Mexicana de Aviacion, first to operate the A318 in Latin America

Mexico City based airline Mexicana has taken delivery of the first of 10 A318s, becoming the first operator of the type in Latin America.

These aircraft will be operated under a lease agreement with GECAS. Powered by CFM International CFM56-5Bs engines, the aircraft is equipped with a spacious and comfortable two-class configuration seating 100 passengers.

Mexicana already operates a fleet of 40 Airbus aircraft, including 15 A319s and 25 A320s. The new A318 will be operated on the airline’s domestic network an also on routes to the USA, Canada and South America.

Mexicana selected the A318 because of its perfect fit with its existing Airbus fleet providing an outstanding operational flexibility. Its commonality with the rest of the A320 family represents a major cost saving advantage whilst maintaining the highest level of passenger comfort, and allowing for further network expansion.

Sharing the same fuselage width as the other members of the A320 Family, the A318 offers the same standard of comfort that is available on the larger Airbus single-aisle aircraft. It shares the A320 Family’s modern fly-by-wire controls, allowing all types to be operated by the same flights crews and maintained by the same engineers. It therefore benefits from the highest degree of operational commonality, greatly reducing capital investment, as well as training and spares. The Airbus single-aisle family is unrivalled in providing operators with the optimum and most versatile answer for profitability, reliability and passenger comfort in the 100-220 seat category.

Firm orders for the Airbus A320 Family stand at over 3200 – of which more than 2200 have been delivered to date – making it the fastest-selling airliner range of all time. The A320 Family has won more than 140 customers and operators throughout the world.

Airbus is an EADS joint company with BAE Systems.


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