Wizz Air (W6, Budapest) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Airbus (AIB, Toulouse Blagnac) for the proposed purchase of 110 A321neo aircraft during the ongoing Paris Airshow 2015 at Paris Le Bourget. The aircraft will be configured with 239 seats.
The MOU allows the Hungarian LCC uncommitted purchase rights for an additional ninety of the type as well as the option of substituting a number of the A321neo aircraft with the Airbus A320neo, depending on Wizz Air's future requirements.
Once deliveries begin in 2019, the new aircraft will not only replace current aircraft as they come off lease, but will also provide additional capacity for Wizz Air’s future growth.
“As the company has recently highlighted, we have an exciting and compelling growth opportunity in Central and Eastern Europe where GDP growth rates significantly exceed that of more mature Western European markets, and the propensity for air travel is growing,” József Váradi, Wizz Air chief executive officer, said. “Our order for 110 A321neo aircraft will provide the platform to sustain our disciplined expansion over the longer term, enable us to continue to offer low fares to customers across CEE and beyond and drive strong growth well into the next decade."
The agreement will also see Wizz Air cancel ten A320ceo family aircraft that were scheduled for delivery in 2018 under Wizz Air’s existing purchase agreement with the European manufacturer.
Of its existing contracts, Wizz Air has taken delivery of sixty-one A320ceo from an order total of 112 that includes twenty-seven high-density A321ceo that will begin arriving in November. Deliveries of the remaining forty-one aircraft still on order, following the cancellation of the aforementioned ten A320ceo, will continue through mid-2018.
Completion of the order will be subject to final approval of the MOU's terms by Wizz Air’s Board of Directors, the successful negotiation of a final purchase agreement and, thereafter, to Wizz Air shareholder approval.
