Aeroflot took delivery of its first A320neo last week in Toulouse, under a four-aircraft leasing contract signed with CDB Aviation.
The aircraft was delivered by Airbus on May 14 and will be followed by two more A320neo and one A321neo by the end of the month.
“We are pleased to expand our strategic relationship between Aeroflot and CDB Aviation,” said Peter Goodman, the lessor’s CCO, who added that the planes are part of the Russian carrier’s fleet optimization plan.
Aeroflot has been a customer of Airbus for a long time, with 128 jets of the A320ceo family, in addition to A330 widebodies (13 planes) and one A350, but had not yet introduced any Neo model, which offers a lower operating cost and greater range.
The delivery comes months before Aeroflot expects to launch the new Russian single-aisle jet, the MC-21-300, which is not by chance a direct competitor to the A320neo.
Russia’s largest airline has ordered 50 MC-21 aircraft and is expected to be the launch customer of the model in 2022. UAC, the holding company that controls Irkut and other manufacturers in the country, plans to certify the narrowbody jet by the end of this year.
