Korean Air (KE, Seoul Incheon) has exercised options to acquire another six A321-200NX aircraft from Airbus at a cost of over KRW1.26 trillion won (USD878 million), according to disclosures filed by the carrier last week.

The options were attached to an October 2022 order for twenty A321-200NX. The ch-aviation fleets module reveals Korean already operates 14 of the type and has another 47 on order. Factoring in lease returns and other variables, the carrier expects to be operating up to 56 of the type when all deliveries are complete.

The filings note that the options increase Korean Air's investment in the aircraft from KRW4.1 trillion (USD2.8 billion) to KRW5.36 trillion (USD3.7 billion). Consequently, the company's debt-to-equity ratio has risen from 44.07% to 57.66%.

In addition to the A321neo due, Korean Air also has twelve A321-200s, fifteen A330-300s, twenty-seven A350-1000s, twenty-one A350-900s, twenty B737-8s, fifteen B787-10s, and seven B787-9s on order.

The airline's existing fleet includes ten A220-300s, fourteen A321-200NX, twenty-one A330-300s, seven A380-800s, one B737-700(BBJ), five B737-8s, two B737-800s, ten B737-900s, six B737-900ERs, four B747-400ERFs, seven B747-8s, seven B747-8(F)s, eight B777-200ERs, twelve B777-200Fs, four B777-300s, twenty-five B777-300ERs, five B787-10s, thirteen B787-9s, and one B787-8(BBJ).

Last week, Korean Air completed its merger with Asiana Airlines (OZ, Seoul Incheon). The airline paid KRW1.5 trillion (USD1.05 billion) for a 63.88% stake in the carrier. Asiana's current fleet includes eleven A321-200NX, with 14 more on order from the manufacturer.