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March 28, 2024
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Two Asia-Pacific carriers, Cebu Pacific Air and China Airlines, have each taken delivery of new aircraft types from Airbus at the tail end of November. Cebu Pacific of the Philippines received its first A330-900 on 28 November, while China Airlines of Taiwan received its first A321neo a day later. Cebu Pacific and China Airlines receive new Airbus types.

Emphasizing the A330neo’s green credentials, Cebu Pacific says the aircraft uses 25 percent less fuel as compared to the previous generation of aircraft. It also claims that the higher seat count of 459 seats, as compared to the 436 seats on the A330-300s it operates, will result in the “lowest carbon footprint per passenger.”

Its chief strategy officer Alex Reyes says the A330neo addition “brings us closer to our target of having an all-neo fleet by 2027, and shows our commitment to making air travel accessible, while ensuring environmental and social sustainability. We believe that growth and sustainability are not mutually exclusive and should in fact be inclusive if we want to work towards the greater good. This is why we will always choose the greener options – increased aircraft efficiency, reduced noise, and carbon emissions, to ensure that more low fares will be available for everyone.” 

The Philippine low-cost carrier will begin deploying the A330-900 on domestic and international destinations starting this December. Meanwhile, Airbus says the carrier has orders for 16 A330neos, and 38 A320neo family aircraft.

China Airlines takes first A321neo

China Airlines’ received its first A321neo aircraft on lease from Air Lease Corporation (ALC). This marks the addition of a third Airbus type to its fleet, after the A330-300s and A350-900s.

The carrier’s A321neo is configured with 12 full-flat business class seats and 168 economy seats, higher than the 158-161 seat configuration on its Boeing 737-800s. Upgraded cabin features of the aircraft include full-flat business class seats, an improved inflight entertainment system, as well a high-speed Wi-Fi connection.

Besides improvement on the cabin product, the aircraft will be capable of carrying up to twenty percent more cargo capacity, where its cargo loading system uses pallet containers for a more efficient cargo handling, while the belly hold can be configured for bulk cargo for greater flexibility. Following its arrival in Taiwan, the A321neo will undergo a “preparation and certification process” before being deployed on routes within the Northeast and Southeast Asia regions, says China Airlines.

In a separate statement, Airbus says China Airlines will take a total of 25 A321neos through a combination of direct order (11 aircraft) with the manufacturer, and leased from Air Lease Corporation (14 aircraft). The China Airlines A321neo also incorporates the Airbus Cabin Flex, which allows optimal use of space by relocating various fixtures and fittings, adds Airbus.

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