Aegean Airlines has firmed up an order for 30 Airbus A320neo-family jets.
The purchase agreement – covering 10 A321neos and 20 A320neos – was signed during a ceremony in Athens today by Aegean chairman Eftichios Vassilakis and by the Greek airline's chief executive Dimitris Gerogiannis and his Airbus counterpart Tom Enders.
A memorandum of understanding for the jets' purchase had been signed by Aegean in March 2018. Currently, the carrier operates 49 A320ceo-family aircraft: 37 A320s, 11 A321s and one A319.
"Aegean Airlines is a great example of a resilient and superbly managed airline," states Enders. "It has weathered the country's financial crisis and come out of it much stronger than before."
The aircraft, which have a list-price value of $5 billion, represent what Aegean says is the largest private investment in Greece. This investment "enhances [the] growth prospects for the company, Greek tourism and the country overall", adds the airline.
It says it will spend €30 million ($35 million) on construction of a flightcrew training facility – complete with purpose-built classrooms and simulators – at Athens airport.
Aegean plans to operate a scholarship programme for 100 pilot cadets over the coming 18 months.
Source: Cirium Dashboard
