Airbus announced Friday the signing with Portuguese airline TAP of a firm order for 53 Airbus long and medium-haul A330 neo and A320 neo with a catalog value of $ 8.5 billion.
Airbus announced earlier today, Friday the signing with Portuguese airline TAP of a firm order for 53 Airbus long and medium-haul A330 neo and A320 neo aircraft with a catalog value of $ 8.5 billion.
“TAP has signed a firm order for 53 long-haul and medium-haul, 14 A330-900 neo and 39 A320 neo Family aircraft (15 A320 neo and 24 A321 neo),” said Airbus in a statement.
The aircraft manufacturer said the A330-900 neo replace a previous order for 12 A350-900s.
The company TAP, privatized during the summer, only operates Airbus and currently operates 43 A320 Family and 18 long haul.
Airbus has received more than 4,300 orders for the aircraft with which it holds approximately 60% of the segment of this category of devices.
The new version of the A330 should reduce consumption by 14% per seat. First deliveries are expected in the end of 2017.
“With this order of 53 brand new aircraft, for the reborn TAP ,” said John Leahy, Airbus commercial director, said in the statement, “The A330 neo as the A320 neo family, will give us the flexibility to enter new markets and increase the frequency on existing thanks to the combination of high reliability, moderate their operating costs and outstanding comfort,” added Fernando Pinto, CEO of TAP.
The Portuguese right-wing government, resigned on Thursday approved the finalization of the privatization of 61% of the TAP airline, under the fire of criticism from the left, while the Socialists hope to lead the future executive.
He had announced in June the sale of 61% stake in the airline to the American-Brazilian businessman David Neeleman, founder of Azul Brazilian company, and its Portuguese partner, Humberto Pedrosa.
Short of cash and debt totaling more than a billion euros, the TAP group had widened its losses to € 85.1 million in 2014.
