Airbus has been on quite the run this year, with several massive orders coming in to fill up their order book. But which airlines have made the biggest orders and which airline has been the most successful? Let's find out.
All these orders are current up to the 1st of September, so it doesn't include the new AirAsia X order, nor any conversions from A321neos to A321XLRs.
Air Vanuatu
Starting off this list is Air Vanuatu who has placed an order for four aircraft. They have ordered two A220-100s and two A220-300s.
Air France
Air France ordered 60 Airbus A220s and options for another 60.
Group CEO, Benjamin Smith, said in a press release,
“We are very pleased to work with Airbus to add the A220-300 to our fleet, an aircraft that demonstrates optimum environmental, operational, and economic efficiency. The selection of the Airbus A220-300 supports our goal of a more sustainable operation, by significantly reducing CO2 and noise emissions.
Lufthansa
Juggernaut airline Lufthansa managed to get in a huge order for 20 Airbus A350-900 aircraft, to spread not only within its own fleet but to its subsidiary airlines such as Brussels Airlines and SWISS. Lufthansa has also ordered 20 Boeing 787s.
“By replacing four-engine planes with new models, we are laying a sustainable foundation for our future in the long run. In addition to the cost-effectiveness of the A350 and B787, the significantly lower CO2 emissions of this new generation of long-haul aircraft was also a decisive factor in our investment decision.”
Starlux Airlines
Startup airline Starlux Airlines has placed an order for five A350-900s and 12 A350-1000s to start its first routes.
Speaking about the A350XWB order, Kuo-Wei Chang, CEO of Starlux commented,
“As a pilot myself, I personally experienced the test-flight of the A350-1000. Its outstanding performance really amazed me. The A350XWB is indeed one-of-a-kind in the current market, and perfectly suited for such a geographic location as Taiwan”.
Uganda Airlines
Uganda Airlines managed to squeeze in an order for two entry-level A330-800s. This is a bit surprising as the A330-800 has struggled to get orders so far.
Delta Airlines
Delta Airlines has also ordered five A220-300s to help supplement its A220 order from last year.
Qantas
Qantas came out of the gate with a very surprising order for 10 Airbus A321XLRs. There has been much speculation as to which route it will deploy this aircraft on, or if it will all go to low-cost subsidiary Jetstar.
Saudia
Saudia ordered 30 A320neos. This was a switch of its Boeing 737 MAX order to an Airbus A320neo when the former was grounded.
American Airlines
When American Airlines saw that Qantas ordered the A321XLR, it decided to follow suit with its own order of 20 aircraft. This also included upgrading 30 of its current A321neo orders into the special long-range type.
Aer Lingus & Iberia
IAG ordered 14 Airbus A321XLR aircraft for both the Aer Lingus fleet (six aircraft) and Iberia (eight aircraft). Iberia would also order the A320neo.
JetBlue
JetBlue ordered 10 Airbus A220-300 aircraft as part of a huge fleet expansion. This order is an increase in its orders from last year (and increases its backlog to 70 A220s). It also converted 13 A321neos into A321XLRs.
Virgin Atlantic
Virgin Atlantic ordered 14 of the famous Airbus A330-900 aircraft. According to Airbus, the 14 firm A330-900 orders will replace Virgin Atlantic’s classic engine option A330s. However, there are also options for six further Airbus A330neos, which could be used for a fleet expansion should the airline see fit.
Air China
In July, Air China confirmed an order for 20 A350-900s, to top up its existing fleet of 10 of the type.
The carrier said as part of the announcement that the order would “expand the overall fleet capacity of the Group and optimise its fleet structure”.
The A350s are due for delivery between 2020 and 2022.
Other Airlines
Some other airlines that managed to get in some orders are All Nippon Airways (ANA) who ordered 18 A320neos, and various leasing and private customers. All in all, so far this year 262 aircraft have been ordered from the European aerospace giant.
What do you think? Have we missed any major order? Let us know in the comments.