Story ID: 461
Vietjet Boosts Narrowbody Fleet with A321neo Order
By: Charles Alcock
Caption: Vietnamese carrier also recently ordered more A330neos
Word Count: 333
Vietjet delivered the airliner deal of the second day at the Paris Air Show when it signed a memorandum of understanding with Airbus covering orders for 100 A321neo narrowbodies, with options for another 50 of the airliners. The Vietnamese carrier’s CEO, Dinh Viet Phuong, was at Le Bourget to sign the agreement with Benoît de Saint-Exupéry, Airbus’s executive v-p for commercial aircraft sales.
The airline, which already has a fleet of more than 100 Airbus jets, recently placed an additional order for A330neo widebodies. “Together, the A321neo and A330neo will be perfect partners for Vietjet to continue to spread its wings, efficiently matching capacity more closely to demand across its network,” de Saint-Exupéry said.
As of the end of May, more than 7,000 A321neos had been ordered by some 90 operators. According to Airbus, the single-aisle airliner, which is powered by Pratt & Whitney’s Geared Turbofan (GTF) engines, has delivered a 20% reduction in fuel burn and carbon dioxide emissions, as well as being 50% quieter than previous-generation narrowbodies.
On Monday, Frontier Airlines selected GTF engines to power 91 A321neos it has on order. The first of these aircraft is due to be delivered in the fourth quarter of 2026.
Twin Otters Heading For Ethiopia
Meanwhile, Ethiopian Airlines signed a purchase agreement on Tuesday for a pair of De Havilland Canada Twin Otter Classic 300-Gs. The carrier will operate the short takeoff and landing turboprop twins to remote communities in East Africa.
"The addition of the Twin Otter 300-G to our fleet reflects our strategy to expand domestic connectivity and support socio-economic growth in Ethiopia and across Africa," said Mesfin Tasew, group CEO of Ethiopian Airlines. "We selected the 300-G for its proven performance in difficult environments and its modern enhancements that align with our operational and sustainability goals. The aircraft will be configured with additional equipment for multifunction missions, including air ambulance, airport calibration, and charter services."