Low-cost carrier Spring Airlines has become the first Chinese carrier to commit to retrofitting sharklet wingtips on its fleet of Airbus A320s.
Spring already operates eight new-build sharklet-equipped A320s that have been delivered since September 2013, but will now add the devices to the remaining 38 aircraft in its fleet.
“As a low-cost operator, Spring Airlines is committed to offering our passengers with the most efficient means of transportation but keeping the fares at a level which is affordable to the general public,” says chairman Wang Zhenghua. “We are willing to invest in new technologies that help us further reduce the operational cost of our all Airbus A320 fleet, which is already a benchmark of the industry.”
Airbus says that retrofitting sharklets can yield up to a 4% improvement in fuel burn, and better range and field performance, especially at high-elevation airports.
Flightglobal’s Ascend Fleets database shows that, in addition to its fleet of 46 A320s, the airline has two more aircraft on order. Earlier this year, the airline disclosed that it has also ordered an additional 30 A320s, however this has not yet been approved by the Chinese government.
Source: Cirium Dashboard
