Aigle Azur, the French airline of Go Fast Group, has today become an Airbus operator for the first time, with the introduction of an A321, leased from GATX, on its Paris-Algiers route.

Aigle Azur will use its CFM56 powered A321 to serve its regular, twice-daily Paris-Algiers route. The aircraft will also serve Algerian-bound routes from Paris, Lille and Lyon. Depending on the airline’s needs the A321 will seat 196 passengers in a two-class cabin layout or 214 passengers in full economy class. The A321 will also be used to develop the cargo activity between Algiers and Paris.

The A321 is the largest member of the market-leading Airbus single-aisle family, which also includes the A318, A319 and A320. Together, they offer the highest degree of passenger comfort for aircraft seating from 100 to 220 passengers. A320 Family aircraft offer the most spacious cabin in the single-aisle aircraft category. Wider seats and a wider aisle create a more comfortable seating arrangement for passengers and state-of-the art systems help to provide a pleasant atmosphere, reflecting the commitment to passenger comfort found in all Airbus aircraft. The modern design and operating economics of Airbus single-aisle aircraft make them a firm favourite with airlines and financiers.

Thanks to its commonality philosophy, all Airbus fly-by-wire aircraft, from the 107-seat A318 right through to the 380-seat A340-600, share virtually identical cockpits and handling characteristics, thus allowing pilots and maintenance crews to transfer between Airbus aircraft with only minor additional training.

European and Mediterranean charter carriers now rely significantly on Airbus aircraft to provide the most comfortable, reliable, efficient and profitable air transport services for this sector of the tourist industry.

Airbus is a leading aircraft manufacturer with the most modern and comprehensive family of airliners in the market, ranging in capacity from 100 to more than 500 seats. The company has delivered some 3,250 aircraft to more than 190 operators worldwide and boasts a healthy backlog of over 1,500 aircraft.

With an annual turnover of euros 19.4 billion in 2002, Airbus is a global company with design and manufacturing facilities in France, Germany, the UK and Spain, as well as subsidiaries in the U.S., China and Japan. Headquartered in Toulouse, France, Airbus is an EADS joint Company with BAE SYSTEMS.

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