A logo of low cost carrier Spirit Airlines is pictured on an Airbus plane in Colomiers near Toulouse, France, November 6, 2018. — Reuters pic
PARIS, Oct 24 — Spirit Airlines intends to buy up to 100 Airbus A320neo family aircraft, the two firms said today as the low-cost US carrier seeks to sustain rapid expansion using fuel-efficient jets.
“The additional aircraft will be used to support Spirit’s growth as we add new destinations and expand our network across the US, Latin America and the Caribbean,” Spirit’s chief executive Ted Christie said in a statement.
The deal could exceed US$10 billion (RM41.8 billion) at catalogue prices.
Spirit, a fast growing ultra-low-cost carrier based in South Florida, boasts of one of the youngest and most fuel-efficient fleets of aircraft in the United States.
The Airbus 320 family is a workhorse of the commercial airline industry, a single-aisle aircraft used for medium range flights.
The neo versions with a new generation of engines and other features offer 20 per cent reduction in fuel use compared with the previous generation of aircraft, making them particularly attractive to low-cost airlines that often operate with tighter margins. — AFP