its commitment to the technologically advanced aircraft the manufacturer has to offer. As part of the airline’s narrowbody fleet expansion strategy, it has a total of 111 Airbus A320 family aircraft on order.
Today’s order of 13 additional A321neos brings the backlog of the type to 76. The first aircraft has been leased from Ireland-based AerCap Holdings, the world’s largest aviation leasing company. The arrival of the new aircraft is expected to drive regional growth for the airline.
What are your thoughts on the delivery of the first Airbus A321neo for LATAM and its order of an additional 13 aircraft for the type? Tell us in the comments section.