easyJet (London Luton) has firmed purchase rights and options for fifty-six A320neo Family aircraft, which are now scheduled for delivery to the low-cost carrier between 2026 and 2029.
The airline said in an investor update it also converted orders for eighteen A320-200Ns due for delivery between 2024 and 2027 into A321-200Ns. It did not provide a breakdown of the 56 firmed options by variant.
"The new aircraft will be purchased under the 2013 Agreement, meaning the company will continue to benefit from the highly competitive pricing and the flexibility rights in this agreement. These aircraft are priced very substantially below the Airbus list price, and benefit from attractive price escalation protection. In addition, the Airbus Amendment continues to offer flexibility with respect to delivery dates and the ability to convert A320neo aircraft to A321neo aircraft," easyJet said.
easyJet said it decided to firm the options now as it was aware that Airbus delivery slots were scarce. As such, had it not firmed its options, it would have failed to secure a sufficient number of aircraft necessary for fleet renewal between 2026 and 2029. Alternative sources of aircraft, including deals with lessors or the second-hand market, would be substantially less attractive financially.
The aircraft will be used to replace its ageing A319-100s and A320-200s, providing at the same time improved fuel efficiency and increased seat counts.
Due to the scale of the transaction, it remains conditional on the approval of easyJet's shareholders. The LCC said it would fund the acquisition through a mix of accumulated resources, cash flow, sale and leaseback transactions, and debt but would not seek additional capital injection from its shareholders.
easyJet's fleet, operated through easyJet UK, easyJet Europe, and easyJet Switzerland, currently comprises ninety-three A319s, 167 A320-200s, forty-three A320-200Ns, and fifteen A321-200NX, the ch-aviation fleets module shows.
