Volotea (V7, Barcelona El Prat) will take delivery of its first of four A319-100s in February next year airline founder and CEO Carlos Muñoz has disclosed.

Speaking to the media last week, Muñoz said the Spanish LCC would eventually replace its entire fleet of nineteen B717-200s with A319-100s. Though the Boeing (BOE, Washington National) twinjet had proven popular with customers, a dearth of available airframes limited its longterm appeal.

"We are very pleased to incorporate these four A319 to our fleet and become an Airbus (AIB, Toulouse Blagnac) operator in the long term," he said. "In the coming years we expect to have a 100 percent A319 fleet. These new aircraft will also allow us to serve more distant destinations and provide superior on-board service as there will be improved seating pitch."

According to the ch-aviation aircraft database, the first two A319s to enter Volotea service will be cn 2113 and 2122 currently in service with Air Malta (Malta International) but due to be returned to their lessor before year-end. The A319s will be based out of Nantes initially.