Vietjet and aircraft manufacturer Airbus signed a contract for 20 brand-new A321XLR aircraft on October 31 in Toulouse (France). The first aircraft will be delivered in 2023, making Vietjet one of the first carriers in the world to operate Airbus’ newest “extra-long-range” version. With a range of up to 8,700km, the innovative model will serve Vietjet’s fleet of international flight network expansion plans in the near future. On this occasion, the two parties also signed an agreement for two additional A320/A321 aircraft Simulators (SIM) for pilot and technician training, increasing the manufacturer’s investment to Vietjet Aviation Academy to three SIMs. The two additional aircraft Simulators will also help to increase the capacity for training at the Vietjet facility.
Vietjet President & CEO Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao and Airbus Chief Executive Officer Guillaume Faury co-signed the important contract during the official visit of Thao and Vietjet’s top leaders to Europe. Thao said: “Vietjet has always been a pioneer for operating new, modern, advanced and fuel-efficient aircraft. We are proud of operating the world’s youngest Airbus fleet with an average age of only 2.7 years, which has contributed greatly to Vietjet’s success over the past years. Following the signing of this contract today, the new A321XLR will be the perfect upgrade to comprehensively modernize Vietjet’s fleet as we look to strongly grow the international flight network. It’s exciting to know that our passengers will soon enjoy flying on our comfortable, modern and cost-saving mid-haul flights.”
Speaking at the contract signing ceremony, Airbus Chief Executive Officer Guillaume Faury, said: “Vietjet is one of the fastest-growing carriers in the Asian region and we feel proud to have the A321XLR joining its fleet. This order is another strong endorsement of our decision to bring true long-range capability to the single-aisle market with the A321XLR, enabling airlines to extend their networks at the lowest possible cost. Furthermore, we are also pleased to further develop our collaboration with Vietjet in the area of training.”
With this latest contract, Vietjet’s total order book with Airbus reaches 186 aircraft with the first A321XLRs to be delivered to the airline from 2023 onwards. The next evolutionary step from the A321LR, the A321XLR model responds to market needs for even more range and payload, creating more value for the airlines. From 2023, the aircraft will deliver an unprecedented Xtra Long Range of up to 4,700nm (8,704 km), 15 per cent more than the A321LR, and with 30 per cent lower fuel burn per seat compared with previous-generation aircraft.
As part of the deals for the new aircraft and SIMs, Airbus Services also provides state-of-the-art training solutions to ensure safe, reliable and economically efficient operations on all Airbus aircraft throughout their lifecycle. The aircraft manufacturer is also on-hand to offer support at every step of the way with a comprehensive and tailored training portfolio designed and developed by Airbus for Vietjet’s pilots, cadets, cabin crews, performance & operations engineers, maintenance personnel and structure & repair specialists.
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