TACA orders 15 A320 Family aircraft

[Airbus]

TACA, a leading Latin American airline, has signed a firm contract for the purchase of 15 additional A320 Family aircraft (12 A320s and three A319s). The aircraft will be configured in a comfortable two-class layout. Engine decision has not yet been announced.

TACA already successfully operates a fleet of 36 A320 Family aircraft (nine A319s, 23 A320s and four A321s) serving the whole American continent from Canada to Argentina and Chile. This highlights the A320 Family flexibility and efficiency to operate in very different environments.

"The Airbus A320 Family provides us with the ideal mix of performance, reliability, flexibility and great economics whilst offering a very high level of passenger comfort" says Roberto Kriete, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of TACA. "With this strategic decision we will strengthen our route structure and continue to benefit from the technological advantages and comfort offered by the Airbus family of products".

"We are very honoured with this renewed sign of confidence from TACA. The A320 Family commonality concept has performed well for TACA and we are proud to take part in their tremendous development" says Airbus Chief Operating Officer, Customers John Leahy.

With more than 5,800 aircraft sold worldwide, including 350 in Latin America, and over 3,300 aircraft delivered to more than 200 operators, the A320 Family is the world's best-selling single-aisle aircraft family. The Family comprises four aircraft (A318, A319, A320 and A321) that share the same cockpit and have the same cabin cross-section and systems.

Designed to optimise revenue through cabin adaptability and passenger comfort and featuring the most modern and complete fly-by-wire technology available on any single-aisle aircraft, the A320 Family ensures savings in every element of direct operating costs and provides operators with the highest degree of operational commonality and economy for aircraft in the 100-220 seat category.

The A320 Family's optimised cabin cross-section - the widest single-aisle fuselage on the market - sets the standards for passenger cabin adaptability in this segment allowing for top-of-the-range comfort with wider seats and aisles.