Finnair to order five extended-range Airbus aircraft for its European traffic
Friday 11, June 2010
Finnair will order five new Airbus A321ER aircraft. This type of aircraft is a further development of the type of aircraft already used by the company that forms the backbone of the European fleet.
The aircraft's range is over 5,000 kilometres, which allows, for example, direct flights from Finland to the Canary Islands. Finnair is the first to order this developed version of A321. The first delivery is scheduled in 2013. In the next few years, the new aircraft will replace four Boeing 757 aircraft used on leisure flights.
Finnair's fleet is one of the most modern in the world. The new type of aircraft is more fuel efficient than before and it produces less emissions. At the same time, the acquisition will standardise the Finnair fleet, allowing long-haul, European and leisure traffic aircraft to be flown by the same crews, said Finnair's SVP Corporate Communications Christer Haglund at ILA Berlin Air Show.
The new wing-tip sharklets reduce fuel consumption by up to four percent. Engine manufacturer has not yet been selected. The aircraft to be used by Finnair will have around 200 seats.
Finnair has systematically renewed its fleet since 1999, when the modernisation of the European traffic fleet began. The fleet renewal will reduce emissions by at least 41 percent from 1999 to 2007. The Finnair fleet currently consists of 29 Airbus A320 aircraft and 12 long-haul Airbus A330 and A340 aircraft. At the end of the year, one more A330 long-haul aircraft will join the fleet. In addition, Embraer aircraft are used in domestic and European feeder traffic.
The order is valued at over 400 million euros based on list prices. The five narrow-bodied aircraft will replace an order for two long-haul aircraft planned for 2012-2013. As other airlines reduce their capacities, it is possible to find aircraft to meet the possible needs of long-haul traffic growth on favourable terms.
The new aircraft will deliver improved synergy between Finnair's scheduled and leisure flight operations. Finnair's goal in the next few years is to increase its market share of the growing leisure flight market.
The reorganisation of flight production last year and the new aircraft give us an opportunity to offer competitive leisure travel products to both Finnair Group's tour operator Aurinkomatkat-Suntours and other tour operators, says Haglund.
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