Tigerair Taiwan, the only Taiwanese low-cost carrier, has signed an agreement with Airbus to purchase four A321neos, the European plane maker said yesterday.
The purchase agreement marked the first time the Taiwanese carrier has ordered A321neo aircraft to expand its fleet, Airbus said in a statement.
Tigerair operates an all-Airbus fleet of 17 aircraft, comprising nine A320ceos and eight A320neos.
Photo courtesy of Tigerair Taiwan
The carrier would benefit from greater commonality across the A320 family, reducing training, maintenance and operating costs, Airbus said.
Earlier yesterday, Tigerair said that its chairwoman Huang Shih-hui (黃世惠) had traveled to Singapore to attend the Singapore Airshow, where the carrier was scheduled to sign a purchase agreement with Airbus.
“The purchase of A321neo aircraft is a cornerstone of our ‘third-generation’ fleet expansion, designed to maximize operational efficiency as we scale for regional dominance,” Huang was quoted as saying in the Airbus statement.
“Configured with 232 seats, the A321neo allows us to increase capacity on our high-demand ‘golden routes’ and accelerate network expansion,” Huang said.
Echoing Huang, Airbus said that the A321neo is the largest member of the aircraft maker’s best-selling A320neo family, offering segment-leading operating economics and extended range to enable airlines to serve regional and medium-haul routes with greater flexibility.
The A321neo consumes at least 20 percent less fuel and creates 20 percent fewer carbon dioxide emissions than the earlier generation of aircraft, Airbus said.
Tigerair, a subsidiary of China Airlines, has said that its fleet introduction plan aims to expand its next-generation fleet to 30 aircraft by 2033, improving fuel efficiency and supporting its carbon-reduction goals.
Tigerair yesterday also said that it would launch a new Taichung-Okinawa route on March 30, with two flights per week in the initial phase.
The service would make Tigerair the only Taiwan-based airline offering direct flights to the Japanese islands from Taoyuan, Taichung, Tainan and Kaohsiung, the budget carrier said.
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