USA: Frontier Airlines Is First In U.S. To Get A320neo With CFM Engines

Frontier Airlines, headquarters in Denver, Colorado (U.S.), took delivery today of its first A320neo. Frontier is the first U.S. airline to receive an A320neo with CFM engines, and the aircraft is the first of 80 A320neo Family aircraft the low-cost carrier has ordered. All of Frontier’s A320neo Family aircraft will be powered by CFM International LEAP-1A engines.

“We’re excited to receive our first A320neo,” said Barry Biffle, President and CEO – Frontier Airlines. “The efficiency of the A320neo will help us lower costs even more and pass those savings along to our customers.”

“We are proud to deliver the first CFM-powered A320neo aircraft in the U.S. to our valued customer Frontier Airlines,” said John Leahy, Airbus Chief Operating Officer – Customers. “Now delivered to operators on three continents, the A320neo Family is the aircraft of choice among the world’s airlines.”

Each of the Frontier’s A320neo Family aircraft will feature lightweight composite Sharklets, 2.4-meter/94-inch tall wing-tip devices and new CFM’s LEAP-1A engines providing operators with double-digit improvements in fuel consumption and CO2 emissions – with a 15 percent reduction upon entry into service.

In addition to the A320neo delivered today, Frontier currently operates a fleet of 64 Airbus aircraft, including 30 A319s, 24 A320s and 10 A321s. Their current backlog of Airbus aircraft is comprised of 18 A319neo, 2 A320ceo, 61 A320neo and 6 A321ceo.

Frontier took delivery of its first Airbus aircraft in 2001 and has since transformed into an all-Airbus, all-A320 Family fleet, allowing the airline to optimize efficiency and economy by streamlining crew training and maintenance operations. The A320 Family also offers the most comfortable single-aisle cabin in the sky at a full seven inches wider than competing aircraft allowing for 18”-wide seats in comfort economy as standard.

The A320neo Family incorporates the very latest technologies including new generation engines and Sharklets, which together deliver more than 15 percent fuel savings from day one and 20 percent by 2020. With more than 4,800 orders received from 87 customers since its launch in 2010, the A320neo Family has captured some 60 percent share of the market.