Airbus celebrates second order of the day with JAL
No sooner had Airbus completed its order announcement with Virgin Atlantic for seven A330s and it was straight over to its second order of the day with Japan Airlines (JAL) confirming an order for 20 A350-900 widebody aircraft and 11 A321neo single-aisle planes. The order solidifies a commitment made in March with delivery for both types of aircraft due between 2028 and 2032.
The A321 neo agreement represents JAL’s first order for the new Airbus narrowbody aircraft and will be used on domestic services within Japan. Meanwhile, the new A350-900s will join the carrier’s A350 fleet serving international routes. The all-new design features state-of-the-art technologies and aerodynamics to deliver on efficiency and comfort.
Thanking JAL for its confidence in Airbus and its renewed commitment to the A350, CEO Christian Scherer, said: “We are committed to providing our full support to Japan Airlines as its growing fleet is deployed on more routes across its network, both domestically and internationally.”
Speaking to JAL executive officer and SVP Procurement, Yukio Nakagawa, Scherer added: “Having JAL as a partner is an honour and we will work hard to continue earning your trust.”
Underlining its role as a more efficient aircraft, the A321neo, which incorporates new generation engines and Sharklets, brings a 50% noise reduction and more than 20% fuel savings and CO2 reduction compared to previous generation single-aisle aircraft.
Nakagawa said the airline plans to accelerate the introduction of Airbus’ state-of-the-art and fuel-efficient aircraft to provide passengers with excellent service and to reduce CO2 emissions. “We believe this additional introduction of Airbus aircraft will further deepen our partnership,” he said.
Nakagawa also said the A350-900 is a customer favourite with its quiet and spacious cabin ensuring passenger comfort. Having introduced its first A350 with cabin innovations on its Haneda to New York route in January he stated, “we are confident the A350 is totally suitable for international routes.”
