South American operator LAN Airlines has firmed an order for 50 more Airbus narrowbodies as it continues to bolster its short-haul fleet.
The order confirms a memorandum of understanding signed at this year’s Farnborough Air Show, and adds to the airline’s current Airbus narrowbody order tally of 98 airframes.
Deliveries of this latest order are scheduled to begin in 2013, and will include A320s fitted with Airbus’ Sharklets. The order also includes 10 A321s, the only Airbus narrowbody not operated by LAN.
“Since 2008, our short-haul fleet has been entirely composed by Airbus A320-family aircraft. Through this agreement, we confirm LAN’s commitment to the development of commercial aviation in Latin America by carefully selecting our aircraft based on its ability to effectively and efficiently serve our short- and long-haul flight needs,” says LAN’s Chief Operating Officer Ignacio Cueto in a release.
LAN previously has ordered 15 A318s, 32 A319s and 51 A320s, and currently operates 62 aircraft from the European manufacturer’s narrowbody family. By the end of the year it intends to operate 63, and plans to expand this to 76 Airbus narrowbodies in 2011, 84 in 2012 and 94 in 2013.
LAN’s current plan forecasts a fleet of 136 aircraft from the A320 family by the end of 2018.
This growth is in tandem with the current fleet plan at LAN’s merger partner TAM, which intends to operate 121 Airbus narrowbodies by the end of 2010 (85 A320s, 27 A319s and seven A321s) and 124 next year. In 2012 TAM’s plan envisions a 128-strong all A320-fleet, rising to 132 in 2013 and 137 in 2014.
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