The order has been in the making, but maybe a bit quicker than expected, Pegasus Airlines has placed a follow-on order for 36 Airbus A321neo’s, the carrier said on July 14. AirInsight learns that the airline has exercised options from a previous order.
As reported in June, Pegasus said on the sidelines of the IATA AGM in Istanbul that it was working on a a new Airbus order. The airline is expected to capitalize from the significant growth of air travel to and within Turkey.
Pegasus expects to take delivery of its 100th aircraft in September, an A321neo. This is part of the ten deliveries expected this year, with another 21 A321neo’s joining in 2024 and eleven in 2025.
This completes deliveries from the original 2012 and amended orders of 2017, 2021, and 2022 for 114 A320neo family aircraft.
The new order brings the fleet to 150, of which 46 will be A320neo’s and 104 A321neo’s (the airline says 108). CEO Güliz Öztürk said in June that Pegasus isn’t interested in the A321XLR.
Deliveries of the CFM LEAP-powered aircraft are scheduled for 2026 to 2029. Because they are options, Pegasus has early delivery slots.
Öztürk says that the new aircraft will make a “significant contribution to reducing fuel consumption and emissions. In addition, we are actively pursuing many more initiatives on the road to net zero. In addition to our fleet transformation with new generation aircraft, we are moving towards this goal through our operational efficiency efforts, increasing our use of sustainable aviation fuel and our focus on alternative energy sources. In 2023 and beyond, our main goal will be to maintain and advance our leading position in the industry with our innovative, rational, principled, and responsible approach.”
Pegasus still operates seven Airbus A320ceo’s and seventeen Boeing 737-800s. The latter should be phased out in 2025, depending on the deliveries of the aircraft already on order.
