Airbus Delivers A321neo to Virgin America

Airbus Delivers A321neo

Airbus Delivers A321neo to the American airline. Virgin America took delivery of the first Airbus A321neo-a CFM variant Leap-1A-powered-during a Thursday delivery ceremony in Hamburg, Germany. Airbus announced the FAA-EASA joint certification of the Leap-powered A321neo on March 1, two and a half months after the Pratt & Whitney version PW1100G won its approval. However, the first version of Pratt is not delivered, as Airbus continues to deal with the problems of maturity of its engines.

The airline, which agreed to rent 10 GECAS flights on December 15, plans to put its first Neo in service on May 31 on a flight from San Francisco International Airport to Washington's Ronald Reagan National Airport. With 185 passenger seats, Virgin America Airlines will have 24 percent more revenue capacity than their current A320 offering.

Virgin America currently operates a fleet of 63 aircraft of the Airbus A320 family, made up of A319ceo and A320ceo aircraft, powered by CFM56-5B CFM engines.

The new A321neo will become the largest aircraft in the Virgin America fleet, with 185 seats - a capacity 24 percent higher in the same levels of comfort as its current A320. Inside the cockpit, Virgin America brochures will continue to enjoy three personalized service classes, personal touch-screen entertainment and a menu of food and cocktails on demand on each flight, plus power outlets at each seat. The plane is expected to enter service on May 31, 2017 with its inaugural flight from San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA).
As first announced in April 2016, Virgin America was acquired by the Alaska Air Group in December 2016.