Airlines Azul announces five-year fleet plan

This forecast reflects the acceleration of Azul´s fleet transformation strategy. By 2022, the carrier plans to fly with next-generation aircraft only. As result, Azul will have one of the most modern and fuel-efficient aircraft fleets in the world.

John Rodgerson, CEO of Azul, commented: "We ended 2019 with 42 next-generation aircraft and could not be more excited about the economics as well as the high-quality onboard experience they offer to our customers. The A320neos and E2s are the principal pillars in our goal to significantly increase revenue and earnings while we grow responsibly over the next five years.”

The fleet plan also represents the expected number of each aircraft type the airline plans to operate over the upcoming five years. By 2024, Azul seeks to perform its operations with 75 Embraer E2s, 80 A320neo Family aircraft, 12 Airbus A330 widebodies and 33 ATR turboprops.

Until 2022, the carrier also plans to remove the older-generation Embraer´s from its fleet. For 2020, the airline wants to throw out 28 Embraer E1 aircraft, while adding one A330, nine A320neos and 25 Embraer E2s.

Currently, Azul operates with 145 aircraft, including four Embraer E2s, 56 E1s, two Boeing 737 Freighter, 33 ATR 72-600s, 39 Airbus A320neos, one A321neo, eight A330-200s and two state-of-the-art A330-900s.

In addition to the latest fleet plan, Azul has also released, that it will sublease 53 of its E195s to Poland´s flag-carrier LOT, and to U.S. start-up airline Breeze Aviation Group.

Rodgerson said: “For the past 11 years, the E195 has been the foundation of Azul’s business model and will continue to deliver a great experience to LOT and Breeze customers. Now that we have built the broadest network in Brazil we are ready to add larger, more fuel-efficient E2 aircraft to our fleet. Fuel in Brazil is about 35% more expensive than other parts of the world so it particularly beneficial to Azul to move to next-generation aircraft as quickly as possible.”

Azul is the largest airline in Brazil that offers 916 daily flights to 116 destinations around the world. The company employs more than 12,000 staff and has an operating fleet of nearly 140 aircraft.