Summary
- The primary A320neo of Brussels Airlines has been sighted before its planned entry to service.
- The airline is prone to operate its milestone first flight later this 12 months, and has never flown a brand-new aircraft before in its 16-year history.
- The A320neo, with its sustainability livery and improved fuel efficiency, is about to exchange Brussels Airlines’ aging A319 fleet, offering a powerful 30% reduction in fuel usage per seat.
The primary A320neo to affix the Brussels Airlines fleet has been spotted in Toulouse ahead of the kind’s entry to service later this 12 months. The Belgian carrier expects to welcome a complete of 5 neos by the tip of 2024.
Brussels to debut A320neo soon
Brussels Airlines’ first Airbus A320neo (registration: OO-SBA) rolled out of the paint shop in Toulouse in June – the brand-new aircraft sports a sustainability livery with ‘Less CO2, Less Fuel, Less Noise’ emblazoned on the side of the fuselage.
Photo: Eurospot
With the A320neo expected to enter service in the approaching weeks, OO-SBA was once more sighted in Toulouse ahead of its first revenue flight. This will probably be a giant milestone for the Belgian airline – it has never operated a brand-new aircraft over its 16-year history, as all other aircraft in its fleet have had previous owners.
A320neo plans
Brussels was aiming to host an official launch ceremony for its latest plane in September before a planned entry-to-service in October. While the kind has yet to operate a passenger flight, there continues to be one other week to go in October for this to occur.
Photo: Eurospot
The status of the airline’s next two A320neo airframes can be unclear. The carrier claimed earlier this 12 months that it might induct three neos into its fleet by the tip of 2023, with the opposite two to affix in 2024. Nonetheless, at this stage, it is not known if the Belgian airline still expects this delivery schedule – Easy Flying has reached out to Brussels Airlines for comment and can update this story accordingly.
The carrier added 4 aircraft to its fleet over the summer, helping it to spice up capability by around 10%. This includes two Airbus A320-200s which have turn into a everlasting addition to the fleet.
About OO-SBA
OO-SBA is powered by two CFMI Leap-1A engines and utilizes 15-20% less fuel than the A321ceo, together with a 50% reduction in noise emissions. Brussels states that, as the brand new aircraft are set to exchange its ageing A319 fleet, they are going to offer an 11% reduction in fuel consumption per flight. Nonetheless, with the A320neo’s additional capability on the A319, this may work out to a powerful 30% reduction in fuel usage per seat.
Interestingly, this would possibly not be the primary aircraft to fly under this registration. In 2018, now-defunct carrier VLM Airlines Brussels briefly operated an Airbus A321-200 under OO-SBA – the jet had formerly flown with Monarch Airlines (as G-ZBAF) and is now in service with Red Wings under the registration VP-BER.
What do you’re thinking that of Brussels Airlines’ latest Airbus A320neo? Do you’re thinking that the Belgian carrier invested in the appropriate aircraft? Tell us within the comments.