LATAM Airlines Group has received its first A321neo leased from AerCap and has placed a new order for 13 additional A321neo aircraft.
For the delivery flight, the aircraft was fueled with 49% Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), mixed with conventional fuel.
This is the first delivery of an order for 76 A321neo aircraft, which are part of a total of 111 A320 family aircraft, including the LATAM group's first A321XLR. To date, the airline group has 20 A320neo family aircraft and expects to end the year with a total of 31 aircraft of this model.
“Our fleet renewal and modernization strategy is aligned with our commitment to sustainability and is part of the goal of becoming a carbon neutral group by 2050. We will continue working to complement the current fleet with state-of-the-art aircraft to further improve the connectivity of the LATAM group without neglecting the care of the environment,” said Ramiro Alfonsín, CFO of LATAM Airlines Group.
"We are pleased to deliver to our longstanding customer, LATAM Airlines Group, their first A321neo aircraft," said Peter Anderson, the Chief Commercial Officer of AerCap. "This delivery is the first of a number of A321neos from AerCap and will help support LATAM's fleet modernization and commitment to greater efficiency and sustainability. We wish the LATAM team every success and look forward to continuing to build on our strong partnership as these aircraft deliver."
"We thank LATAM for its continued confidence in our aircraft and for once again choosing the A321neo to continue strengthening its regional growth. This strategic move also accelerates LATAM's path towards its decarbonization, since the A321neo is at least 20% more fuel-efficient, emits 20% less CO2 and generates 50% less noise compared to previous aircraft models," said Christian Scherer, Chief Commercial Officer and Head of Airbus International.
LATAM's newly delivered A321neo is the largest model in the A320 single-aisle aircraft family and can accommodate up to 224 passengers.
Currently, the LATAM group is the largest Airbus operator in Latin America with 245 Airbus aircraft. Towards the end of this decade, the airline group plans to have more than 110 aircraft of the A320neo, A321neo and A321XLR models.
The group has 321 aircraft, 58 Boeing passenger aircraft (models 767, 777 and 787) and 245 Airbus aircraft (models A319, A320, A320neo and A321). In addition, LATAM Cargo Chile, LATAM Cargo Colombia and LATAM Cargo Brazil have a joint fleet of 18 cargo aircraft, which will gradually expand to 19 cargo aircraft by 2024.