Airbus’s latest backlog data shows that three customers have converted A320neo orders to the larger A321neo.
Qatar Airways has switched a pair of A320neos, ordered as part of a batch of 50 A320-family jets in 2011.
US lessor GECAS, which ordered 60 in the same year, has converted six, while an undisclosed customer has converted seven from an order placed in November last year.
The changes are further evidence of a shift trend towards the larger members of the single-aisle family.
Airbus had secured firm customers for 866 A321neos by 31 July 2015, the airframer’s backlog figures show, surpassing the total number of baseline A321s ordered before the launch of the re-engined A320neo at the end of 2010.
Over the last five years the proportion of A321neos and A321s in the backlog has roughly doubled in size to account for around 20% of the orders for their respective families.
This contrasts sharply with the A319neo whose baseline counterpart had more than a 20% share of the Airbus single-aisle backlog in 2010. The A319neo has taken orders for fewer than 50 aircraft.
Source: Cirium Dashboard
