Kuwaiti low-cost carrier Jazeera Airways has cancelled 25 Airbus A320s, most of its outstanding order for the type.
Airbus' latest backlog figures, covering the first quarter of 2011, show that Jazeera's order count has reduced from 39 aircraft to just 14.
Jazeera has confirmed the cancellation, although it adds that it will still take four A320s from 2012 to 2014.
"The decision to resize our fleet is the right decision for Jazeera Airways at the time being, given the overcapacity we've seen in the market in 2009 and 2010," says chairman Marwan Boodai.
But he says that Jazeera "might revisit this decision" given the new A320 variants being introduced by the airframer.
Airbus' figures show the order book for leasing operation Sahaab, which is affiliated with Jazeera, remains unchanged.
The carrier has already been leasing out part of its fleet to deal with overcapacity, while fellow Kuwaiti carrier Wataniya Airways - created under the same state strategy which led to Jazeera's emergence - collapsed last month.
Jazeera placed an order for 30 A320s in 2007, supplementing an initial 10 of the type, and selected CFM International CFM56 engines to power them.
Source: Air Transport Intelligence news
