Kingfisher Airlines to add A319s to A320 fleet

Kingfisher Airlines has signed a contract with Airbus for three A319s, becoming a new customer for the type. It has already placed firm orders for ten Airbus A320s and taken options on a further 20, deliveries of which will begin in April this year.

Deliveries of the newly ordered A319s will begin in December this year, and will complement the A320s by flying routes to smaller cities in India.

Each of the Airbus A319s will seat 144 passengers in a single-class layout, and will be powered by International Aero Engines V2500s.

“Our goal is to offer an attractive and unique travel experience at an affordable price, and the Airbus A319 and A320, with their wider seats, more spacious cabins and unmatched operating economy and flexibility will help us to do exactly that,” says Dr Vijay Mallya, Chairman of UB Group, one of India’s largest companies and the parent company of Kingfisher Airlines.

Airbus’ A320 Family features the newest and most modern design of any single-aisle airliner, with a passenger-pleasing cabin that is popular with travellers - as independent surveys demonstrate. An advanced fuel-saving aerodynamic design, including wingtip fences, centralised maintenance with extended servicing intervals, and proven reliability in day-to-day service help to give it the lowest running costs.

“We understand that customers such as Kingfisher Airlines want to differentiate their products in the marketplace, and have concentrated on building and delivering a young and dynamic range of aircraft that gives them great potential to do so,” says Airbus President and CEO Noël Forgeard.

All of the Airbus A320 Family, which comprises the A318, A319, A320 and A321, feature the same type-rating for pilots and comprehensive commonality, delivering important cost-savings in training and unmatched operational flexibility.

Airbus’ A320 Family is the most successful aircraft family in the world, having been chosen by more than 180 customers and operators around the world, including many in Asia. Firm orders for the Airbus A320 Family stand at some 3,400 aircraft, more than 2,300 of which have been delivered to date.

Airbus is an EADS joint Company with BAE Systems.

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