easyJet receives first of 130 A320neo aircraft

Airbus has delivered easyJet’s first A320neo, which is also the airline’s 300th A320 Family aircraft, at a ceremony in Toulouse involving Carolyn McCall, easyJet CEO, Gaël Méheust, CFM international CEO, Tom Enders, Airbus CEO, and other senior executives.

The aircraft, powered by CFM LEAP-1A engines, is configured in a comfortable 186 seat layout. To mark the occasion and to distinguish the NEO fleet, the aircraft has a specially designed NEO logo on the fuselage. easyJet’s NEO fleet will be based out of London Luton Airport and operate its first commercial flights in June to Amsterdam, Madrid and Edinburgh.

From its first A320 Family delivery in 2003, easyJet has grown to operate Europe’s largest A320 Family fleet and is also Europe’s largest customer for the NEO. Environmentally, the NEO has significant benefits with a 15 percent reduction in fuel burn and CO₂ emissions rising to 20 percent by 2020. The noise footprint is also reduced by 50 percent.

In May 2017, easyJet upsized orders for 30 A320neo with 186 seats to the larger capacity A321neo with 235 seats for growth at slot constrained airports.