Airbus awards A318 Elite outfitting to Lufthansa Technik

Airbus has signed a contract with Lufthansa Technik (LHT) in Hamburg for the cabin-outfitting of A318 Elites, the newest and most affordable member of its corporate jet family. It simultaneously concluded a contract with A318 Elite launch customer Comlux of Switzerland, for the outfitting of its first three aircraft.

The agreements cover outfitting of initial A318 Elites, which are only offered in one of two cabin-layouts, seating 14 and 18 passengers. This arrangement, which still offers clients a lot of flexibility in the choice of furnishing details, such as fabrics and colours, allows Airbus to deliver an attractively priced package.

Sharing the same wide cabin as the rest of the A320 Family, the A318 Elite takes large-jet comfort and the advantages of modern Airbus design into a wider market.

"Airbus' A318 Elite will offer executive and VIP travellers a better, more affordable way to fly, with several different zones in the cabin providing unmatched privacy for work and relaxation for even the most diverse groups and delegations," says Comlux CEO Ettore Rodaro. "This advantage over smaller business jets - together with many seats that can be converted into flat-beds for overnight flights, means that we will be able to offer a much more attractive product on business and VIP charters."

Comlux operates a fleet of several business jets from its base in Zurich, mainly on services within Europe, including the CIS, and the Middle East. In addition to the three A318 Elites that it has ordered, it is also a customer for an Airbus Corporate Jetliner (ACJ), which will be delivered this spring.

"With some 70 corporate jet sales to date, based on the smallest Airbus aircraft in service, the A318, up to the largest, the A340-600, we offer the broadest and most modern business jet family - as well as one that is increasingly successful," said Airbus President and CEO Gustav Humbert. "Our market reach continues to grow, as Comlux’s launch order, and our first sales in China, India and North America demonstrate."

Airbus ACJ Family corporate customers and operators include Aero Services Executive of France, the Al Kharafi group/Twinjet of Kuwait, Blue Moon Aviation/ADI of the USA, Comlux of Switzerland, DaimlerChrysler of Germany, Eurofly of Italy, National Air Service of Saudia Arabia, PrivatAir of Switzerland, the UB Group of India, Qatar Airways and undisclosed clients.

The Airbus ACJ Family is also increasingly the preferred choice of governments, and has already been chosen by those of Azerbaijan, Brazil, the Czech Republic, France Italy, Thailand, the United Arab Emirates, Venezuela and undisclosed states.

The Airbus ACJ Family comprises the A318 Elite, ACJ and A320 Prestige, which are derived from the popular A318, A319 and A320 airliners. They offer the widest, tallest and most comfortable cabins of any corporate jet, plus the most modern design, excellent reliability and all the benefits of Airbus’ worldwide product support network.

Airbus is an EADS joint company with BAE Systems.

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