Indigo Partners' airlines order 255 Airbus A321neos worth $33bn at Dubai Airshow

102 aircraft will be delivered to Hungary's Wizz Air, 91 to Colorado-based Frontier Airlines, 39 to Mexico's Volaris, and 23 to Chile's JetSmart

The Airbus A321neo is popular among low-cost airlines. Reuters

Indigo Partners, a US private equity firm focused on air transport, said four airlines in its portfolio placed additional orders for Airbus A321neo aircraft, worth about $33 billion at list prices, at the Dubai Airshow.

The aircraft ordered today are a mix of A321neos and A321XLRs. Hungary's Wizz Air will receive 102 aircraft (75 A321neo and 27 A321XLR), Colorado-based Frontier Airlines gets 91 A321neos, Mexico's Volaris will have 39 A321neos delivered, Chile's JetSmart will have 23 (21 A321neo + 2 A321XLR), the company said on Sunday. The value of the deal was not disclosed.

It brings the total number of A320 family aircraft ordered by Arizona-based Indigo Partners’ airlines to 1,145. In addition to this order, Volaris and JetSmart will upconvert 38 A320neo to A321neo from their existing aircraft backlogs.

“This order reaffirms our portfolio airlines’ commitment to consistent growth through the next decade. The Airbus A321neo and A321XLR have industry-leading efficiency, low unit costs and a substantially reduced carbon footprint relative to prior models,” Bill Franke, managing partner of Indigo Partners, said.

The global aviation industry is gradually recovering from the effects of the coronavirus as appetite for air travel returns. Airlines emerging from the pandemic are reviewing their fleet plans and rebuilding their flight networks, as well as phasing out older, less fuel-efficient aircraft for more sustainable models to align with the industry's efforts to achieve net-zero emissions.

The new aircraft will help Wizz, Frontier, Volaris and JetSmart "to offer low fares, stimulate the markets they serve and improve their industry-leading sustainability profile", Mr Franke said.

The new aircraft are scheduled for delivery between 2023 and 2029, Frontier said in a separate statement.

Indigo Partners and Airbus made a splash at the 2017 Dubai Airshow, when the former handed Airbus a $49.5 billion order for 430 A320neo jets – the aeroplane manufacturer's largest deal at the time.

“We are happy to further expand our relationship with our great Indigo Partners’ airlines Wizz, Frontier, Volaris and JetSmart who have acted fast and decisively over the last few months to position themselves for this landmark order as the effect of the pandemic recedes and the world wants more sustainable flying,” said Christian Scherer, Airbus's chief commercial officer and head of Airbus International.

The A321neo incorporates new-generation engines and wing-tip sharklets, which together deliver more than 25 per cent fuel and carbon dioxide savings, and halves noise. The A321XLR version provides a further range extension to 4,700nm, giving it a flight time of up to 11 hours.

The A320neo family has received a total of more than 7,550 orders from 122 customers since its launch in 2010, with deliveries at more than 1,950 since its entry into service five years ago.